Stoke-on-Trent Housing Enforcement: How the Private Sector Housing Team Operates

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Private Sector Housing Team is the enforcement arm for rental property standards across the city. They process HMO licence applications, carry out property inspections, investigate complaints from tenants, and take enforcement action against landlords who do not meet statutory standards. For landlords operating — or planning to operate — rented property in Stoke-on-Trent, understanding how this team works is essential to avoiding enforcement action.

What the Team Does

The Private Sector Housing Team operates under the Housing Act 2004 and covers three main areas:

Property licensing. The team processes mandatory HMO licence applications, validates supporting documents, carries out property inspections, issues licence decisions, and monitors compliance with licence conditions throughout the licence term. All licensing correspondence goes through this team.

Housing health and safety. Under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004, officers assess properties using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). The revised framework, in force from 23 June 2026, covers 21 potential hazards — including damp and mould, excess cold, falls, electrical safety, fire safety, and structural collapse. A Category 1 hazard (the most serious) requires the council to take enforcement action; Category 2 hazards give the council discretion over whether to intervene.

Enforcement. When a landlord is non-compliant — whether through operating without a licence, breaching licence conditions, or allowing hazardous conditions — the team has a range of enforcement tools: Improvement Notices, Prohibition Orders, Emergency Remedial Action, civil penalties, prosecution, Rent Repayment Orders, and Banning Orders.

How Enforcement Starts

Enforcement is typically triggered by one of three routes:

1. Tenant complaints. A tenant contacts the council about disrepair, unsafe conditions, or suspected unlicensed letting. The Private Sector Housing Team investigates.
2. Proactive inspections. Officers carry out inspections as part of the HMO licensing process or through targeted enforcement programmes. Stoke-on-Trent has publicly stated that "once the council investigates, they have to enforce."
3. Register checks. The council maintains a public register of licensed HMOs. Pending applications do not appear as active licences until the council issues its decision, so absence from the register alone does not show whether a valid application is being processed.

The HHSRS Assessment

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System applies to all rented properties — not just licensed HMOs. A council officer can assess any privately rented home in Stoke-on-Trent for HHSRS hazards, and a licence does not shield a property from enforcement under Part 1.

The 21 potential hazards are assessed by likelihood of harm and severity of potential outcomes. Examples include:

• Damp and mould growth
• Excess cold — inadequate insulation or heating systems
• Falls on stairs — missing handrails, uneven treads, poor lighting
• Electrical hazards — outdated wiring, missing RCDs, overloaded circuits
• Fire safety — inadequate detection, missing fire doors, blocked escape routes

A Category 1 hazard triggers a mandatory response. The council must take appropriate enforcement action, which can include an Improvement Notice or Prohibition Order, or Emergency Remedial Action where there is an imminent risk. Under section 6A of the Housing Act 2004, in force from 22 June 2026, the council may also impose a financial penalty of up to £7,000 when it would have been reasonably practicable for the landlord to remove the hazard. Category 2 hazards are discretionary — the council may choose to take action or may issue an advisory letter.

Contact Details

The Private Sector Housing Team can be reached at:

• Phone: 01782 232087 / 01782 234474
• Email: [email protected]
• In person: Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1HH

For landlords, contacting the team proactively — before a tenant complaint triggers an investigation — is always the better approach. If you are unsure whether your property needs a licence, the team can confirm the position. If you know you need a licence and have not yet applied, submitting a "duly made" application (complete form, all documents, Part 1 fee paid) provides some legal protection, as the offence of operating without a licence applies when no valid application has been made.

How This Connects to Licensing

The HMO licensing process and the enforcement function are handled by the same team. A licensing inspection can also identify hazards that the council may address under its HHSRS enforcement powers; the council may carry out other inspections separately.

This means the licence application process is also a formal quality check. If an officer identifies hazards during a licensing inspection, the council can address them under its enforcement powers regardless of the licence outcome. If the property meets licensing standards but has a Category 1 damp hazard, the council must take appropriate Part 1 action; the specific response depends on the circumstances and may include an Improvement Notice or Prohibition Order.

Our Landlord Licensing in Stoke-on-Trent guide covers the inspection preparation steps and licence conditions in detail, so you can address potential enforcement triggers before the officer arrives rather than after.

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