Reference · Updated July 2026 · Bookmark this page

Landlord fines in England: the full penalty table

Two things changed recently that make this table worth knowing cold. First, maximum civil penalties for serious breaches doubled to £40,000 under the Renters' Rights Act. Second - and more importantly - councils no longer need to send an informal warning before pursuing a penalty. The first letter can be the fine.

Civil penalty exposure by breach · England

No valid Gas Safety RecordUp to £40,000 + criminal route

No satisfactory EICR / ignoring remedial codesUp to £30,000

Letting an unlicensed property (selective/HMO)Up to £30,000 + rent repayment order

Deposit not protected / info not served in 30 days1 to 3 times the deposit

Tenant Information Sheet not served / unprovableUp to £7,000

Smoke / CO alarm requirementsUp to £5,000

Letting below minimum EPC rating (no exemption)Up to £5,000

Serious / repeat RRA breachesUp to £40,000

PRS Database offences (as rollout applies)£7,000 to £40,000 band

Three things the table doesn't show

Penalties stack. A single neglected property can trigger several rows at once - an expired gas record, an unserved Information Sheet and an unprotected deposit are three separate exposures, not one.

Rent repayment orders are the quiet killer. For licensing offences, tenants can reclaim up to two years' rent under the Renters' Rights Act - on a £950/month let, that's £22,800 before any council fine.

Proof beats innocence. Several duties are effectively “prove it or pay” - doing the thing isn't enough if you can't evidence when and how you did it.

Kept is built to keep you off this table. Key duties tracked, proof logged and reminders before each deadline you record. Add your first property free →

Figures reflect published legislation and guidance as at July 2026 and may change. Verify against GOV.UK before relying on them. General information, not legal advice.