Smaller landlords may struggle to adapt to Awaab’s Law claims MP

An MP has warned that smaller landlords will need time to adapt to Awaab’s Law, as they face difficulties accessing tradespeople.

Abena Oppong-Asare, chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee, welcomed the government’s proposals to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector (PRS).

The government has launched a consultation, alongside an impact assessment, seeking views on how the new rules should operate and when they should come into force.

Smaller landlords struggle to access tradespeople

Ms Oppong-Asare MP claimed some conditions in the private rented sector were “appalling”, but councils struggle to enforce standards.

She said: “Conditions in parts of the private rented sector are utterly appalling and expose people to harms that threaten their health. Landlords already have a duty to keep their homes free from serious hazards, yet this does not always happen, and overstretched councils struggle to enforce standards.

“We are delighted the government has begun to consult on extending Awaab’s Law beyond social housing. However, we urge the government to phase-in these new protections at pace. Landlords will need time to adapt. Smaller landlords, with one or two properties, already struggle to access skilled tradespeople, especially in more rural areas.”

She added: “Once introduced, these new regulations will greatly strengthen the protections available to private renters, homeless families, care leavers and those in supported housing who find themselves exposed to hazards in their home.

“Ahead of Awaab’s Law coming into force, the government needs to strengthen the protections that already exist. Far too many councils are failing to adequately protect tenants and provide a meaningful deterrent against rogue landlords prepared to exploit them.”

£42.2 million a year

The news comes as the government’s own impact assessment admits some landlords could leave the market if Awaab’s law is extended to the PRS.

The assessment estimates the net financial cost to landlords at £42.2 million a year, with the government putting the average cost to landlords at £8.17 per rental property annually, ranging from £5.64 to £10.69 per property.

The impact assessment admits landlords may, in some instances, attempt to pass through some of the costs of the regulation to tenants.

However, the government says the extent to which this happens will depend on market conditions and housing affordability, adding that it does not expect landlords to pass on the full cost of the regulations to tenants across the market as a whole.