Coventry Landlord Compliance 2026 — Renters' Rights Act, Selective Licensing and Key Obligations

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

The following apply to all private landlords in England, including Coventry, from 1 May 2026:

• Section 21 abolished: No-fault eviction notices are unlawful for any new tenancy from 1 May 2026. Possession requires a Section 8 notice citing a statutory ground under Housing Act 1988 Schedule 2. Coventry student landlords can use Ground 4A to recover possession at the end of the academic year
• Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement. Fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies are no longer available for new grants, including student lets
• Awaab's Law in force: Mandatory statutory timeframes for responding to, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, and HHSRS hazards. Coventry has significant older terrace stock in pre-1919 areas with known damp risk. Non-compliance triggers civil penalty notices and disrepair liability
• Information Sheet obligation: Every landlord with an existing tenancy 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. Failure to serve prevents reliance on Grounds 1 and 1A
• Pet request right: Tenants on PATs have the right to request a pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days; no response is deemed consent
• Civil penalties up to £40,000: The RRA 2025 increased the maximum civil penalty for PRS non-compliance from £30,000 to £40,000 per offence
• Rent increase via Section 13 only: Rent on a PAT can only be increased using a Section 13 notice and Form 4A. At least one month's notice required (monthly tenancy). Contractual rent-review clauses in a PAT are unenforceable

Coventry selective and additional HMO licensing

Coventry City Council operates licensing schemes under the Housing Act 2004. Always verify the current status with the council's postcode checker before letting:

• Selective licensing: Coventry City Council operates selective licensing in designated wards of the city. Selective licensing applies to standard private rented properties (not just HMOs) in designated areas — landlords must obtain a licence before letting. Check the Coventry City Council website or postcode tool for your specific property address
• Additional HMO licensing: Coventry City Council operates additional licensing for smaller HMOs (3–4 occupants from 2 or more separate households) in high-density rental areas around Coventry University — including Hillfields, Earlsdon, and parts of the city centre. Shared student houses in these areas frequently require an additional licence
• Mandatory HMO licensing: Any HMO with 5 or more occupants from 2 or more separate households requires a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004 — this applies nationally regardless of selective licensing status
• Licence conditions: Coventry HMO licences impose conditions on maximum occupancy, room sizes, fire safety (inter-connected smoke alarms, fire doors), gas safety (annual CP12), and electrical safety (5-yearly EICR). Failure to comply with licence conditions is a separate criminal offence
• Operating without a required licence is a criminal offence. Civil penalties up to £30,000 apply (or up to £40,000 for RRA 2025 offences). Tenants can apply for a Rent Repayment Order covering up to 12 months' rent without having to prove financial loss

Student landlords in Coventry — Ground 4A and HMOs

Coventry has one of the largest student populations per capita of any UK city. Coventry University's main campus is in the city centre, and the University of Warwick sits on the Coventry–Kenilworth boundary, generating large demand for private student HMOs in Canley, Earlsdon, Tile Hill, and around the Coventry University campus. Key changes in 2026:

• No more fixed-term student ASTs: Student tenancies granted on or after 1 May 2026 must be Periodic Assured Tenancies — fixed-term July-to-June student ASTs are no longer available as a tenancy form
• Ground 4A student possession: Student HMO landlords can recover possession at the end of the academic year using Ground 4A provided: the dwelling is occupied wholly or mainly by students, the landlord gives at least 2 months' notice, and notice is served within the statutory notice window. Check Ground 4A's specific requirements carefully — timing errors invalidate the notice
• Additional licensing and Ground 4A: Ground 4A is most straightforwardly available for licensed HMOs where the licence specifies student occupation. Coventry's additional licensing scheme in student areas means many smaller HMOs already have or need a licence
• Ensure all student PAT agreements include appropriate clauses for the HMO licence conditions and Ground 4A notice provisions. LetSafe UK's PAT Agreement template is compliant with the RRA 2025 framework

Awaab's Law and Coventry's private rented housing stock

Coventry's inner city contains significant pre-1940 housing stock, including terrace rows in Hillfields, Foleshill, and Radford that were built or converted to HMOs for the manufacturing workforce. Damp and mould risk is elevated in poorly maintained older stock:

• Emergency hazards: Begin investigating and start emergency repairs within 24 hours of a tenant report
• Urgent hazards (including damp and mould): Investigation completed and repair plan issued within a set statutory period. Full remediation within a second period
• Non-emergency hazards: Respond to a written complaint within 14 days and provide a written record of the proposed remedy
• Coventry City Council's housing enforcement team can issue improvement notices, prohibition orders, and civil penalties for HHSRS hazards without requiring court proceedings
• Landlords with larger portfolios should consider annual or pre-let damp surveys for older stock. Keep written records of all tenant reports, inspection dates, and repairs

Coventry landlord compliance checklist 2026

A summary of the key compliance obligations for Coventry landlords:

• Check whether your property is in a selective or additional licensing area — use the Coventry City Council postcode tool
• Obtain or renew HMO or selective licence before the current licence expires
• Use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement for all new tenancies from 1 May 2026
• Serve the Information Sheet on all existing tenants by 31 May 2026
• Ensure a valid EPC (minimum E rating) is in place for every let property
• Ensure a current Gas Safety Record (CP12) — annually — and EICR — every 5 years — are held on file
• Respond to any damp, mould, or repair reports in line with Awaab's Law timeframes
• Use Section 13 Form 4A for any rent increase — contractual rent-review clauses are unenforceable on a PAT
• Serve the Section 8 notice with the correct ground(s) and notice period for any possession action — do not use Section 21

Frequently asked questions