The Property Standards and Enforcement team regulates housing and public health conditions in private sector housing.
This is normally done through discussion and cooperation. However, it is sometimes necessary to enforce improvements through the service of statutory notices. In such cases it may be necessary for us to complete the works required and recover the costs afterwards.
We can take enforcement action against people that own, live in or rent properties. We most commonly deal with private rented properties where a tenant has contacted us for help in resolving disrepair.
We don’t usually take action against homeowners, unless:
- conditions in the property or on the land are causing a nuisance
- conditions in the property or on the land are causing damage to neighbouring property or land
- there is an issue that could affect public safety
- the property has been left empty.
Inspections
Changes due to coronavirus
During the current coronavirus pandemic we are operating a reduced service. We will only be visiting properties where there is an imminent risk to health or safety, that is, where the risk posed by the issues is greater than the potential for spreading coronavirus.
Examples include:
- sewage in someone’s home
- structural collapse
- falling building elements, such as glass or failing walls
- pests that can spread disease
- imminent risk of fire
- electrocution
- carbon monoxide leaks.
In all other cases officers will try and assist you by phone or email. Officers may also need to be redeployed to help deal with the response to COVID-19. This means it will take longer to deal with your request than usual.
If an inspection is required, the officer will usually give both the tenant and landlord 24 hours’ notice. In some cases, we will serve a Notice of Intended Entry or apply to the Magistrates’ Court for a warrant to enter the property.
Action is taken to reduce or eliminate identified hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
The HHSRS is the enforcement tool used to identify matters which adversely affect the health and safety of occupiers in their home.
Landlords are always notified in advance of all pending visits and the outcomes of those inspections so they may take the opportunity to attend to any identified hazards.
If enforcement action becomes necessary and a statutory notice served, the notice will not only require you as the landlord to formally carry out all identified and necessary repairs, but it will also carry a charge. This will cover expenses incurred by the council in the inspection, consideration of action to be taken and service of the notice.
The cost of this notice will then be registered as a local land charge against your property until the costs have been repaid.
Types of enforcement action
After the inspection, the officers will decide what type of action – if any – is appropriate.
These are the possible outcomes:
- No further action: Occasions where, following an initial investigation, the complaint can’t be substantiated.
- Informal action: Written warnings and/or providing advice, is usually the first option if there’s a problem and those involved are willing to cooperate.
- Formal notices: We may issue formal notices, for example, to require a landlord to carry out repairs, if the repairs:
- should have been done by law
- are urgent as there’s a risk to health and safety
- the landlord has a history of breaking the law.
- Works in default: If a formal notice is served and essential works aren’t done by a landlord, we may do them instead to ensure safety. We will then recover all the expenses from the landlord and may still decide to prosecute the landlord.
- Simple cautions/interviews under caution: If we issue a simple caution but this is ignored by the alleged offender, we will decide if other formal or informal action is needed.
Types of enforcement notices
- Demolition Order: Main provisions are still held within the Housing Act 1985, requires the demolition of the property.
- Emergency Prohibition Orders: Restrict the use of all or part of dwelling in an emergency.
- Emergency Remedial Action Notice: Works undertaken as an emergency by the council.
- Improvement Notices: A notice that requires repairs to be undertaken within a set amount of time.
- Prohibition Order: Restrict the use of whole or part of a dwelling due to serious hazards.
Enforcement charges
All charges quoted are effective from 1 April 2026.
The council offers chargeable services, such as a charge for carrying out an inspection of a proposed home to support a person's immigration application to the UK.
Services and charges can be withdrawn (temporarily or permanently) or other chargeable services introduced.
HMO licensing fees
View our licence and other service fees.
Selective licensing fees
View our Selective Licensing Scheme.
Charges for statutory notices
- for improvement notices, emergency remedial action notice, prohibition order, emergency prohibition order or a demolition order - £689. for a property up to 10 rooms - individual assessments will be carried out on larger properties.; the costs of reports, analysis, etc needed prior to enforcement will always be added to the costs
- suspended improvement notice, suspended prohibition order, or serving copies of the authority’s decision on such a review, £689
- Works in default - Hourly officer rate will be applied for undertaking works in default and as defined within the applicable legislation. An additional 17% management charge
- Hazard Awareness Notice, £171
- Review of Suspended Notices, £286
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
- Fine for non-compliance with a Remedial Notice (First offence), £5000, reduced to £2500 if paid within 14 day period
- Fine for non-compliance with a Remedial Notice (Second and/or subsequent offence), £5000 with no reduction for early payment
Failure to comply with an enforcement action
- works in default, for works undertaken by the council for failure to comply with an enforcement notice, 17% management charge
Private Sector Housing Licensing Register
- Copy of the full register, which includes the addresses of the licence holders, £182
- Copy of a specified area register up to the equivalent of 5 wards, £54.50
Invoice fees
Invoicing instead of online payment - flat fee per invoice (to cover costs of admin to process the invoice), where the application has been made online, but the applicant cannot pay online, £55
Paper applications
Flat fee per application on top of standard application fee, cost covers admin officer setting up a Metastreet account for the landlord, entering the application form onto the online process and invoicing for payments, £163
Refund policy
See our property licence refund policy.
Advisory visits and inspections
We offer advisory visits to properties for prospective HMO use. An HMO advisory visit includes:
- an initial site visit and inspection of the property
- consultation with the London Fire Brigade
- two site visits to ensure that works comply with the Housing Act and our standards
We also take requests for an:
- immigration inspection under the housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which includes a report and letter to the relevant authorities
- inspection of premises in or out of the borough, under the Housing Act or other statute, and to provide a report or letter for legal, financial enquiries or for HMO/Selective licensing confirmation status.
- immigration inspection: Based on actual travel costs
- inspection of premises: Based on actual travel costs
- Charge to Home Office Inspections (Per Inspection), £206
- Home Improvement Agency Survey and report, £638
Immigration Employment Request - Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006
- Request for official notification that a property is registered and/or licensed with the council, £124
- Every hour/part hour thereafter if visit required, £124
Document requests
- Drawing floor plans, £304 to a maximum of £585, each additional storey is £56
- Request for replacement copies of documents, including letters, notices and licences, £78
- Copy of report £230