Awaab’s Law Phase 2: England social housing date set for November
The government has set 30 November 2026 as the start of Awaab’s Law Phase 2 for social housing landlords in England. It extends the response-time rules to more serious housing…
Rental Property Safety & Maintenance
Find help with repairs, safety checks and keeping your rental home in good condition. Start with certificates and inspections, or read about Scotland’s damp and mould rules.
Building safety assessments: changes for resident-managed buildings
The Building Safety Regulator has described changes to its assessment approach for higher-risk residential buildings, with particular attention to resident-led management. Building owners and managers can use the announcement to…
Lincoln landlord fined over unsafe HMO conditions
A landlord pleaded guilty to seven HMO management offences after an investigation by City of Lincoln Council. Property Industry Eye reported a £4,000 fine, £2,000 in costs and an £800…
Roof leaks: lessons from Housing Ombudsman cases
The Housing Ombudsman has reported on the disruption caused by unresolved roof leaks in social housing. The cases show why finding the cause, completing repairs and keeping residents informed need…
Overheating in rental homes: concerns about office conversions
Zurich UK has raised concerns about overheating in homes converted from offices. Property Industry Eye reported that applications for office-to-residential conversions in England rose from 1,025 in 2022 to 1,623…
England’s HHSRS guide explains housing hazards
The government refreshed its Housing Health and Safety Rating System guide for landlords and agents on 23 June 2026. HHSRS is used to assess risks to people’s health and safety…
England introduces penalties of up to £7,000 for serious housing hazards
The government announced a power for English councils to issue penalties of up to £7,000 when landlords fail to address serious hazards in private rented homes. The announcement gave 22…
Pest complaints prompt changes at two social landlords
Housing Ombudsman cases involving Guinness Partnership and Hammersmith and Fulham have led to changes in how the social landlords handle pests. The complaints included repeated treatment, delays and serious effects…
England social landlords get an electrical-safety reporting measure
The Regulator of Social Housing has added an electrical-safety measure to the information registered social housing providers in England must report. The announcement does not create a reporting duty for…
Housing Ombudsman highlights unresolved window repairs
The Housing Ombudsman has reported on window repairs linked to cold, damp, ventilation and security problems in social housing. It said 9% of its window-related findings in 2025–26 involved severe…
Rotherham landlord prosecuted over unsafe rented home
Rotherham Council prosecuted a landlord after finding exposed wiring, missing smoke alarms, fire risks, poor security, cold and pests at a rented home. The council said required repairs remained incomplete.…
Unresolved damp and pests lead to changes at Onward Homes
A Housing Ombudsman case found that a family at an Onward Homes property lived with damp, mould, mites and other hazards for nearly two years. The social landlord introduced new…