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Welcome to the second edition of the Private Housing Standards Landlord Newsletter.
Thank you for signing up to receive landlord updates, from Private Housing Standards. We work to ensure that private rented properties in Sheffield are safe and free from hazards and we want to work with you as landlords to provide information, guidance and advice to support you in this.
We will be issuing newsletters at least twice a year along with additional updates, where relevant.
We want to make sure these newsletters meet their aim and are keen to hear from you about the issues you want to see in future newsletters or updates. Suggest topics for future editions.
If anyone else you know would like to keep up to date with ‘Landlord News’ share with them and they can sign up:
Free damp and mould training for landlords and managing agents
As a landlord you must ensure that your rental properties are free from damp and mould as if left untreated this can have significant impacts on health of tenants.
We are currently working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to help support landlords to diagnose and treat damp and mould in their properties.
We have worked with the National Residential Landlord Association to develop and deliver some free training sessions which are held online.
Sessions have taken place throughout the year, and we have received a positive response and all sessions quickly filled up. We have 2 more dates available:
Thursday 11th December 2025, 9.30am to 1.30pm
Thursday 12th February 2026, 9.30am to 1.30pm
All training is run by the NRLA and will be held online.
As places are limited if you do book on but find you are no longer able to attend the training, please cancel your place to allow other landlords the opportunity to attend.
For more information and to book your space use the button below:
National Energy Action (NEA) - Landlord Advice Session
The NEA Sheffield Retrofit Hub team will be hosting an information session for landlords online on 10th November 2025 between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.
Landlords will be provided with details about:
- Grants
- Eligibility criteria
- NEA services in Sheffield for landlords and their tenants
Places are available to book on line, please note places are limited.
Renters Rights Bill
The Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB) is steadily moving through Parliament. It is expected to become law by the end of 2025, bringing significant changes to the private rented sector.
As a landlord, understanding these changes now will help you prepare for a smooth transition, avoid penalties, and maintain strong tenant relationships.
Section 21 evictions will be abolished, meaning landlords can no longer evict tenants without a specific reason.
All tenancies will become periodic (rolling contracts), and Possession will only be granted under legally defined grounds, such as:
- Selling your property
- Moving in yourself or a close family member
- Tenant rent arrears or anti social behaviour
Are you prepared?
- Familiarise yourself with the new possession grounds - understand when and how you can lawfully regain possession.
- Keep clear records if you plan to sell, refurbish, or move into a property to support any future possession claims.
- Improve tenant communication - a strong landlord-tenant relationship will help reduce disputes over possession
Community Warming Project - Upper Don Community Energy
Community Warming is project run by Upper Don Community Energy (UDCE) in the S36 and S35 areas including Chapeltown, High Green, Oughtibridge, Deepcar, Stocksbridge, Penistone and surrounding villages.
Households in the S36 and S35 areas who are in fuel poverty (spending more than 10% of their income on gas and electricity), receiving benefits and/or with a range of health conditions such as cardiovascular condition, respiratory disease,and limited mobility, can contact us.
Since 2023, the project has helped over 60 households to stop draughts, improve insulation and cut energy bills through a range of simple measures:
- door curtains
- door sausages,
- draught excluding tape,
- radiator reflectors,
- pipe lagging,
- LED bulbs
These are all fitted by professional handy persons free of charge subject to eligibility criteria. Curtains and door sausages are made to size by a team of volunteers at community sewing workshops held at St Ann’s Church Hall, Deepcar.
Households spending more than 10% of their income on energy and /or are in receipt of benefits can apply. To find out more call 07707 762995 or email to find our more.
Sheffield Credit Union - SCUBA Accounts
Sheffield Credit Union are reaching out to landlords in Sheffield to highlight a valuable tool that can significantly support your tenants in managing their finances and, by extension, improve rent payment consistency:
The SCUBA (Sheffield Credit Union Budgeting Account) is designed to help individuals keep on top of their essential bills, including rent, by automating payments. Here's how it works and why it's a fantastic option for your tenants:
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Automated Bill Payments: Tenants' income (benefits, wages, etc.) is paid directly into their Sheffield Credit Union account. The SCUBA account then automatically splits the money, ensuring that bills, including rent, are paid on time, every time.
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Encourages Savings: A portion of the tenant's income can be automatically directed into a savings account.
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Financial Control & Peace of Mind: Empowering tenants to better manage their remaining funds.
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Reduced Arrears: For landlords, this translates to more reliable rent payments and fewer instances of arrears, leading to more stable tenancies.
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Partnership Benefits: Sheffield Credit Union already partners with several housing providers, the account costs £5 per month for tenants paying their rent through SCUBA. If landlords are willing to pay this, it will demonstrate a commitment to tenant well-being and can be a significant incentive.
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Access to Other Services: SCUBA account holders also gain access to a range of other ethical financial services, such as affordable loans and instant-access savings.
The SCUBA Budgeting Account could be a game-changer for you and your tenants in fostering financial stability and strong landlord-tenant relationships. For more information visit the Sheffield Credit Union website.
Allocations Policy Review
We are reviewing our Allocations Policy, and we want to hear your views!
Sheffield City Council has an Allocations Policy which explains how we allocate properties in Sheffield, including how we decide:
- Who can join our Housing Register.
- Where someone will be placed on our Housing Register. Currently we use a banding system to help us decide between people’s housing need.
- How those with an urgent need to move will be assessed. We call this priority rehousing.
- Which households are given ‘Reasonable preference’.
- How those who have expressed an interest in a property will be ranked. In Sheffield people do this through ‘bidding’ on the Sheffield Property Shop website.
- Who will be offered the properties that are advertised.
- How we deal with people who refuse an offer of a property.
Earlier this year, we asked for the thoughts of residents, our partner organisation and community groups on how we could improve our Housing Allocations Policy and how we could ensure fairness when allocating social housing.
Our second phase of consultation has now been launched. Your views are important to us so please do complete the Consultation Survey
This will help to ensure a wide range of views are taken into account and we continue to develop a draft Allocations Policy which will meet the needs of the residents of Sheffield.
The consultation will be live until 17th November 2025.
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