Richard Blakeway, head of the Housing Ombudsman 

Service, which is anticipated to become the  main regulator for PRS tenant complaints about landlords under the Renters’ Rights Bill, has stated that landlords who disregard their decisions should be required to repay rent to their tenants through a Rent Repayment Order.

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Blakeway made these comments during an evidence session at Parliament last week on Tuesday 22nd Oct, addressing the Housing Select Committee, which included Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook.

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces new proposals for a mechanism allowing tenants to lodge  complaints and seek redress from landlords when tenancies go awry, with the Housing Ombudsman Service expected to take on this role.

During the committee's examination, Blakeway pointed out that the Bill does not address how enforcement, specifically the consequences for landlords who disregard the ombudsman's decisions when tenants file complaints.

Blakeway proposed that, instead of having local authorities pursue non-compliant landlords, landlords should be subject to rent repayment orders through the First Tier Tribunal system. This is similar to current practices for landlords found to be renting unlicensed properties within selective or HMO licensing schemes.

The Bill already includes provisions for imposing RROs on landlords who fail to register with the      Ombudsman which in London can amount to tens of thousands of pounds. This proposal would  essentially expand on that concept.

Sean Hooker, Head of Redress at the PRS, says: “The ‘Big Stick’ approach is not the full picture – of course, landlords who seriously break the law and regulations need to be cracked down on, but most tenant complaints are small issues which have a big impact of on their quality of life.

“They cannot wait weeks or months whilst a contorted process considers maladministration or enforcement; they just want things put right.

“So I agree that a strong framework is needed to intervene and help landlords to do the right thing before things get worse.

“This is essential to be put in place before the ombudsman is set loose; landlords and tenants should have access to help and advice, access to mediation and private resolution and signposting to what help is available.

“The agent redress schemes already do this at the moment and I am keen these services are available to tenants who deal directly with landlords.”