Landlords across England and Wales are raising serious concerns over new proposals in the Renters’ Rights Bill that would allow local councils to carry out surprise inspections of private rental properties without prior notice to the landlord. The amendment, recently passed in the House of Lords, has sparked backlash from landlord campaigners who say the move gives councils “draconian” powers that are ripe for misuse.
Under the new clause, council officers would no longer be required to give 24 hours’ notice to landlords before carrying out an enforcement inspection. Tenants will still be entitled to prior notice, but landlords will only be informed “within a reasonable amount of time” after the inspection has taken place.
“Councils have been carrying out surprise inspections for years, often under the flimsiest of pretexts,” said Phil Turtle, director at Landlord Licensing & Defence. “They claim suspicion of unlicensed properties or breaches of regulations to justify unannounced visits, sometimes arriving at 5am with eight officers dressed in uniforms resembling those of the police.”
Landlords left in the dark as inspections ramp up
Critics say this amendment will disproportionately impact compliant landlords, many of whom are already navigating a maze of regulation and licensing requirements. Turtle warned:
“These tactics are designed to intimidate tenants, and the Renters Rights Bill only legitimises this behaviour, giving councils even more scope to target landlords.”
The existing Housing Act 2004 and Town and Country Planning Act 1990 already allow councils to enter a property without notice if an offence is suspected — such as a breach of licence conditions or failure to obtain a licence altogether. But landlords argue these powers are increasingly being used not against so-called ‘rogue’ operators, but against ordinary landlords for minor or technical breaches, such as misplaced paperwork or clerical errors.
“This has little to do with tackling rogue landlords,” Turtle added. “Councils use these powers daily to penalise landlords who may not have everything 100% perfect. It’s a system ripe for abuse, with officers acting like bullies to extract fines.”
Fines under the Renters’ Rights Bill could reach £40,000 for non-compliance — a financial hit that smaller landlords in particular may struggle to absorb, especially in a market already squeezed by high mortgage rates, EPC upgrade costs, and dwindling returns.
A hostile environment for landlords trying to play fair
The atmosphere is growing increasingly hostile for landlords, many of whom feel they are being treated as scapegoats for deeper structural issues in the UK’s housing sector. Landlord Licensing & Defence says the language and powers within the Bill are pushing landlords to the edge — not because they oppose regulation, but because they fear how it will be enforced.
“Some even boast they have more powers of entry than the police,” Turtle said of council officers. “Council officers are already overplaying their hand to intimidate tenants and with the new rules, I shudder to think what might happen, but the rules will be exploited.”
This sentiment is echoed by landlords across the country who feel that while politicians talk of balance and fairness, the actual legislation tells a different story. In practice, many feel they are being monitored, penalised, and squeezed — all while continuing to provide the bulk of Britain’s rental housing stock.
Landlords demand fair treatment, not intimidation
The Government insists the Renters’ Rights Bill is aimed at improving standards and protecting tenants, but landlords argue this can be done without stripping away natural justice. Surprise inspections, they say, should be reserved for truly high-risk scenarios — not used as a blanket tool to police decent landlords over admin errors.
With rental demand still far outstripping supply and landlord confidence at an all-time low, some are warning that this could be the final straw for those already considering exiting the market. If the UK wants to retain a viable private rental sector, landlords say it must stop criminalising compliance failure and instead work with, not against, those who house millions.
Whether ministers will heed those warnings in the final stages of the Bill remains to be seen. But the message from landlords is clear: target the true criminals, not those keeping the market afloat.
