Draft private rented sector housing enforcement policy 2022

Proposal

The Housing Enforcement Team within Business and Consumer Protection Service regulate private rented accommodation to ensure it is safe to live in and free from health and safety hazards. Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) must be licensed and follow extra rules around health and safety.

The revised private rented sector housing enforcement policy extends powers made under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, the Housing Act 2004 and the Energy Act 2011 to extend the powers of the Council to also permit civil penalties to be imposed on landlords who are in breach of their duties in respect of the requirements set out in:

• The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (‘the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations')
• The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (‘the Energy Efficiency Regulations')

This Policy explains how the Council can use these civil penalties and other measures and sets out how the level of the civil penalties of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution, will be determined.

The overwhelming majority of landlords in Shropshire provide safe, well managed and properly maintained rented accommodation, and the extension of civil penalties, to include a wider range of offences, will help us tackle the small number of criminal, rogue and irresponsible landlords who knowingly rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation.

We would welcome views on the attached draft policy.