Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire with a private rented sector driven by public sector workers, Staffordshire University students attending the Stafford campus, and a growing commuter population with links to Birmingham and Manchester via the West Coast Main Line. The borough's housing stock includes Georgian and Victorian terraces in the town centre, post-war semi-detacheds in residential suburbs, and converted properties around the university campus — all of which carry specific compliance obligations under both national law and local authority enforcement.
From 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces the most significant national reform to English tenancy law in 40 years. Stafford landlords must update their tenancy agreements, serve statutory notices, and implement new systems for managing rent increases, damp and mould complaints, and pet requests.
Renters' Rights Act 2025 — England-wide obligations from 1 May 2026
All Stafford 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 be pursued via Section 8 using the revised Schedule 2 grounds
- Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must be granted on 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 — now extended to the private rented sector
- 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 per breach
- Pet request right: Tenants on PATs have a statutory right to request a pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days and may only refuse on specific reasonable grounds
- Civil penalties up to £40,000: The RRA 2025 increases the maximum civil penalty for PRS non-compliance to £40,000 per offence — a four-fold increase on previous maximums
- Rent increase via Section 13 only: Rent on a PAT may only be raised by serving a formal Section 13 notice (Form 4A), once per 12-month rolling window. Contractual rent-review clauses are unenforceable on PATs
HMO licensing in Stafford
Mandatory HMO licensing under the Housing Act 2004 applies in Stafford as throughout England. Stafford Borough Council administers HMO licences for the borough.
- Mandatory licensing threshold: Any property occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more separate households requires a mandatory HMO licence. This applies regardless of whether a selective licensing scheme is in operation
- Stafford University area properties: Properties near the Stafford campus let to 5 or more students forming 2 or more households require mandatory HMO licences. Student tenancies are not exempt from HMO licensing requirements
- Additional HMO licensing: Confirm with Stafford Borough Council whether an additional HMO licensing scheme operates for smaller HMOs — i.e., those with fewer than 5 occupants but still meeting the HMO definition under the Housing Act 2004
- Licence conditions: HMO licence conditions typically cover minimum room sizes, escape routes and fire safety provisions, gas and electrical safety, property management obligations, and required amenities per occupant
- Penalties for unlicensed HMOs: Operating a mandatory HMO without a licence is a criminal offence. Civil penalties under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 may reach £30,000. Tenants may apply for Rent Repayment Orders of up to 12 months' rent. Unlicensed status also bars use of Ground 8 in possession proceedings
- Apply before letting: Submit a licence application before the first tenancy begins. Retrospective applications do not cure the criminal offence of operating without a licence
Awaab's Law — Stafford context
Stafford has a mix of housing stock from various eras. Older Victorian terraces and inter-war semi-detacheds in the town centre and inner suburbs can present condensation damp, rising damp, and thermal performance issues — all categories of HHSRS hazard to which Awaab's Law applies.
- Written acknowledgment required: Acknowledge every damp, mould, or HHSRS hazard report in writing. Verbal responses do not satisfy the statutory obligation under Awaab's Law
- Investigation within prescribed period: Inspect the property within the statutory investigation period — typically 14 days for a non-emergency HHSRS hazard
- Remedy within repair period: Address the root cause of the hazard, not just the surface symptom. Painting over mould without addressing moisture ingress does not discharge the statutory repair obligation
- Emergency hazards: Risks to life (severe structural failure, dangerous electrical fault, CO risk) must be made safe immediately or within 24 hours
- Stafford Borough Council enforcement: Housing standards officers can issue improvement notices, emergency remedial action orders, and civil penalties for failure to comply with Awaab's Law
- Written repair log is essential: Log every hazard report, every inspection, every remedial action, and the completion date. This contemporaneous record is your primary evidence in any enforcement or civil penalty proceedings
Section 8 possession in Stafford
With Section 21 abolished, Stafford landlords must use Section 8 for all possession. County court proceedings for Stafford properties are processed through the Staffordshire court system — plan for waiting times of several months from issue to hearing.
- Ground 1A (landlord intends to sell): 4 months' notice; 12-month tenancy minimum; Information Sheet must have been served to the tenant
- Ground 8 (mandatory rent arrears): At least 3 months' arrears at both the notice date and hearing date; 4 weeks' notice. Not available if the property requires but lacks an HMO licence
- Ground 8A (persistent arrears): At least 3 months' arrears on 3 separate occasions in any 3-year period; 4 weeks' notice. New mandatory ground introduced by the RRA 2025
- Ground 14 (nuisance/ASB): Immediate notice; discretionary. Strong evidence — police logs, council ASB team records, neighbour statements — is required
- Ground 10 and 11 (other arrears): Discretionary grounds for lower levels of arrears. The court may refuse possession even if the ground is proved
- Form 3A compliance: All Section 8 notices must be served on the current prescribed Form 3A with all relevant grounds fully particularised. Defective notices are struck out without a substantive hearing
2026 Stafford landlord compliance checklist
Use this checklist as a minimum compliance reference — each item is a legal obligation:
- HMO licensing: confirm whether your property meets the mandatory HMO threshold (5+ occupants, 2+ households); apply for a licence before the first tenancy
- Additional HMO licensing: check with Stafford Borough Council whether a scheme covers smaller HMOs
- New tenancy agreements: use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement for all new lets from 1 May 2026
- Information Sheet: serve the RRA 2025 Information Sheet on all existing tenants by 31 May 2026
- Awaab's Law log: implement a written hazard reporting and repair log from the start of each tenancy
- Gas Safety Certificate: obtain and renew annually; provide to tenant before occupancy and within 28 days of each annual renewal
- EICR: current within 5 years; provide to tenant within 28 days of request
- EPC: minimum E rating; valid certificate (10-year maximum)
- Deposit protection: protect and serve Prescribed Information within 30 days of receipt
- Right to Rent: check all adult occupants' immigration status before tenancy start
- Smoke and CO alarms: smoke detector on every storey; CO alarm in every room with a combustion appliance
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a selective licence to let in Stafford in 2026?+
Stafford Borough Council does not currently operate a borough-wide selective licensing scheme (always verify this directly with the council, as schemes can be introduced). However, mandatory HMO licensing applies throughout England including Stafford for HMOs with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households. Check with Stafford Borough Council whether an additional HMO licensing scheme is currently in operation.
Can I still use Section 21 to evict a tenant in Stafford in 2026?+
No. Section 21 no-fault eviction notices are unlawful for all private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. All possession must be pursued via Section 8 citing one or more of the revised Schedule 2 grounds. Any Section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 may have limited transitional validity — take specialist legal advice before relying on it.
What are my Awaab's Law obligations as a Stafford landlord?+
From 1 May 2026, Awaab's Law applies to the private rented sector in England. When a tenant reports damp, mould, or another HHSRS hazard, you must acknowledge in writing, investigate within the prescribed period (typically 14 days for non-emergency hazards), and carry out remediation within the statutory repair window. Stafford Borough Council can enforce with civil penalties up to £40,000. Keep a contemporaneous written log of all reports, inspections, and repairs.
My Stafford property has 4 students sharing — do I need an HMO licence?+
A property occupied by 4 persons forming 2 or more households is a 'small HMO' under the Housing Act 2004 definition, but does not meet the mandatory licensing threshold of 5 or more occupants. However, it is still an HMO subject to the HMO Management Regulations. Check with Stafford Borough Council whether an additional HMO licensing scheme covers 4-person properties. If a 5th occupant is added, a mandatory licence will be required immediately.