Corby Landlord Compliance 2026 — Renters' Rights Act, North Northamptonshire Council and PRS Obligations

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

All Corby landlords must comply with the following from 1 May 2026:

• Section 21 abolished: No-fault possession notices served on or after 1 May 2026 are unlawful. All possession must be via Section 8 using the revised Schedule 2 grounds
• Periodic Assured Tenancy (PAT) required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must be periodic (rolling) from the outset. Fixed-term ASTs cannot be granted for new assured tenancies
• Awaab's Law in force: Mandatory statutory timeframes for responding to, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, HHSRS hazards, and other prescribed matters
• Information Sheet obligation: Landlords with existing tenancies as at 1 May 2026 must serve the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet on every named tenant by 31 May 2026. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy
• Pet request right: Tenants on a PAT have a statutory right to request a pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days; silence is deemed consent
• Section 13 rent increases only: Contractual rent-review clauses in PATs are unenforceable. Rent increases must be served via Form 4A with the correct statutory notice period
• Civil penalties up to £40,000: Maximum civil penalty for PRS non-compliance raised to £40,000 per offence under the RRA 2025

North Northamptonshire Council — licensing and enforcement for Corby landlords

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) is the unitary authority responsible for private sector housing enforcement and licensing across the Corby area:

• HMO mandatory licensing: Properties in Corby with 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households require a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004. Operating without a licence is a criminal offence
• Selective and additional licensing check: NNC may designate selective or additional HMO licensing in specific wards across north Northamptonshire. Always check NNC's current housing licensing pages for your specific Corby property postcode before letting
• Post-2021 merger enforcement: NNC was created from the merger of four former district councils in 2021. Enforcement capacity and licensing scheme designations may differ between the former district areas — always verify current status directly with NNC
• Awaab's Law enforcement: NNC's Environmental Health team can issue Improvement Notices, Civil Penalty Notices, and Emergency Remedial Action Notices for damp, mould, and HHSRS hazards
• MEES enforcement: Minimum EPC Band E required for all English lettings. Corby's post-war new-town housing stock presents energy efficiency challenges — plan for upgrades ahead of the proposed Band C deadlines
• Targeted inspections: NNC conducts HHSRS inspections of older PRS stock in the Corby area, particularly the post-war new-town estates

Corby's rental market — logistics hub and post-industrial new town

Corby's rental market is driven by its exceptional logistics connectivity and ongoing regeneration:

• A14/A1(M) logistics triangle: Corby sits at the intersection of the A14 (east to Cambridge and the east coast ports) and A43 (south to the M40/M1 junction). This position within the East Midlands/Northamptonshire logistics triangle generates substantial sustained rental demand from warehouse and distribution workers
• Tata Steel legacy: The former steelworks site is being redeveloped (Corby Northern Gateway development) creating new employment and housing demand
• Kettering General Hospital: NHS workers commuting from Corby to Kettering General Hospital (approximately 5 miles) create healthcare sector rental demand
• Affordable prices and high yields: Corby is one of the most affordable property markets in the East Midlands — terraced houses typically £100,000–£150,000, delivering gross yields of 8–10%. Semi-detached properties range from £150,000–£220,000
• New builds: The Corby Northern Gateway regeneration project includes significant new residential development. New-build BTL investors should check whether the Renters' Rights Act PAT obligation affects off-plan purchase agreements
• Long-term demand: Population growth, logistics sector expansion, and ongoing regeneration create durable long-term rental demand in Corby

Awaab's Law — Corby enforcement context

Corby's post-war new-town housing stock includes a significant proportion of concrete-panel and prefabricated construction with known thermal performance and damp challenges. Awaab's Law creates mandatory repair timeframes:

• Acknowledge in writing: Every report of damp, mould, or an HHSRS hazard must be acknowledged promptly and in writing
• Investigate within the prescribed period: Physical inspection must take place within the investigation period set by regulation
• Repair within the repair period: Works must be completed within the statutory repair period following the investigation
• NNC enforcement: North Northamptonshire Council's Environmental Health officers have powers to issue Improvement Notices and Civil Penalty Notices for Awaab's Law non-compliance
• Document everything: Maintain a written log of every tenant report, inspection date, findings, works ordered, contractor details, and completion date
• Concrete construction issues: Corby's post-war concrete-panel and prefabricated housing presents particular thermal bridging and interstitial condensation challenges — address root causes rather than surface treatments

Section 8 possession in Corby — 2026 key points

Section 8 possession claims for Corby properties are typically issued at the County Court covering the Corby/Northampton area:

• Ground 8 (mandatory rent arrears): At least two months' arrears at both notice date and hearing date
• Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell): Four months' notice required; twelve-month moratorium from tenancy start
• Ground 1 (own/family occupation): Four months' notice required
• Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour): Discretionary; court proceedings can be issued immediately without a minimum notice period
• Form 3A: Prescribed Section 8 notice; errors invalidate the notice and require re-serving
• Information Sheet precondition: For Grounds 1 and 1A, the Information Sheet must have been served before the Section 8 notice is issued

2026 Corby landlord compliance checklist

Every item below is a legal obligation — not a recommendation:

• New tenancy agreements: Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement from 1 May 2026 — no fixed-term ASTs
• Information Sheet: serve on all existing tenants by 31 May 2026 (£7,000 penalty per tenancy for non-compliance)
• Awaab's Law log: written hazard reporting and repair log in place before 31 May 2026
• HMO licensing: mandatory licence for 5+ occupants/2+ households — check NNC website for any selective/additional licensing in your ward
• Gas Safety Certificate: annually renewed; copy to tenant before or on move-in
• EICR: current (within 5 years); copy to tenant within 28 days of request
• EPC: minimum E rating; valid certificate; copy to tenant at tenancy start
• Deposit protection: protect in an approved scheme and serve Prescribed Information within 30 days
• Right to Rent: check all adult occupants' immigration status before tenancy start
• Smoke and CO alarms: smoke detector on every floor; CO alarm in every room with a combustion appliance

Frequently asked questions