The government has acknowledged it does not gather data on how enforcement action against landlords has changed over the past five years. This admission came in a written parliamentary answer from Housing Minister Baroness Taylor of Stevenage.
Baroness Taylor confirmed that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) plans to require local authorities to provide a suite of data on the private rented sector from April 2027. This data is expected to include details such as the number of formal enforcement notices and civil penalties issued, revenue from penalties, and staffing and spending on enforcement teams.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, councils in England received £41.12 million this financial year to help them undertake new enforcement responsibilities. This funding follows £18.2 million provided in 2025/26. The government intends to use fees from the Private Rented Sector Database to provide long-term funding for local authorities to improve compliance.
Councils will also gain powers to take enforcement action against landlords who do not register on the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. Landlords who let or advertise a property without registration could face a civil penalty of up to £7,000, or a £40,000 fine for providing fraudulent information.