Everyone involved in the private rented sector (PRS) will be aware that some significant changes are on the horizon. Recently, Jeremy Manners sat down with Al Mcclenahan from Justice for Tenants (JFT) to chat about where things are heading, following royal assent of the Renters’ Rights Act, and how councils can enforce the rules, with support from JFT and RIAMS.
From estate agent to tenants’ advocate
Al didn’t start out as a champion for tenants’ rights and local authority enforcement. He owned an estate agent and was running the letting side of the business when he realised the business pressures just weren’t sitting right with him: landlords wanting specific types of tenants, dodgy practices around deposits . . . it was legal, but it wasn’t ethical. Eventually, he sold up and walked away to set up JFT with his co-founder, Matt. What started as a small service to help tenants with poor written English dispute deposits has now grown into a national organisation supporting over 15,000 tenants and councils every year.
Taking enforcement seriously
One of JFT’s biggest roles is supporting tenants. They’ve been behind 75–80% of all rent repayment orders in England, working on around 550 new cases each year. Through this work, they noticed how uneven housing enforcement could be between councils; some went heavy on prosecutions, others barely touched civil penalties at all.
JFT addressed this inconsistency by building best practice, offering training and creating their now-famous Civil Penalty Notice (CPN) Generator, which allows practitioners to apply policies quickly and consistently. What used to take officers 40 hours of paperwork can now be done in minutes, providing a robust defence on appeal to the tribunal.
Al explained that the tool has now surpassed its two-year mark, with officers using it to issue millions of pounds worth of penalties during that time, and JFT reviewing around 130 CPNs per month.
The Renters’ Rights Act – What are the big changes?
Both Jeremy and Al agree that the end of Section 21 no-fault evictions and the removal of fixed-term tenancies on 1 May 2026 are the biggest changes coming. For years, tenants who complained about poor housing conditions were often just handed a Section 21 and told to leave. Removing that power shifts things considerably: renters can finally feel empowered to stand up for their rights without the fear of losing their home. Feeling more secure for the longer term is likely to have meaningful wellbeing benefits for individuals and families.
Other changes include:
New investigatory powers: from 27 December 2025 councils will have further powers to require information from people and the potential to seize documents from lettings agents
Clearer rules around rent increases and easier ways for tenants to challenge them
Written tenancy agreements for all renters (amazingly, many renters still don’t have one)
A PRS database which all landlords and properties must be registered on
A PRS Ombudsman which all landlords must sign up to, enabling tenants to complain about a landlord’s actions and seek redress from an independent body
The Decent Homes Standard being extended to the PRS.
And not to be forgotten, Awaab’s Law phase one applies to the social sector and will come in for the PRS in due course, requiring significant hazards to be addressed in statutory timeframes.
In short, tenants gain more security and enhanced rights to challenge poor practice, and councils get sharper tools to tackle breaches and offences.
Why enforcement policies matter
Al warns that overarching enforcement policies that promise informal action or ‘education first’ can be used against councils on appeal (even where an offence is clear) because landlords can argue that the authority did not follow its own policy.
That’s why JFT has developed a Model Housing and Licensing Enforcement Policy, which aims to be ‘black or white’, aligns with statutory duties and avoids conflicts with the Regulators’ Code when duties require formal action.
As Al put it: We work with around 135 local authorities (about 40% in England) on civil penalty policies and ‘consistency is everything’. If one officer issues a penalty where another wouldn’t, that’s not fair in the eyes of the tribunal.
Working with so many councils has also led JFT to draft model licensing conditions, noting how often current conditions are unenforceable. Their approach tightens wording to make conditions workable and less open to appeal.
Looking ahead
The Renters’ Rights Act brings at least 25 new offences that councils will have responsibility to enforce with civil penalties, making it a core part of every housing practitioner’s job.
The good news? With tools like RIAMS Procedures and JFT’s Model Housing Enforcement Policy and model licensing conditions available on RIAMS Libraries, and The Housing App and the CPN Generator there to make the job more efficient, councils won’t be starting from scratch. Additionally, Al and Jeremy predict that standardisation will increase via statutory guidance for civil penalties, nudging councils toward consistent starting fine levels.
And finally
Both Al and Jeremy are in no doubt that this is a seismic moment in the PRS. It represents considerable work for councils and may take some time to bed in, but it offers a real opportunity to reset rights, consistency and wellbeing outcomes for tenants.
RIAMS Libraries - Documents available now
RRA procedures and guidance: live documents subject to revision as the RRA is implemented
Model licensing conditions for selective licensing and HMO licensing
Model housing and licensing enforcement policy: to support consistent enforcement.
