Housing authorities will receive new powers to investigate into landlords from December 27th, ahead of the main implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act in May 2026.
Councils will be able to enter the premises where tenancy records are kept; take paperwork, devices, or anything linked to the tenancy; and demand information from anyone involved in the tenancy in the past year, including tradespeople, agents, contractors, even past tenants.
David Adams, managing director of Chester-based estate and lettings agent Cavendish, said: “When the Renters Rights Act became law a few weeks ago, there was a lot of focus on landlords having to be ready for an implementation from May 1st next year.
“While this remains an important milestone, landlords also need to be ready for councils to start using their new investigatory powers which come into effect before the end of this year.
“December is already traditionally a busy time of the year for landlords with a rush to ensure last minute completions and tenancy renewals. Now they face the very real possibility of local authorities flexing their new muscles during festive period.
“We have always advised landlords not to wait for the May 1st deadline and, instead, ensure all their processes and systems are fully compliant as soon as possible. The best approach is to see December 27th as the true deadline rather than delaying until May.”
Adams recommended landlords: Make sure every tenancy file is complete and compliant; double-check deposit protection, prescribed information, and evidence of service; pull together all certificates, safety checks, and licensing documents in one watertight folder; Check that the letting agent has done what they say — and make sure you have proof; and identify any gaps now, while there’s still time to fix them quietly.
Other major changes contained in the Renters Rights Act will only come into force from May 1st next year including the abolition of Section 21 “no-fault” evictions with all fixed-term tenancies converting to rolling, periodic agreements.
Landlords will also face higher fines with civil penalties for non-compliance, starting at £7,000 and rising to a maximum civil penalty of up to £40,000.
A recent survey by Cavendish revealed that just 7% of landlords in the region are “fully prepared” for the launch of the act.