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In this issue:
As highlighted in our earlier communications, the Renters’ Rights Act is now in force across England and introduces significant changes for landlords and letting agents.
Key changes include:
- Section 21 abolished: landlords must now rely on a valid legal ground for possession. Using a Section 21 notice may result in enforcement action and fines of up to £35,000.
- Periodic tenancies: fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies have moved to rolling periodic tenancies. Tenants can give two months' notice to end their tenancy.
- Stronger tenant protections: rent increases are limited to once per year with two months' notice, rental bidding wars are prohibited, discrimination against tenants with children or those receiving benefits is banned, and tenants have the right to request a pet.
Action required
Please ensure your tenancy arrangements and management practices comply with the new legislation.
Further reforms are expected in the next phase of implementation, currently anticipated in late 2026. Please continue to monitor government updates and guidance.
Coventry City Council is reminding all HMO landlords, licence holders and managing agents of their responsibilities under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 and HMO licence conditions.
We have seen an increase in complaints and compliance issues relating to the accumulation of waste, bulky items, discarded furniture and loose rubbish in gardens, yards, forecourts and other external areas of HMO properties.
Please ensure that:
- suitable refuse and recycling facilities are provided and maintained
- waste is stored in the correct containers and locations
- external areas are kept clean and free from excessive waste and discarded items
- tenants receive clear information on waste storage and collection arrangements
- bulky waste is removed promptly and lawfully
- access routes, shared areas and fire escape routes remain clear
- all HMO licence conditions are complied with at all times
Landlords and agents are expected to take a proactive approach to property management. Waiting until complaints are received or the Council intervenes is not sufficient.
Failure to comply with HMO Management Regulations or licence conditions may result in enforcement action, including civil penalties, prosecution, licence review, works in default and recovery of costs.
We encourage all landlords and managing agents to review their management arrangements and ensure their properties remain fully compliant. Continued non-compliance may result in formal enforcement action.
The summer season brings increased property clearances and refurbishments following the end of the university year and tenancies ending so The Street Enforcement Team would like to remind landlords and agents of their responsibilities regarding waste disposal when employing a waste contractor or cleaner.
Unfortunately, the Street Enforcement Team often find that property owners or their appointed cleaners are responsible for waste incidents that are wrongly attributed to departing tenants.
If you use waste contractors or cleaners for disposal of excess waste when a tenant leaves, you must ensure that they are suitably licensed to take waste away from the property and that there is a suitable plan for waste disposal.
Landlords and agents may be asked to provide evidence showing how waste was disposed of. To protect yourself, please make a note of what is disposed of & keep any receipts or waste transfer notes.
This is part of your duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
You can find general information regarding rubbish and recycling on the Council's website.
From September 2026, Coventry City Council will begin introducing separate weekly food waste collections to all residents across the city.
Food waste includes items such as fruit and vegetable peelings, leftovers, meat, fish, bones, eggshells, tea bags and coffee grounds. Recycling food waste helps reduce the amount of rubbish sent for disposal and supports a cleaner, greener Coventry.
Landlords can help by making tenants aware of the new service and encouraging them to use the service. A poster that you can print and displayed within your property can be found on our webpage.
Further information, including collection arrangements will be shared with residents as the rollout progresses.
For residents living in houses, you should already have received your 23-litre outdoor food waste bin. If you haven't received yours, or if it has been lost or gone missing, please contact Coventry City Council's Customer Services team.
Residents living in flats will receive a 10-litre kitchen caddy to use for collecting food waste before emptying it into the communal food waste bin.
Coventry City Council’s project for enforcing minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) across the city want to remind landlords that it is a legal requirement for all privately rented properties in England and Wales to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least an 'E' before they are sold or let - not just when a new tenancy begins.
Those who fail to make the necessary changes will be subject to fines of up to £5,000 for domestic dwellings. We have begun adding prosecutions for landlords that have failed to make the necessary changes to our Enforcement Action webpage.
'Let’s Rent' is a free rent guarantee scheme in collaboration with private landlords across the city. The scheme offers numerous benefits including:
- a managed scheme for peace of mind
- guaranteed rent payments up to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate for the period of the tenancy (up to 2 years)
- bonus one-off payment when a landlord joins the scheme
The rent will also be topped up to the average market rate.
Email the team at LetsRentCoventry@coventry.gov.uk to find out more.
A terraced property in Coventry had been empty since 2005, remaining unoccupied for almost 20 years. During that time, renovation works stalled, significant Council Tax arrears accrued, and the property remained a long-term empty home despite claims that it was being marketed for sale.
The Council took action by:
- carrying out monitoring inspections and maintaining contact with the owner
- issuing Empty Dwelling Advice letters and providing guidance on bringing the property back into use
- working alongside Council Tax as substantial debts and charging orders were pursued
As a result, the owner sold the property in 2024. The new owners carried out improvements before providing evidence that the property was occupied.
Following sustained intervention and partnership working, a property that had stood empty since 2005 was brought back into use, returning a valuable family home to the city's housing stock.
Before:
After:
Landlords in Hillfileds, Upper Stoke or Lower Stoke are currently signing up for a project that helps them upgrade their properties for less.
The Warm Homes project wants to make properties, in these areas, warmer and more energy efficient.
Through the project, landlords can get cheaper access to improvements, such as wall insulation, solar panels or a heat pump. The improvements are dependent on your property and are designed to increase its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating to a minimum of C.
The project will cover 70% of the total cost of these upgrades. Meaning you only have to cover the remaining 30%.
Given the Renters’ Rights Act means landlords need to upgrade properties to meet EPC C, there’s never been a better time to act.
Find out more
To check your eligibility and see how this scheme could benefit your rental property, visit The Warm Home Projects webpage.
We want to work with you to improve housing in the city. If you want to get in touch with any questions please, contact the team:
Email: hmo@coventry.gov.uk
Telephone: 024 7697 5467
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