Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to strengthen the protections afforded to private rent tenants under section 4 of the Defective Premises Act 1972.

All homes should be of a reasonable standard and all tenants should have a safe place to live regardless of tenure. Under the Housing Act 2004 and following an inspection under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, the local authority can serve a notice on the landlord to require improvements to a property.

We have strengthened these measures through the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to take action against rogue landlords. These include a database of rogue landlords and property managers, banning orders, civil penalties of up to £30,000 and extended rent repayment orders.