NRLA says landlord HHSRS fines are ‘pointless’ without enforcement

News that landlords could face instant fines of £7,000 for failing to deal with poor conditions has led the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) to question the government’s enforcement plans.

It says that the said tougher penalties would achieve little unless councils collect the fines, they have already issued.

The proposed fines come as part of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) update which councils use to identify hazards in residential properties.

Most landlords are good

The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “The overwhelming majority of landlords provide good quality and safe housing.

“That will be made easier thanks to the government’s work with the NRLA to improve guidance for landlords and tenants to identify and swiftly rectify hazards in properties.”

He added: “Good landlords, who meet standards and undertake repairs swiftly, will be unaffected by these tough penalties.

“But those criminal landlords, who undermine the reputation of all those who do the right thing, will feel the full force of the law.”

Councils not using powers

Mr Beadle continued: “Increasing fines though, misses the point – namely that councils are not using their extensive and existing powers effectively to tackle rogue and criminal landlords.”

The organisation made Freedom of Information requests between 2023 and 2025 and found that just a quarter of all fines issued to private landlords have been collected.

Mr Beadle said: “If the government’s plans are to work, councils need the resources to do the job properly and these figures show that so many do not.

“The government should properly assess enforcement capacity and require councils to publish annual reports on activity to ensure accountability.”

Empowered for change

He went on: “Crucially, this should all be underpinned by the introduction of a new national Chief Environmental Health Officer, empowered to lead the charge for better enforcement across government.

“Alongside this, ministers need to develop pro-growth policies to support responsible landlords to provide the new, good quality homes to rent that so many tenants desperately need.”