Chorley Landlord Compliance 2026 — Renters' Rights Act, HMO Licensing and Section 21 Abolition

Renters' Rights Act 2025 — England-wide obligations from 1 May 2026

All Chorley private landlords must comply with these national changes from 1 May 2026:

• Section 21 abolished: No-fault eviction notices served on or after 1 May 2026 are unlawful. All possession must use Section 8 and one of the revised Schedule 2 grounds only
• Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a PAT-compliant agreement. Fixed-term ASTs are no longer available for new private residential lets in England
• Awaab's Law (PRS extension — date to be confirmed): Mandatory statutory timeframes for responding to, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, and other HHSRS hazards in all private rented properties
• Information Sheet obligation: Every landlord with an existing tenancy as at 1 May 2026 must deliver the official RRA 2025 Information Sheet to every named tenant by 31 May 2026. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy
• Pet request right: Tenants on PATs have the right to request a pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days or consent is deemed given
• Civil penalties up to £40,000: Maximum civil penalties for PRS non-compliance rise to £40,000 per offence under the RRA 2025
• Rent increase via Section 13 only: Rent on a PAT can only be raised via formal Section 13 notice (Form 4A), once every 12 months

Chorley Borough Council HMO licensing

Chorley Borough Council administers HMO licensing and private sector housing enforcement across the borough.

• Mandatory HMO licensing: All Chorley properties occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households require a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004
• Additional licensing: Chorley Borough Council may designate additional HMO licensing areas requiring licences for smaller HMOs. Always check the council's current licensing register before letting as a smaller HMO
• Selective licensing: Verify with Chorley Borough Council whether your property falls within any current selective licensing designation — these require all private landlords to hold a licence regardless of property size
• HMO standards: Chorley HMO licences require minimum room sizes (6.51 m² for a single adult sleeping room), adequate fire detection, fire doors where required, and maximum occupancy compliance
• Enforcement: Chorley Borough Council's environmental health team investigates complaints and carries out targeted inspections in areas with higher concentrations of rented property

Awaab's Law — damp and mould obligations for Chorley landlords

Awaab's Law is expected to introduce statutory repair timeframes for damp, mould, and HHSRS hazards in all private rented properties — date to be confirmed by secondary legislation.

• Emergency hazards — 24 hours: Begin emergency repair work within 24 hours of notification of an emergency hazard
• Serious damp/mould — 7 days: Investigate and issue a written repair plan within 7 days for serious damp, mould, or HHSRS High hazards
• Non-urgent hazards — 28 days: Assess and communicate a remediation schedule within 28 days for less serious HHSRS hazards
• Older housing stock: Chorley has significant 1930s–1960s semi-detached housing alongside Victorian terraces, both of which can suffer from condensation, flat-roof defects, and cavity wall insulation failures
• Documentation: Retain written records of all reports, inspections, and repair actions for the duration of the tenancy and one year after it ends

Section 21 abolition — what Chorley landlords must do now

From 1 May 2026 all possession must be via Section 8. Chorley landlords must select the correct statutory ground.

• Ground 1A (sale): 4 months' notice where the landlord genuinely intends to sell — the property must not be re-let for 12 months after possession
• Ground 1 (owner occupation): 4 months' notice where the landlord or a close family member intends to occupy as their principal home
• Ground 8 (serious arrears): 4 weeks' notice where the tenant has at least 2 months' arrears at the date of notice and at the hearing date
• Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour): Immediate notice where the tenant or a visitor is causing or likely to cause nuisance or annoyance to neighbours or others
• PAT agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement to enable lawful Section 8 notice service

Gas, electrical and fire safety — Chorley landlord requirements

Safety certificate requirements for all Chorley rental properties:

• Annual Gas Safety Certificate: All gas appliances and flues must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months. The CP12 must be provided to tenants within 28 days of the check
• EICR every 5 years: An Electrical Installation Condition Report must be obtained from a qualified electrician at least every 5 years and served on tenants before move-in
• Smoke alarms on every storey: A working smoke alarm must be present on every storey used as living accommodation, tested at the start of each tenancy
• CO alarms required: Carbon monoxide alarms are mandatory in rooms with gas boilers and solid fuel appliances for properties let from October 2022
• EPC minimum Band E: Properties below EPC Band E cannot be let — the government's confirmed target is Band C by 2030

Chorley landlord compliance checklist 2026

Key actions for Chorley and Central Lancashire landlords in 2026:

• Register on the Renters' Rights Act Property Portal before marketing any property
• Join the PRS Ombudsman scheme — mandatory for all English private landlords
• Obtain or renew HMO licence for 5+ person / 2+ household properties
• Check whether your Chorley property falls within an additional or selective licensing area
• Issue RRA 2025 Information Sheet to all existing tenants by 31 May 2026
• Transition all new tenancies from 1 May 2026 to PAT agreements
• Use Section 8 and correct Schedule 2 grounds for all possession claims
• Protect all deposits within 30 days and serve prescribed information
• Maintain valid EPC (minimum E), Gas Safety Certificate, and EICR
• Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
• Conduct right to rent checks for all adult occupants before tenancy start

Frequently asked questions