How much can a landlord be fined? It depends on which obligation was missed: from £5,000 for a missing alarm to an unlimited fine for gas safety. Every figure below is the statutory maximum for England, taken from the legislation or official guidance linked beside it. Actual penalties are set case by case and are usually lower. The table is the summary, and the sections after it say what each obligation actually requires.
| Obligation | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|
| Gas safety (annual check) | Criminal prosecution: unlimited fine, imprisonment possible |
| Electrical safety (EICR) | £30,000 per breach |
| Smoke & CO alarms | £5,000 per breach |
| EPC minimum standard (below E) | £5,000 per property |
| Deposit not protected in 30 days | 1–3× the deposit, awarded by the court |
| Right to Rent | £10,000 per tenant (first breach), £20,000 repeat |
| Prohibited tenant fees | £5,000; repeat within 5 years up to £30,000 |
| Unlicensed HMO | Unlimited fine, or civil penalty up to £30,000 |
| Rent repayment orders | Up to 24 months’ rent (offences on/after 1 May 2026; 12 months for earlier) |
| PRS Database (once in force) | £7,000; £40,000 or prosecution for repeat/serious breaches |
| Ombudsman membership (once in force) | £7,000; £40,000 for continuing breaches |
Gas safety: unlimited fine
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require a gas safety check of every appliance and flue every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with the record given to tenants. Unlike most items on this page, enforcement is criminal from the start: the Health and Safety Executive prosecutes, and conviction can bring an unlimited fine or imprisonment. Our gas safety renewal guide covers the mechanics, including the MOT-style rule that preserves the expiry date when you renew early.
Electrical safety: £30,000 per breach
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require an electrical installation condition report (EICR) at least every 5 years, supplied to tenants and, on request, to the council. Local authorities can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 per breach. That is the largest fixed figure attached to any single certificate. The EICR renewal guide covers C1/C2/C3 codes and the 28-day remedial-work clock.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: £5,000 per breach
Since October 2022 a rented home needs a smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation and a CO alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, and a fault must be repaired “as soon as reasonably practicable” once it is reported. The local authority can issue a penalty charge of up to £5,000 per breach. There is no certificate for any of it, so the record you keep is the only evidence.
EPC minimum standard: £5,000 per property
A privately rented home must have an EPC rating of E or better (or a registered exemption) before it is let. Councils enforce with penalties of up to £5,000 per property, and the government has consulted on raising the required standard, which would turn today’s D-rated stock into tomorrow’s exposure.
Tenancy deposits: one to three times the deposit
A deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information served. Miss either and the court can order compensation of one to three times the deposit. That applies per tenancy, and claims can reach back through historic renewals.
Right to Rent: £20,000 per person at the top end
Landlords must check that every adult occupier has the right to rent before the tenancy starts. Since February 2024 the civil penalties are up to £10,000 per occupier for a first breach and £20,000 for repeats (£5,000/£10,000 for lodgers). These are the figures that scale fastest with portfolio size, because they apply per person.
Tenant fees: £5,000, then £30,000
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 bans most charges to tenants beyond rent, deposits and a short list of defaults. A first breach carries a penalty of up to £5,000; a further breach within five years is a criminal offence, with a civil penalty of up to £30,000 available as an alternative to prosecution.
HMO licensing: unlimited fine
Operating a licensable HMO without a licence is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine, or the council can impose a civil penalty of up to £30,000 instead. An unlicensed HMO also exposes the landlord to rent repayment orders.
Rent repayment orders: up to 24 months’ rent
For offences such as unlicensed HMOs or illegal eviction, a tribunal can order rent repaid to tenants. Under the Renters’ Rights Act the maximum is now up to 24 months’ rent for offences committed on or after 1 May 2026 (12 months’ worth for offences before that date). The government’s rent repayment order guidance sets out the two-year maximum, with repeat offenders ordered to pay the maximum.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and the £7,000/£40,000 pattern
The Act’s new duties include registering on the PRS Database before marketing or letting, joining the new ombudsman and the ban on rental bidding. They share one enforcement pattern of up to £7,000 for an initial breach, rising to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for repeat or serious ones. A landlord who is not properly registered can also find possession proceedings blocked until they are.
The context these numbers live in
England’s private rented sector is roughly 4.6 million households, about one in five homes (English Housing Survey). Most penalties above are per breach, per property or per person, so for an agency managing dozens of properties the practical exposure is not a single number. It is the portfolio’s worst-kept records multiplied out, which is why a new policy rarely reduces risk as quickly as finding out, today, which properties are missing which record. The free compliance audit answers exactly that, without an account.
Figures are the statutory maximums for England as at August 2026, from the sources linked above; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ. This page is general information rather than legal advice. If you spot a figure that has changed, tell us and we will correct it with a dated note.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check current official guidance for your situation.