Welcome to our last Newsround for May.
Call on the government to raise LHA
The percentage of older renters continues to grow and it is this group that are spending more than a third (35%) of their income on housing costs and for those on the lowest income this increases to 48%.
Independent Age are now calling on the government to raise the Local Housing Allowance (LHA).
They say that rent for those on the lowest income is officially classed as ‘unaffordable’, the Renters’ Right Act does not address rent costs and the government needs to increase the LHA so that it will help those on lower incomes. It has been frozen for two years, and rents have increased by 10.5%, which makes renting unsustainable.
Landlords 31st May deadline – Act now
Landlords are being warned that their deadline is fast approaching for ensuring that their tenants have been given the Renters’ Right Act new Information Sheet by 31st May (this coming Sunday) or risk a fine of up to £7000.
Richard Offenbach, founder of Leasesafe said
The three patterns we keep seeing aren’t bad-faith landlords cutting corners. They’re good landlords applying the old playbook to a new framework.
Who should serve the information sheet? Landlord or agents?
There is quite a lot of confusion about whether the landlord or the agent, or both (!) should serve the government’s Information Sheet, which needs to be served on all existing tenants as at 1 May 2026. This probably comes from the government guidance, which says
If you are a landlord and have a letting agent who manages the property on your behalf, then the agent must provide the Information Sheet to the tenant, even if you have also provided it.
However, what the government guidance does NOT say is that if the agent has served the Information Sheet, the landlord has to do so too!
My advice is:
- If you self-manage it is up to you to serve it. If you have not done so yet – serve it NOW!
- If you use letting agents, it is their job to serve the Information Sheet for you. So if you are not sure if they have done this yet, ring them up and ask them.
- If the agents have served it, then you do not need to do anything.
- If you can’t get a proper answer from your agents and/or you suspect they have not served it, go and serve it yourself. At least then you will not be at fault, and if anyone is fined by the Council, it will be your agents and not you.
See also my blog post here.
The Government data gathering project
There are various reports of a big data gathering drive by the government to assess how their reforms are going, and to also monitor how the courts are coping. Saying
These data sources will enable the department to monitor how disputes, possession activity and rent challenges are changing over time, identify pressures emerging in the tribunal system, and assess whether reforms are improving access to justice and fairer outcomes in the private rented sector.
This follows criticism that they have no idea what is going on in the sector or in the courts, making it hard for them to make proper decisions.
There will also be a lot of information available when the new PRS Database comes on board, plus Local Authorities are going to be required to submit information about their enforcement work.
It’s about time, though, that some attention was paid to the PRS. Under the Tories in years past, ‘renting’ was a bit of a dirty word in government circles, and they were only interested in owner-occupiers. Mainly because owner occupiers were perceived to be more likely to vote conservative, whereas renters were more likely to vote Labour (in which case, ran their thoughts, why bother about them?).
Mind you, I suspect a lot of information will also be passed over to HMRC for tax purposes …
Snippets
Landlord looses appeal and is hit with £9000 fine
Shock court ruling puts late-served Section 21 at risk
The fine line between enforcement and income generation
EPC Targets – many landlords are closer than they think
Cash-strapped tenants at risk because of Renters Rights Act – poll
See also our Quick News Updates on Landlord Law
Newsround will be back again next week
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