The Renters Rights Bill - A new mandatory Ombudsman for all landlords 📋
The Renters Right Bill plans to introduce a mandatory Ombudsman for all landlords. What do we know so far?
The Renters Right Bill plans to introduce a new private rented sector Ombudsman for all landlords. Here's what we know;
- The government will create a new private rented sector Ombudsman and all landlords in England will need to register, even if they use a letting/managing agent.
- Tenants will be able to use the service for free to complain about a landlords’ actions or behaviours.
- Local authorities will be able to take action against landlords who fail to join the Ombudsman scheme or against anyone who markets a property to let where the landlord is not registered. This will include civil penalties of up to £7,000 for initial breaches and up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for continuing or repeated breaches.
- Tenants will be able to seek rent repayment orders against their landlord if the landlord commits an offence by persistently failing to join the ombudsman service.
- As with current Ombudsman schemes, the landlord will agree to adhere to any decision made of the new PRS Ombudsman.
- There is likely to be a cost to join the scheme for Landlords, yet to be disclosed.