Renters' Rights Act landlord fines by breach
| Breach | Maximum | Source |
|---|
| Initial or minor breach (for example database, ombudsman, rental discrimination, rental bidding) | £7,000 civil penalty | GOV.UK guide to the Act |
| Serious, persistent or repeat breach | £40,000 civil penalty, or prosecution with an unlimited fine | GOV.UK guide to the Act |
| Not giving the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026 | £7,000 | GOV.UK Information Sheet page |
| Not giving written information before a new tenancy | £7,000 | GOV.UK landlord guide |
| Not registering on the landlord database | £7,000; £40,000 or prosecution if serious or repeated; no possession order except grounds 7A/14 | GOV.UK guide to the Act |
| Rent repayment order (tenant or council applies) | Up to 24 months' rent; application within 24 months; repeat offenders pay the maximum | GOV.UK guide to the Act |
Other regimes still apply alongside the Act: Right to Rent (up to £20,000 per occupier for repeat breaches), electrical safety (up to £40,000 under regulation 11 of the 2020 electrical safety regulations, as now in force), energy efficiency (up to £5,000 now, £30,000 proposed from 2030), and Housing Act 2004 civil penalties for licensing and housing offences.
Each council publishes its own enforcement policy setting how it calculates a penalty within these maximums. Check your council's policy on its website.
457
civil penalty appeal decisions with a clear outcome, 2018–2026
87%
left a penalty in place (164 confirmed, 235 varied); 58 cancelled
£7,500 → £5,250
median penalty before and after appeal, where both amounts were readable
Our analysis of First-tier Tribunal decisions on GOV.UK. Amounts are extracted automatically and may contain errors; each decision is the authority.
How to avoid a penalty
- Work through the Renters' Rights Act checklist.
- Check licensing: unlicensed letting is the most common route to a rent repayment order. Licensing schemes by council
- Register on the database in your region's window. Dates
- Keep proof: dated copies of what you gave tenants and when.
Information, not legal advice. If you have received a notice of intent or a final notice, the time to make representations or appeal is short; take advice promptly.
Questions landlords ask
What are the fines under the Renters’ Rights Act?
Councils can impose civil penalties of up to £7,000 for initial or minor breaches, and up to £40,000 for serious, persistent or repeat breaches, or prosecute instead (unlimited fine). Tenants can also seek rent repayment orders of up to 24 months’ rent for listed offences.
What is the fine for not giving the Information Sheet?
Up to £7,000, according to GOV.UK’s Information Sheet page.
What is the fine for not registering on the landlord database?
Up to £7,000 for an initial breach and up to £40,000 or prosecution for serious or repeat breaches. A landlord in breach also cannot get a possession order except on grounds 7A or 14.
Can I appeal a council civil penalty?
Yes, to the First-tier Tribunal. In 457 appeal decisions with a clear outcome since 2018, the tribunal confirmed 36%, varied 51% and cancelled 13%.