Stevenage Landlord Compliance 2026 — Renters' Rights Act, HMO Licensing and Hertfordshire PRS Obligations

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

All Stevenage 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 Schedule 2 grounds
• 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 acknowledging, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, and HHSRS hazards — critically important for Stevenage's non-traditional new-town housing stock
• Information Sheet obligation: Every landlord with an existing tenancy on 1 May 2026 was required to deliver the official RRA 2025 Information Sheet to every named tenant by 31 May 2026. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy. Serve immediately if not yet done
• 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: The RRA 2025 increases maximum civil penalties for PRS non-compliance to £40,000 per offence
• Rent increase via Section 13 only: Rent on a PAT can only be raised via formal Section 13 notice (Form 4A). Contractual rent-review clauses in new agreements are unenforceable

Stevenage Borough Council HMO licensing

Stevenage Borough Council administers HMO licensing for the borough. Landlords of multi-occupancy properties must hold a valid licence before letting.

• Mandatory HMO licensing: All properties in Stevenage occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households require a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004. This applies borough-wide
• Additional HMO licensing: Stevenage Borough Council's position on additional licensing for smaller HMOs (3–4 occupants) should be confirmed directly with the private sector housing team, as additional licensing designations can be made or reviewed at any time
• Selective licensing: Landlords in certain Stevenage neighbourhoods — particularly those with higher concentrations of PRS properties in areas such as Bedwell and Broadwater — should confirm the current selective licensing position with Stevenage Borough Council before letting
• Licence conditions: HMO licence conditions specify minimum room sizes (6.51 m² for a single adult, 10.22 m² for two adults), fire detection grade and type, emergency lighting, and maximum occupancy. Non-traditional construction properties may require specific surveyor input to assess compliance
• No-licence criminal offence: Operating an unlicensed HMO is a criminal offence. Unlicensed HMO landlords cannot serve valid Section 8 Ground 8 (rent arrears) notices and are exposed to Rent Repayment Orders of up to 12 months' rent
• Licence renewal: HMO licences are typically valid for 5 years and must be renewed before expiry

Awaab's Law — Stevenage context

Stevenage's new-town housing stock includes significant quantities of non-traditional construction: BISF (British Iron and Steel Federation) steel-frame houses, Wimpey no-fines concrete, and other post-war system-build types. These property types have specific susceptibility to condensation damp due to cold-bridge effects, particularly around steel frames and uninsulated concrete panels. Awaab's Law creates strict statutory obligations for every landlord regardless of construction type.

• Acknowledge every report in writing: All damp, mould, or HHSRS hazard reports must be acknowledged in writing. Verbal acknowledgments do not satisfy the statutory obligation
• Investigate within 14 days: Attend and inspect the property, identify the root cause (condensation, rising damp, penetrating damp, or structural defect), and document findings in writing
• Repair within the statutory repair period: The repair must address the underlying cause. Surface mould treatments without addressing root cause do not comply with Awaab's Law
• Emergency hazards — 24 hours: Blocked drains, burst pipes causing structural damage, or immediately dangerous heating failures must be addressed within 24 hours
• Non-traditional construction: BISF steel-frame houses and Wimpey no-fines properties are inherently susceptible to condensation damp through cold-bridging at structural junctions. Where condensation arises from the construction type, Awaab's Law repair may require specialist insulation works — which can also trigger MEES/EPC obligations simultaneously
• Document everything: Maintain full records of all damp/mould reports, inspection visits, repair instructions, contractor invoices, and completion dates. These records are essential for any enforcement action or Rent Repayment Order defence

Energy Performance and MEES obligations

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) require all privately rented properties in England to hold an EPC rating of at least Band E before a new tenancy is granted. Government policy targets Band C by 2030. Stevenage's non-traditional housing stock presents particular EPC upgrade challenges.

• Current standard — EPC Band E: All Stevenage PRS properties must hold a valid EPC with a minimum Band E rating before a new tenancy is granted. Letting below Band E without a registered exemption is a civil penalty offence
• 2030 target — EPC Band C: Government policy (not yet law) targets Band C for all PRS properties by 2030 for new tenancies. Stevenage's non-traditional stock — particularly BISF houses — often rates poorly on EPCs due to solid steel-frame walls and older glazing, requiring significant investment to improve
• Non-traditional construction and EPC assessors: Standard EPC assessment methodologies may not accurately capture the thermal performance of some non-traditional construction types. Use a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) familiar with Stevenage's new-town housing stock for accurate ratings
• ECO4 and GBIS funding: Landlords whose tenants receive qualifying benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit) may access ECO4 grants for insulation and heating upgrades. The Great British Insulation Scheme is available for properties rated D–G
• Warm Homes Plan: Government loan guarantees for private landlords funding energy efficiency improvements are available through approved lenders

Section 8 possession for Stevenage landlords

With Section 21 abolished, all Stevenage possession claims must use Section 8. The key grounds for Stevenage landlords in 2026:

• Ground 8 — mandatory rent arrears: At least 2 months' rent 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' rent on 3 separate occasions in a 3-year period — a new mandatory ground particularly relevant for tenants who cycle in and out of arrears
• Ground 1A — landlord intends to sell: Requires 4 months' notice; 6-month moratorium from tenancy start; a 12-month re-let ban applies after using this ground
• Ground 14 — anti-social behaviour: Discretionary ground requiring documented evidence of incidents with dates, times, and witness evidence before serving notice
• Form 3A: All Section 8 notices must use the current RRA 2025 Form 3A — updated for all grounds including the new RRA 2025 grounds

Stevenage PRS — specific considerations

Stevenage's private rented sector has characteristics shaped by its new-town history and location that landlords should consider when managing compliance in 2026.

• Commuter rental demand: Stevenage has direct rail access to London King's Cross (under 30 minutes), creating a rental market with a broad income range — from professional commuters to lower-income households and Housing Benefit tenants. Compliance expectations and enforcement intensity reflect this mix
• Non-traditional construction and mortgage impact: BISF, Wimpey no-fines, and similar non-traditional construction types are often unmortgageable on standard buy-to-let mortgage products. Landlords should check their mortgage product terms before accepting new tenants and confirm whether their insurer covers non-traditional construction
• Hertfordshire County Council strategic enforcement: Hertfordshire County Council coordinates with Stevenage Borough Council's private sector housing team on enforcement. Stevenage has an active private sector housing inspection and enforcement function. Landlords with outstanding improvement notices, civil penalties, or HMO compliance failures are at heightened risk of enforcement action
• Property Portal registration: The national PRS Property Portal (mandatory under the RRA 2025) requires all England landlords to register their properties. Stevenage landlords should complete registration to comply and to support Section 8 possession claims

Key documents Stevenage landlords need

LetSafe UK provides all compliance documents for England landlords — each drafted to current RRA 2025 requirements:

• Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (England): PAT-compliant tenancy agreement for all new Stevenage lettings from 1 May 2026
• Section 8 Notice (Form 3A): RRA 2025 compliant Form 3A — updated for all grounds including new Ground 8A and Ground 1A
• Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (Form 4A): The only lawful method of raising rent on a PAT — 2-month advance notice required
• RRA 2025 Information Sheet: Required for all existing tenants — serve immediately if not yet done to limit penalty exposure

Frequently asked questions