Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by The Negotiator. Read the original article for full details.

Landlords Warned of £7,000 Fines for Overheating Hazards in Rentals

Landlords have been warned they could face fines of up to £7,000 if they fail to address overheating hazards in rented properties. The warning comes as temperatures are expected to rise again this month.

There is currently no legal maximum indoor temperature for rented homes in Britain. However, excessive heat is now recognised as a potential hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Since June 2026, councils in England have had stronger enforcement powers, with penalties of up to £7,000 per hazard where a landlord fails to act.

Jack Malnick, co-founder of Landlord Resource, stated that the key test is not a specific temperature threshold but whether overheating creates a genuine health risk. According to Malnick, a property can be considered unsafe if overheating creates a health risk, and it is not a question of a set temperature to breach, but whether the overheating is severe enough to become a health and safety hazard or make the property unfit.

Landlords are not legally required to provide air conditioning or fans, but they remain responsible for maintaining adequate ventilation. Issues such as stuck windows, broken extractor fans, faulty blinds, or structural defects affecting airflow could potentially fall within the HHSRS framework if they contribute to a serious overheating hazard.

If a landlord fails to respond to a tenant's concerns about overheating, tenants can escalate the issue to their local council’s environmental health team or request a formal HHSRS inspection.

Malnick also noted that the abolition of Section 21 no-fault evictions under the Renters’ Rights Act changes the dynamic for tenants raising complaints. Landlords cannot simply serve a notice due to a complaint under the new rules.