Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle overcrowding offences by private landlords; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to help tackle that practice.

Local authorities have a wide range of powers to require landlords to remedy serious hazards, including overcrowding, in privately rented homes. The Renters (Reform) Bill will strengthen these powers by introducing new financial penalties to landlords who fail to take reasonably practicable steps to keep their properties free of serious hazards, including overcrowding.