Housing offences sentencing guidelines

What is this consultation about? This consultation asks for feedback on a new package of housing related offences sentencing guidelines. These include two guidelines covering the nine offences of unlawful eviction of occupier and unlawful harassment of occupier and four guidelines covering offences related to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and other housing standards offences. The package includes guidelines for individuals and guidelines for organisations. Why housing offences? Various stakeholders wrote to the Council between 2015 and 2024 requesting consideration of sentencing guidelines for a number of housing related offences or groups of offences. These stakeholders include prosecutors, barristers, solicitors, individuals working in enforcement teams in local councils, and officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The main offences that stakeholders requested the Council consider develop