Renters' Rights Act penalty tiers: £7,000 breaches and £40,000 offences

Any landlord, agent or person acting for a landlord of a private assured tenancy in England, from 1 May 2026.

Comply with the underlying rules. Respond to any council notice of intent within 28 days with written representations; any appeal against a final notice must be made to the First-tier Tribunal within 28 days.

Deadline

Ongoing

Notice of intent, 28-day representation period, final notice payable within 28 days, 28-day appeal window.

• Compliance records for each underlying rule
• Correspondence with the council

Civil penalty

Up to £40,000

Criminal offence

Yes, you can be prosecuted

Rent repayment

A rent repayment order can be made

Other consequences

Up to £7,000: rental bidding and advert rent (s.57); discrimination (s.40); fixed terms, notices to quit, oral termination, purported notices, missing prior-notice statements, written statement of terms and Information Sheet failures, relying on a ground without reasonable belief with surrender (HA 1988 s.16I). Up to £40,000 as alternative to prosecution: misuse of possession grounds, re-letting or re-marketing in the 12-month restricted period, continuing a breach 28 days after a penalty, repeat breach within 5 years (HA 1988 ss.16J-16K); unlawful eviction or harassment (PEA 1977 s.1A). Future (not yet commenced): PRS Database £7,000/£40,000 (RRA ss.91-92) and redress £7,000/£40,000 (ss.66-67).

• Renters' Rights Act 2025, s.15 (inserts HA 1988 ss.16I-16L)legislation.gov.uk
• Renters' Rights Act 2025, s.40 (discrimination penalties)legislation.gov.uk
• Renters' Rights Act 2025, s.57 (rental bidding penalties)legislation.gov.uk
• Renters' Rights Act 2025, s.58 (PEA 1977 s.1A)legislation.gov.uk
• Renters' Rights Act 2025, s.102 (Schedule 5 penalty procedure)legislation.gov.uk

Official guidance

Tenant Fees Act penalties stay at £5,000 (first) and £30,000 (repeat offence alternative); right to rent penalties are separate Home Office penalties up to £20,000. In this catalogue max_civil_penalty_gbp records the cap for the rule's own breach; escalation is described in other_consequences. A new £7,000 penalty for category 1 hazards (HA 2004 s.6A, from 22 June 2026, SI 2026/638) is covered by the property-standards rules.

• Tenancies must be rolling: no fixed terms and no ending a tenancy orallyIn force since 1 May 2026Fine up to £7,000

  Assured tenancies are now periodic with rent periods of a month or less. You must not purport to grant a fixed term, or end (or require the tenant to end) the tenancy by word of mouth.

• Respond to written pet requests within 28 days and do not refuse unreasonablyIn force since 1 May 2026

  A tenant can ask in writing to keep a pet. You must reply in writing within 28 days and can only refuse for a good reason. You cannot require pet insurance.

• Tenants can leave on two months' written notice; you cannot require moreIn force since 1 May 2026

  A tenant can end an assured periodic tenancy at any time with at least two months' written notice, or less if you have agreed in writing. You cannot demand more than two months.

• Rent repayment orders: up to 2 years' rent, wider offences, superior landlords liableIn force since 1 May 2026

  Tenants and councils can ask the First-tier Tribunal to make a landlord repay up to 2 years' rent (previously 12 months) for listed offences. Superior landlords and company officers can be liable, and repeat offenders must pay the maximum.