Council seeks views on updated housing policies ahead of major reforms

The Renters Rights Act, due to come into force in May 2026, will introduce the biggest changes to the housing sector in decades. The Act will modernise how tenancies work and give councils new powers to investigate potential breaches. It also creates new offences and introduces significant penalties for landlords who do not follow the rules.

Because of these major changes, Newark and Sherwood District Council is updating its current enforcement policies. The revised policies will reflect the new legislation and provide tenants, landlords, and agents with a clear and transparent explanation of how the Council intends to apply enforcement and penalties across the district.

With Local Government Reorganisation approaching, all Nottinghamshire councils are also working together to align their enforcement activity. It is hoped that most councils will adopt similar principles to those set out in these updated policies.

Councillor Lee Brazier, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The Renters Rights Act brings significant change. We want to hear from tenants, landlords, and letting agents so that our policies are clear, accessible and reflect local needs. I encourage everyone with an interest to take part in the consultation.”

The consultation is open to anyone with an interest in the private rented sector, including tenants, landlords, and letting agents. Participants can review the draft documents and share their views before the final policies are presented to Council Members for approval.

The consultation will run for four weeks and closes on 6 April 2026.

You can view the policies on the webpage here: https://beta.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/housing/advice-private-landlords. Questions and comments can be sent to: environmental.health@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.