A cross-party committee of MPs has called for further measures and requirements to be imposed on the private rented sector.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee said the government’s rental reforms were welcome but warned that tenants would benefit only if their new rights could be enforced effectively.

Its Housing conditions in the Private Rented Sector report recommends a combination of incentives for landlords and stronger deterrents against breaches. The committee said this approach could encourage earlier compliance with the new Decent Homes Standard, ahead of the 2035 deadline, while ensuring action is taken against landlords who fail to meet their responsibilities.

The report also recommends extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector in 2026. This would introduce legal timescales for landlords to address hazards, with the requirements intended to be fully operational across the sector by the end of 2028/29.

Local authority resources and enforcement

The committee found that too much responsibility remains with individual tenants to pursue action against their landlord. Renters may currently need to approach the courts, contact their local authority or seek redress through the ombudsman.

It has therefore called on the government to conduct and publish a full assessment of the powers and resources available to local authorities to regulate the private rented sector and enforce housing standards.

The report also raises concerns about the government’s new minimum energy efficiency standard. MPs warned that the measure could be undermined if councils do not have sufficient resources to enforce it.

Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, said:

“The government’s reforms to renters’ rights are welcome and can make an important contribution to improving housing conditions for tenants, helping people to live in safe and secure homes where they are treated fairly by their landlords.

“However, more needs to be done to ensure that the new tenants’ rights are enforceable and that landlords play by the rules. Stronger and more proactive regulation and enforcement of standards by local authorities is needed to improve conditions for tenants. The government needs to play its part by ensuring councils have the resources to do this job effectively and that the upcoming Private Rented Sector Database gives tenants the tools they need to check that their home is suitable and safe.

“Far too many private renters are living in homes that are sub-standard. Poor conditions in the rented sector are ultimately a symptom of the nation’s wider housing crisis, especially the lack of social and affordable housing. The government needs to come forward with the long-term housing strategy and set out a credible plan to address the drivers of poor housing conditions”.

Separate research referenced alongside the report found that, between 2023/24 and 2024/25, only around a quarter of almost £30 million in civil penalties imposed on private landlords for housing offences was collected. The amount recovered was just over £7 million.

Calls for a more comprehensive PRS Database

The committee wants the government to expand its plans for the Private Rented Sector Database.

It said the database should be used to drive up standards by providing tenants with comprehensive information about landlords and the quality of rented homes. It should also allow concerns to be reported.

A well-designed database could also provide responsible landlords with a way to demonstrate that they are meeting their obligations.

Remove barriers to selective licensing

The report supports selective licensing as a tool for targeting areas with the poorest housing conditions. It recommends removing barriers that prevent councils from introducing or operating licensing schemes effectively, arguing that targeted enforcement could protect tenants who may find it difficult to exercise their rights.

The NRLA have raised concerns about this element of the report. Chief executive Ben Beadle stated “We fundamentally reject the idea that it should be easier for councils to introduce landlord licensing schemes. Licensing can be an effective tool when used sparingly and in a focused manner. Allowing local authorities carte blanche to apply it will serve only to duplicate the information councils will be able to obtain from a well-designed PRS Database.

Rent increases and support for lower-income tenants

The committee also called for additional protection for renters at the lower end of the market, who may be particularly exposed to rent increases and other unintended consequences of the reforms.

It warned that retaliatory rent increases could operate as a form of economic eviction where tenants are already struggling to meet their housing costs.

However, the committee concluded that rent controls would not be a proportionate measure at this stage. Instead, it said the immediate priority should be ensuring that existing protections against above-market rent increases operate effectively through the First-tier Tribunal.

The report also repeats the committee’s call for the government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance and ensure that it covers at least the 30th percentile of market rents. MPs said this could reduce the risk of lower-income households being displaced into poorer accommodation or becoming homeless.

Ben Beadle of the NRLA commented “We welcome the Committee’s calls for the courts to be properly resourced to cope with the impact of the Act, and its rejection of calls for rent controls.

“As it rightly concludes, they would undermine the supply of affordable properties. We agree with the Committee that the focus must instead be on ensuring the rental appeals tribunal processes cases far quicker than they do at present.”