Barrister doubts Renters’ Rights Act disrepair fines impact
12:01 AM, 16th July 2026, 44 seconds ago
A barrister has warned that England’s new £7,000 disrepair fines may do little to reduce the number of housing claims brought against landlords.
Jeffrey Zitron says limited council resources and continued reliance on existing complaints routes mean the legal landscape is unlikely to change much.
The government estimates that around one in 10 privately rented homes contains at least one hazard serious enough to trigger a fine under powers introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act.
However, the big issue might not be the law at all, but whether councils have the resources to use it.
Disrepair complaint route
Mr Zitron, a barrister at The Barrister Group specialising in landlord and tenant law, has three reasons why little will change.
He points to government guidance which describes the fines as tenure neutral.
But the powers do not apply to a council’s own housing stock unless it is managed by another organisation.
Housing associations are covered, but councils are directed away from enforcement against them in many cases.
Tenants are instead pointed towards the social landlord’s complaints procedure and the Housing Ombudsman.
Councils not funded
He also questions whether councils will receive enough funding to make full use of the powers.
He says successive governments have introduced additional enforcement measures without always providing the resources needed to apply them.
Mr Zitron said: “Experience of enforcement of historic disrepair legislation suggests this may be an issue.”
Tenants can still pursue claims through the Housing Conditions Protocol, which sets out the steps that landlords and tenants should follow before court proceedings begin.
Landlords need records
He goes on: “It may seem perverse to suggest that going down a route which may end up in court could be a relatively quick one.
“But the important point about the protocol is that it’s designed to get solutions without court action, and to do so in a structured way that gives the landlord a chance to act but preserves the tenant’s rights if they don’t.”
Mr Zitron adds that private and social landlords should retain accurate records of how homes were constructed and what materials and fittings were used.
This could reduce the need for contractors to make additional visits simply to establish what is inside a property before beginning repairs.
Issues for landlords
Landlords should also prioritise planned maintenance while remaining prepared to bring work forward where a serious problem has continued for some time.
Contractors should give tenants proper notice, attend at the agreed time and avoid leaving a card without attempting to complete the visit.
Where litigation has begun, solicitors should receive accurate information about which repairs have been carried out and what work remains outstanding.
Mr Zitron also urges landlords to consider the wider cost of completing only the minimum work required, rather than approaching repairs solely as a compliance exercise.
