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

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

All Shrewsbury 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 in force: 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

Shropshire Council HMO licensing

Shropshire Council administers HMO licensing across Shropshire including Shrewsbury, with mandatory licensing applying nationally.

• Mandatory HMO licensing: All Shrewsbury properties occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households require a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004. Applications must be made to Shropshire Council before the property is occupied as an HMO
• Additional HMO licensing: Shropshire Council may designate additional licensing schemes covering smaller HMOs (3–4 occupants) in areas with higher private rented concentrations. Check the council's current licensing register before letting any property as an HMO in Shrewsbury
• Selective licensing: The council may designate selective licensing areas in which all private landlords must hold a licence regardless of property size. Confirm the current position before letting in any area of the town
• HMO licence conditions: Shrewsbury HMO licences specify minimum room sizes (6.51 m² for a single adult sleeping room), fire detection grades, fire door requirements, and maximum occupancy. Licence breaches carry unlimited fines
• Planning — C3 to C4 conversion: In Article 4 Direction areas, planning permission may be required to convert a family home to a small HMO. Check Shropshire Council's planning portal before acquiring or converting any property

Section 21 abolition — what Shrewsbury landlords must do now

The abolition of Section 21 is the most significant change for Shrewsbury landlords since the Housing Act 1988. From 1 May 2026:

• No new Section 21 notices: Any Section 21 notice served on or after 1 May 2026 is void. Courts will not grant possession on that basis
• Section 8 grounds only: Possession can only be sought on Schedule 2 grounds. Landlords wishing to sell (Ground 1A), move in (Ground 1), or recover on rent arrears (Ground 8) must use the correct Section 8 notice
• Notice periods under Section 8: Ground 1 (landlord/family occupation) and Ground 1A (sale) require 4 months' notice on a PAT. Ground 8 (persistent arrears) requires 4 weeks after 3 months of arrears
• PAT-compliant tenancy agreement required: Without a valid Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement, the Section 8 grounds cannot be exercised correctly. Landlords on legacy ASTs must transition all agreements by 1 May 2026
• Awaab's Law retaliatory eviction ban: Possession claims brought within 6 months of a tenant's legitimate complaint about damp, mould, or disrepair may be stayed or dismissed by the court

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

Awaab's Law introduces mandatory response timeframes for damp, mould, and HHSRS hazards in all privately rented properties in England from 1 May 2026.

• Emergency hazards — 24 hours: Landlords must begin emergency work to make the property safe within 24 hours of being notified of an emergency hazard (gas leak, structural collapse risk, sewage)
• Urgent repairs — 7 days: Serious damp, mould, or HHSRS Category 1 hazards must be investigated and a repair plan issued within 7 days
• Non-urgent repairs — 28 days: Less serious but significant hazards must be assessed and a remediation schedule communicated within 28 days
• Written records mandatory: All damp and mould reports, inspections, and repair schedules must be documented in writing and retained for the duration of the tenancy
• Failure to comply: Breach of Awaab's Law timeframes is a civil offence enforceable by local authorities and via court injunction by tenants. Civil penalties can reach £40,000 per breach

Right to rent — Shrewsbury landlord obligations

All Shrewsbury landlords letting to adults must conduct right to rent checks before the tenancy start date.

• All adult occupants must be checked: Right to rent checks must be carried out for every adult who will occupy the property, not just the lead tenant named on the agreement
• Manual checks or IDVT: Landlords can conduct manual document checks (passport, biometric residence permit) or use a certified Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) provider for British and Irish nationals
• Online Home Office checks: Tenants without original documents can be checked via the Home Office online right to rent checking service. Share codes are valid for 90 days
• Record retention: Copies of documents checked must be retained for the duration of the tenancy and one year after it ends
• Penalties for failure: Letting to a person without the right to rent in England is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine and up to 5 years' imprisonment for a landlord who knew or ought to have known

Deposit protection — Tenancy Deposit Scheme compliance in Shrewsbury

Tenancy deposits must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt.

• Approved schemes: Deposits must be held in the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
• Prescribed information within 30 days: Landlords must serve the prescribed information document on the tenant and any relevant person within 30 days of receiving the deposit
• Maximum deposit — 5 weeks' rent: For tenancies with an annual rent below £50,000, the maximum deposit is 5 weeks' rent. Deposits above this cap are unlawful
• Holding deposit cap — 1 week: Holding deposits (paid before tenancy start) are capped at 1 week's rent under the Tenant Fees Act 2019
• Penalties for non-protection: Unprotected deposits expose landlords to a court order to repay the deposit plus a penalty of 1–3 times the deposit amount, and barr the landlord from serving a valid Section 8 notice on certain grounds

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Shrewsbury landlord obligations

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) require Shrewsbury rental properties to meet minimum EPC ratings.

• Minimum EPC E from April 2020: All private rented properties in England must hold a valid EPC rating of at least E before a new tenancy can be granted
• Proposed EPC C by 2030: The Government has indicated an intention to raise the minimum to EPC C for new tenancies by 2030 (subject to consultation and legislation). Landlords should begin improvement planning now
• Maximum improvement spend — £3,500 (net): Where improvements to reach the minimum standard would cost more than £3,500 (after grants), landlords may register a high-cost exemption with the PRS Exemptions Register
• EPC valid for 10 years: EPCs are valid for 10 years. An EPC must be obtained before marketing the property and provided to prospective tenants before a viewing
• Penalties for MEES breach: Letting a property below the minimum EPC standard without a registered exemption can result in civil penalties of up to £30,000 per property

Gas and electrical safety — Shrewsbury landlord requirements

Landlords in Shrewsbury must maintain and certify all gas and electrical installations.

• Gas Safety Certificate annually: All gas appliances, installations, and flues must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months. The Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12) must be provided to tenants within 28 days of the check
• EICR every 5 years: An Electrical Installation Condition Report must be carried out by a qualified electrician at least every 5 years. A copy must be given to existing tenants within 28 days and to new tenants before they 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
• Carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with combustion appliances: Every room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (and rooms with gas boilers in properties let from October 2022) must have a working carbon monoxide alarm
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT): Landlords who provide electrical appliances must ensure they are safe. While no mandatory PAT interval applies in the private sector, regular checks are strongly recommended

Licensing and compliance checklist for Shrewsbury landlords in 2026

Key actions for Shrewsbury landlords in 2026:

• Obtain or renew HMO licence if property meets the 5+ person / 2+ household threshold
• Check whether your property falls within an additional or selective licensing designation area
• Issue Renters' Rights Act 2025 Information Sheet to all existing tenants by 31 May 2026
• Transition all new tenancies from 1 May 2026 to Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreements
• Ensure Section 8 notices and grounds are correctly used for all possession claims from 1 May 2026
• Protect deposits in an approved scheme within 30 days and serve prescribed information
• Maintain valid EPC (minimum E), Gas Safety Certificate, and EICR for all properties
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as required and document tests
• Conduct right to rent checks for all adult occupants before tenancy start
• Record and respond to damp/mould reports within Awaab's Law statutory timeframes

Frequently asked questions