As festivities draw nearer and we head towards the end of the year, we inevitably find ourselves reflecting on all that has unfolded over the last 12 months. In the world of housing regulation, 2025 has certainly been a year of considerable development and change for both the social and private rented sectors. 

For social housing, wheels were set in motion early in January, continuing right through to November: 

• The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) held a public consultation inviting views on how Awaab’s law might be applied in relation to timescales for repairs. This ran from January until March, with the government publishing its response to the findings in June, alongside the publication of draft regulations that same month.  

  
  

• Another two consultations by MHCLG from July to September were held, one looking at a potential expansion of the minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) to social housing (it currently applies only to the private rented sector) and the other at possible updates to the Decent Home Standard (DHS).  

  
  

• Updates and amendments to the electrical safety regulations were approved by Parliament on 23 September, which extended these requirements to now apply to the social rented sector, as well as bringing in additional new requirements for social landlords in relation to electrical equipment provided as part of a tenancy. 

  
  

• The finalised regulations providing the details for Awaab’s law were approved by Parliament also on 23 September, with the first phase (for significant damp and mould hazards and all emergency hazards) taking effect shortly afterwards on 27 October.  

  
  

• Finally, the updated and amended Electrical Safety Standard regulations came into force for social housing on 1 November for existing tenancies.   

For the private rented sector, while it may not look like quite as much has happened on paper, in reality, major changes have occurred: 

• The public consultation around the DHS, as mentioned above and running from July to September, was also relevant for the PRS, with part of the consultation focussed on its possible extension to the private sector.  

  
  

• The Renters’ Rights Bill received royal assent to become an act on 27 October 2025. While only a single piece of legislation, it could be described as one of the most noteworthy pieces of regulation for quite some time, representing a seismic shift in the sector. 

  
  

• And despite the end of year being almost upon us, a number of the duties and powers within the Renters’ Rights Act, including those relevant for local authority investigations and enforcement, come into effect from 27 December. 

  
  

Looking ahead to 2026, more changes are on the cards: 

• The Electrical Safety Regulations come into force for all remaining tenancies in the social rented sector from 26 May 2026. 

  
  

• The responses from government to the MEES and DHS consultations that ended in September have yet to be published. These are expected in the early part of the year and will be worth reading closely when they are released.  

  
  

• The next part of the Renters’ Rights Act will come into force on 1 May 2026. Further implementation will follow later in the year with the introduction of the landlord database and landlord ombudsman (Phase 2 of the government’s implementation road map).  

  
  

• The Renters’ Rights Act also brought in, under Part 1, section 60 and Part 3, the provisions that commit Awaab’s law and the DHS to be extended to the private rented sector through secondary regulations. As of yet, there is no confirmed commencement date for either of these parts (as the aforementioned secondary regulations are needed), but the government’s response to the DHS consultation carried out earlier this year will be particularly interesting to read, bearing this in mind.  As for extending of Awaab’s law to the PRS, there is likely to be further public consultation through this coming year on its application, with industry and government monitoring how its current implementation is going in the social rented sector.  

  
  

• Following the review of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), led by housing experts at RHE Global, MHCLG has confirmed its intention to proceed with formal due process and implement the new HHSRS regulations and guidance for England. It is expected that the new regulations will be introduced to Parliament in the first part of the year, with their full implementation several months later, allowing time for local authorities, landlords, housing professionals and other stakeholders to adapt to the revised framework, update procedures and ensure compliance.  

It certainly looks like 2026 will be another busy year in the world of housing regulation, with much to keep track of across all sectors. 

Following the Summary report: outcomes and next steps for the review of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS),we have just been notified of the government’s intention to pursue the formal due process and implementation of the new HHSRS regulations and guidance for England. Housing experts at RHE Global, who led the review, brought together leading housing professionals and academics to evaluate numerous aspects of the HHSRS, including the number of hazards, how hazards are scored and banded, and how indicative baseline standards could be considered as part of the risk assessment process. This work also entailed the production of new guidance documents and case studies to support housing professionals in using the system effectively and consistently. 

Since the conclusion of the review, the government has been assessing those recommendations alongside wider housing and building safety reforms within the sector. The instigation of due process marks a major milestone in the implementation of the findings, heralding substantive and welcome reform of the HHSRS and associated guidance. 

The government is expected to introduce the new HHSRS regulations to Parliament in the coming months, which will be followed by a period of parliamentary scrutiny. Once due process is satisfactorily completed, there will be a phased lead-in period, with full implementation of the updated HHSRS expected several months later. This will give local authorities, landlords, housing professionals and other stakeholders the necessary time to adapt to the revised framework, update internal procedures and ensure compliance.

' We’re reliably informed that important updates on the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS2) are on their way. With so much focus across the sector on other critical reforms, from Awaab’s Law to the Decent Homes Standard and Building Safety legislation, it’s easy to forget just how pivotal the HHSRS review is to the way we assess and improve housing conditions. This next phase represents a major step forward for local authorities, landlords and housing professionals alike.' Alan Davies Director of Housing - RHE Global

RHE Global will publish a detailed client briefing as soon as the official timeline and draft regulations are made available. We encourage our partners to remain aware of the forthcoming HHSRS changes and to begin considering how existing compliance processes and assessment tools may evolve under the updated framework. While no immediate action is required, it is expected that the reforms will have a substantial and measurable impact on how housing conditions are assessed. We will be available to support all housing professionals throughout this process with advice, guidance and a suite of updated training courses, RIAMS procedures and resources. The Housing App will also be updated to reflect the new scoring system from the updated guidance.

This marks a significant step forward for housing standards, updating a system which is now 20 years old, to reflect modern housing challenges. The new criteria will align with health, safety, energy and building safety concerns, and reaffirm the role of the HHSRS as the primary means of enforcement against poor housing conditions. RHE Global is proud to have been at the forefront of the review process, and we look forward to supporting all sectors throughout its implementation.

In the latest episode of our podcast, host Jim Nixon sits down with Rob Halford, managing director and founder of RHE Global, for an in-depth conversation about innovation, leadership and the journey of building a technology company that’s changing the way local authorities and professionals work.

Rob shares the story of how RHE Global began, from the early development of the company’s pioneering digital information management system RIAMS to the creation of The Noise App, a groundbreaking tool that transformed how environmental health teams handle noise complaints. What started as an ambitious idea has evolved into a suite of innovative digital products, specialist training and consultancy services that help public sector teams work more efficiently and effectively across the UK and beyond.

During the interview, Rob reflects on the challenges of starting a business that was technologically ahead of its time. He discusses how perseverance, collaboration and adaptability were crucial in navigating those early years. 

When it comes to leadership, Rob emphasises the importance of humility and continuous learning. True leadership, he explains, is about empowering others, listening and creating an environment where great ideas can thrive. 

Looking ahead, Rob shares his thoughts on what’s next for RHE Global, from expanding existing products to exploring new areas of digital innovation that help professionals adapt to an ever-changing world.

You can listen to the full interview with Rob Halford here.

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  

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• Model licensing conditions for selective licensing and HMO licensing 

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• Model housing and licensing enforcement policy: to support consistent enforcement.