Landlord Licensing & Defence has issued guidance to private landlords in England following the rollout of new enforcement approaches under the Renters’ Rights Act.

The legislation came into force on 1 May, with councils now beginning to update their compliance and enforcement policies. The firm points to recent communications from Portsmouth City Council to landlords on its licensing database as an example of how the changes are being framed locally.

The wording used by some local authorities indicates a shift in approach, with similar policies expected to be adopted across England.

According to landlord law specialists, this reflects a move away from informal advisory correspondence towards more formal enforcement processes, including the use of financial penalties where breaches are identified.

They warn that many landlords may not yet be aware of the extent of the policy changes now being implemented at local authority level, as councils begin applying the updated framework in practice.

Phil Turtle, a director of Landlord Licensing & Defence, said: “Under the previous enforcement framework, some councils would typically issue a warning or advisory notice before escalating to formal action. That safety net has now been removed.

“Portsmouth’s updated policy [typical of all councils now] states explicitly that ‘formal enforcement may now be taken more quickly, without a warning in some cases — especially where there are serious risks, clear legal breaches or repeat issues.’

“In plain terms: councils no longer need to warn you before they fine you.”

Penalties under the new regime can reach up to £7,000 for certain lower-level breaches, rising to £40,000 for more serious offences.

In addition, multiple penalties can be applied at the same time where more than one breach is identified, meaning a single inspection or investigation could result in cumulative fines running into tens of thousands of pounds.

The updated framework also introduces a wider range of tenancy-related offences covering how tenancies are created, managed and ended, alongside new rules on tenant discrimination. Landlord advisers say these areas are still unfamiliar to many in the sector, particularly given the scale of the changes and the limited time available for landlords to adapt to the new requirements.

Turtle said: “What councils are not advertising is the brutal arithmetic of the enforcement timeline once a formal notice is issued.

“By the time a formal enforcement notice has been printed, processed, and delivered through the postal system, typically taking three to four days, and a landlord has actually opened and read it, the clock has often already been running for the better part of a week.

“The response window given to landlords is, in most cases, just 14 days from the date of the notice, meaning that in practice, landlords may find themselves with as few as six to seven working days to locate specialist legal support, brief a professional representative, gather evidence of compliance, and prepare a formal response.

“This is not a reasonable window for an uninformed landlord to navigate alone or to find and appoint a competent professional representative.”

Turtle continued: “What we are seeing is a seismic shift in how councils are empowered, and now obligated, to enforce housing law.

“The Renters’ Rights Act has removed the last remnants of the traditional buffer of informal warnings.

“Councils are no longer being asked to educate first and enforce second. They are being told to enforce and enforce hard.

“The cruellest element of this new landscape is the timeline.

“A landlord receives a formal notice through the post. By the time they’ve actually read it, they may have less than a week of working days to act.

“That is simply not enough time for someone without specialist knowledge to mount an effective response — particularly when the penalties at stake can reach multiple £40,000s.”

He added: “Our message to every landlord in England is this: do not wait until you receive a notice.

“Understand your obligations now, get your compliance records in order, and know who to call before you need them.

“In this new enforcement environment, preparation is not optional — it is your only real defence.”