Civil penalty notices for housing offences

The law says that councils can fine landlords as an alternative to prosecution for certain housing offences.

We aim to support responsible landlords who provide decent and well-maintained homes.

Unfortunately, there is a small number of landlords who knowingly rent out unlicensed, unsafe and substandard accommodation.

We now use civil penalties (fines) to help deal with landlords who break the law.

Offences include:

  • renting out an unlicensed property
  • breaching licensing conditions
  • not complying with an Improvement Notice
  • overcrowding

Civil penalties can be a quicker and more cost-effective method of enforcement action.

For more information, view our enforcement policy.

Page last updated: 1 July 2024

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