Nuneaton Landlord Compliance 2026 — Renters' Rights Act, HMO Licensing and Warwickshire PRS Obligations

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

All Nuneaton and Bedworth 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 and void. All possession must use Section 8 and one of the statutory Schedule 2 grounds under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the RRA 2025)
• Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a Periodic Assured Tenancy (PAT) agreement. Fixed-term Assured Shorthold Tenancies are no longer available for new private residential lets in England
• Awaab's Law in force: Mandatory statutory timeframes for acknowledging, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, and HHSRS hazards now apply to private landlords across England — particularly important for Nuneaton's older pre-1945 stock
• Information Sheet obligation: Every landlord with a tenancy in place on 1 May 2026 was required to serve the official RRA 2025 Information Sheet on every named tenant by 31 May 2026. That deadline has passed — serve immediately if not yet done. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy
• Pet request right: Tenants on PATs have the right to request a pet in writing. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days; no response is deemed consent
• Civil penalties up to £40,000: The RRA 2025 increases maximum civil penalties 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 raised via a formal Section 13 notice (Form 4A), once per 12-month rolling window. Contractual rent-review clauses in PAT agreements are unenforceable

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council — HMO licensing

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council administers mandatory HMO licensing for the borough. Landlords of multi-occupancy or shared properties must obtain the appropriate licence before letting.

• Mandatory HMO licensing: All properties in the Nuneaton and Bedworth borough occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households require a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004. This applies across the borough
• Additional HMO licensing: Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council's current position on additional licensing for smaller HMOs (3–4 occupants) should be confirmed directly with the council — designations can change. Check the council website before letting any smaller shared house
• Selective licensing: The council's position on selective licensing for individual private rented properties should be verified with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, particularly for properties in higher-density rental areas of Nuneaton town centre and Camp Hill
• Licence conditions: HMO licence conditions specify minimum room sizes (6.51 m² for a single adult, 10.22 m² for two adults sharing), required fire detection grade and type, emergency lighting, and maximum occupancy. Pre-1945 terrace conversions in Nuneaton may require upgrade works
• Criminal offence — unlicensed HMO: Operating a licensable HMO without a valid licence is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine. Unlicensed landlords cannot serve valid Section 8 Ground 8 notices and face potential Rent Repayment Orders of up to 12 months' rent
• Licence renewal: HMO licences typically run for 5 years. Apply for renewal before expiry to avoid any period of unlicensed operation

Awaab's Law — Nuneaton and Bedworth context

Nuneaton's private rented sector includes a significant amount of pre-1945 terrace and inter-war semi-detached housing. These property types often exhibit condensation damp, particularly where thermal improvements have not kept pace with modern standards. Awaab's Law creates mandatory repair obligations for all landlords regardless of property age.

• Acknowledge all hazard reports in writing: All damp, mould, or HHSRS hazard reports must be acknowledged in writing within the statutory period. Verbal acknowledgments do not satisfy the legal obligation
• Investigate within the statutory window: Attend the property, identify the root cause of the hazard, and produce a written record of findings
• Emergency hazards — 24 hours: Conditions presenting immediate risk (burst pipes, blocked flues with CO risk, structural emergency) must begin to be addressed within 24 hours of being reported
• Address root causes: Surface mould treatment without addressing the underlying cause does not comply. Root cause analysis — whether the damp is from condensation, penetrating damp, rising damp, or a defect — must be documented
• Document all actions fully: Records of all reports, inspection visits, repair instructions, contractor invoices, and completion dates are essential for any borough council enforcement action or Rent Repayment Order defence
• HHSRS and enforcement: Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council can serve improvement notices and prohibition orders under the HHSRS regime in addition to Awaab's Law civil liability. Proactive maintenance records are the best protection

MEES and EPC obligations — Nuneaton landlords

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards require all new lettings in England to hold a minimum EPC rating of Band E. Government policy targets Band C for all PRS properties by 2030.

• Current standard — EPC Band E: All Nuneaton and Bedworth private rented properties must hold a valid EPC of Band E or above before any new tenancy begins. Letting without a minimum Band E EPC (or registered exemption) is a civil penalty offence
• 2030 target — EPC Band C: Government policy targets Band C for all PRS properties by 2030 for new lettings. Nuneaton's older housing stock — terrace and semi-detached properties with cavity or solid walls, older boilers, and limited insulation — will require significant investment
• ECO4 and GBIS funding: Where tenants receive qualifying benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit), ECO4 grants may fund insulation and heating upgrades. The Great British Insulation Scheme is available for a broader range of D–G-rated properties
• Warm Homes Plan: The Government's Warm Homes Plan includes subsidised loan guarantees for private landlords funding energy efficiency improvements. Applications through approved lenders
• Valid EPC required: Ensure your EPC is current (within its 10-year validity period) and reflects any improvement works. Give a copy to the tenant before the tenancy starts

Section 8 possession for Nuneaton landlords

With Section 21 abolished from 1 May 2026, all Nuneaton possession claims must use Section 8 Form 3A and cite a statutory ground. Key grounds for Nuneaton landlords:

• Ground 8 — mandatory rent arrears: At least 3 months' rent (raised from 2 months by RRA 2025) owed both at the notice date and the court hearing. The court must grant possession if the ground is proved
• Ground 8A — persistent arrears (new, RRA 2025): Tenant has been in arrears of at least 3 months on 3 or more separate occasions in a 3-year rolling period. New mandatory ground under the RRA 2025
• Ground 1A — landlord intends to sell: Requires 4 months' notice and a 12-month tenancy minimum. A 12-month re-let ban applies after recovering possession under this ground
• Ground 14 — anti-social behaviour: Discretionary ground requiring contemporaneous incident logs, witness evidence, and often police involvement before the court will exercise its discretion
• Form 3A — new prescribed form: All Section 8 notices must use the RRA 2025 Form 3A. Notices on the old Form 3 served on or after 1 May 2026 are void

Nuneaton and Bedworth PRS — specific considerations

Nuneaton and Bedworth has characteristics that make certain compliance areas particularly important in 2026.

• Older housing stock: A substantial proportion of Nuneaton's rental stock is pre-1945 terrace and inter-war housing. Awaab's Law compliance, MEES energy obligations, and HMO room size requirements all carry heightened importance for this stock type
• Proximity to Coventry and Birmingham: Nuneaton attracts commuters to Coventry (12 miles) and Birmingham (20 miles), supporting private rented sector demand. Landlords should ensure new tenancies use fully compliant PAT agreements from day one to avoid issues at possession
• Borough council enforcement: Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is an active enforcement authority. Civil penalty notices, improvement notices, and HMO licence enforcement action are used. Document all maintenance and compliance actions
• Property Portal registration: All England landlords must register with the national PRS Property Portal under the RRA 2025. Nuneaton and Bedworth landlords should complete registration — non-registration prevents serving certain possession notices and carries a civil penalty

Frequently asked questions