Renters' Rights Bill

We welcome the Renters' Rights Bill but are concerned about the large enforcement burden that its provisions will impose on local authorities and the need for proportionate funding that is sustained and predictable. We are also promoting two amendments to the Bill that would remove unnecessary barriers to the use of licensing schemes to improve housing standards.

A full statement of our views on the Bill, which are based on policy positions adopted by our Housing Advisory Panel, can be found in our Lords second reading briefing.

What are we doing?

We are working to make the voice of environmental health professionals heard during the passage of the Bill through parliament. We have sent briefings to parliamentarians at various stages of its passage and submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee that scrutinised the legislation.

One of our expert panel members, Dr Henry Dawson, gave evidence to the Public Bill Committee on our behalf. This oral evidence is available to view online.

Two CIEH amendments on licensing have been tabled by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Shipley for the report stage of the Bill in the House of Lords. Lord Shipley, a Vice President of the Local Government Association and former Leader of Newcastle City Council, previously tabled and spoke on the amendments at committee stage - his speech is available to view online.

The discussion of these amendments at Lords committee stage followed Green MP Carla Denyer’s earlier contributions at the report stage of the Bill in the House of Commons, where she tabled and spoke on the same issues. She also introduced a similar amendment during the Commons committee stage. Her speech at report stage can be viewed in this video from the House of Commons report stage, and her speech at committee stage can be heard in this recording from the Commons committee stage.

We have met with the Minister who is leading on the Bill for the Government in the Lords. We also attended a roundtable with the Minister for Housing and Planning before the Bill was introduced.

We obtained backing from the Renters' Reform coalition, which comprises 19 organisations and includes major housing and homelessness charities as well as CIEH, for some of our key positions on housing enforcement and licensing.

What are we calling for

• CIEH is recommending that local authorities should receive ring-fenced funding based on the number of private rented sector dwellings registered in their areas.
• CIEH believes that the fees for the private rented sector database and ombudsman schemes should provide funding for local authority enforcement of the provisions related to these schemes.
• CIEH is promoting two amendments that would remove unnecessary barriers to the use of licensing schemes to improve housing standards (see our licensing campaign page).
• CIEH is recommending that local authorities should be able to conduct Housing Health and Safety Rating System inspections without giving 24 hours' notice to landlords.
• CIEH is recommending that local authorities should be able to use Universal Credit information for housing enforcement.
• CIEH is recommending that the Secretary of State should be required rather than permitted to provide guidance for local authorities on the administration of financial penalties.
• CIEH has long called for national registration of landlords and welcomes the proposed private rented sector database as a tool to support the use of tailored enforcement approaches by local authorities.
• CIEH welcomes, in principle, the proposed application of a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector but believes the various housing standards need to be consolidated to provide clarity for landlords, tenants and local authorities.

Further information

Find out more about what the Housing Advisory Panel is working on.