A recent amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill, passed by the House of Lords, is raising alarm among landlord groups over plans to grant local councils the authority to conduct surprise inspections of privately rented homes.

Under the proposed change, council enforcement officers would no longer be required to provide landlords with at least 24 hours’ notice before entering a property. Instead, landlords would be notified retrospectively within what’s described as a “reasonable amount of time” after the visit. Tenants, however, would still receive prior notice before inspections are carried out.

industry stakeholders warn that the move could strain relations between landlords and local authorities, and add further uncertainty to the already complex landscape of rental regulation.

A director at a landlord defence against councils, warned that the new powers could lead to increased targeting of landlords and significant fines for minor issues. 

He said: “Councils have been carrying out surprise inspections for years, often under the flimsiest of pretexts. They claim suspicion of unlicensed properties or breaches of regulations to justify unannounced visits, sometimes arriving at 5am with eight officers dressed in uniforms resembling those of the police.

“These tactics are designed to intimidate tenants, and the Renters’ Rights Bill only legitimises this behaviour, giving councils even more scope to target landlords.”

He pointed out that under current legislation, local authorities are already empowered to enter rental properties without prior notice in specific circumstances; such as when suspected breaches occur under the Housing Act 2004 or the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

He also alleged that council officers frequently exercise these powers to penalise landlords over relatively minor issues, including administrative oversights like incomplete documentation.

He said: “This has little to do with tackling rogue landlords. Councils use these powers daily to penalise landlords who may not have everything 100% perfect.”

He continued: “Council officers are already overplaying their hand to intimidate tenants and with the new rules, I shudder to think what might happen, but the rules will be exploited.”

The Renters’ Rights Bill is scheduled to return to the House of Commons on the 8th of September shortly after Parliament resumes following its summer break. The upcoming session will focus on reviewing amendments introduced during the Bill’s passage through the House of Lords.