Local councils must act if they find properties with any category one hazards. They must also act if properties contain damp and mould classed as a statutory nuisance.
Councils can decide how to enforce these standards depending on how severe the problem is, but it could include:
• Issuing an improvement notice so that corrective work is carried out. This must usually be done within a specified amount of time.
• Issuing a legal order that forbids some or all of the property being used.
• The council carries out corrective work themselves and invoices the landlord.
Landlords that don’t comply can be fined up to £30,000 by the local council. If prosecuted, it could mean being given an unlimited fine. Plus, if you need a licence to rent property in your area (or you have an HMO), your council can also take this away for failing to meet housing standards.
Social housing standards are overseen by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). If rentals fail to meet the decent homes standard, the RSH can take enforcement action against landlords, including unlimited fines.