Renters’ Rights Act Investigations Training for Local Authorities, 22 & 23 June 2026

 

Provides local authority staff with the knowledge, guidance and best practice to enable them to conduct effective investigations as part of their new legal obligations under the Renters’ Rights Act.

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The Renters’ Rights Act provides local authorities with new powers to penalise rogue landlords and protect tenants. It will, for the first time, require local authority staff to carry out investigations that could lead to prosecution.

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As a result of these changes, it is essential that local authority staff are equipped with the necessary skills to help support their work and ensure investigations are legal, ethical, proportionate and can withstand internal and external challenge.

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Our course will provide an overview of the Renter’s Rights Act and provide delegates with a working knowledge of how to conduct investigations in line with their new responsibilities.

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At the end of the two-days, delegates will be ready to start conducting their own investigations.

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Held online via Teams.

Our expert

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It will be led by Dr Emma Spooner a highly experienced former police investigator who runs the Applied Investigation degree course at the University of Sunderland and who also delivers investigation training to a range of statutory bodies.

 

Course outline

DAY ONE

 

Session One: The Renters’ Rights Act: Understanding your role and thinking like an investigator

• An overview of the new investigative powers contained in the Renters’ Rights Act

• A consideration of the necessary skills and guidance you will need to comply with your new investigative powers.

• An introduction to the principles of an investigation

• What constitutes an effective investigation?

• The Investigation in context and how this applies to your work

• Investigative mindset and critical thinking skills

 

Session Two: Initiating an Investigation

• What are the likely scenarios/situations that could lead to an investigation being carried out?

• Initial considerations and preservation of information

• Identifying the breach/offence

• Establishing ‘Points to Prove’

• Identifying who is liable to the investigation

 

Session Three: Conducting the Investigation

• Establishing the remit/parameters of your investigation to ensure a focussed and proportionate approach

• A consideration of the term ‘Reasonable Lines of Inquiry’ and how this can help you pursue all leads in a fair, proportionate and objective manner

• An introduction to the key principles of gathering evidence and practical advice about how to gather evidence

• Investigative decision making and its role in an effective investigation.

• Using the National Decision Model to help make good decisions

• Key considerations around vulnerability and special requirements of those involved in your inquiry/investigation

• Advice on how to record your decisions in a clear and contemporaneous manner.

 

Session Four: Interviewing Witnesses

• An introduction to the principles of the PEACE investigative interviewing model

• The importance of planning and structuring your interviews

• Consideration of Achieving Best Evidence principles when interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses.

 

DAY TWO

 

Session Five: Interviewing those suspected of breaches or offences

• How to interview a suspect under caution

• An overview of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) in relation to interviewing

• Powers to interview and practicalities of voluntary interviews

• Working with legal advisers

• Structuring an interview and questioning types

• Introducing contradictory information

 

Session Six: Powers of entry, searches and seizures

• An overview of your search and seizure powers

• Key principles around carrying out legal and ethical searches of premises including considerations of warrants

• How to plan out and conduct the search

• How to seize evidence and secure it so it’s evidentially sound, admissible in court and withstands scrutiny from the defence.

 

Session Seven: Investigative and evidential evaluation

• Understanding the material you have gathered

• Identifying any gaps

• Identifying further lines of enquiry

• Establishing the relative strength of material gathered in the investigation

 

Session Eight: Finalising the investigation

• Deciding on outcomes

• Best practice around writing your case file and presenting it both written and verbally to your legal team.

• A look at key best practice in relation to case management

• A look at some of the common mistakes and how to avoid these.

• Procedures for issuing outcomes

 

Session Nine: Recap and Practical Discussion

An opportunity to recap the material delivered over the past two days, questions, discussion and advice around next steps. Suggested reading and course materials will be provided. You will also be provided with a Certificate of CPD for completing the course.

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HOW TO BOOK

Cost: £495 + VAT (GBP) per delegate 

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Group bookings: We offer various discounts for group bookings depending on numbers, please contact us for details.

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Booking: Please send the delegates name(s), email address(es) and purchase order (made out to The Investigator) to 

booking@the-investigator.co.uk or telephone +44(0)844 660 8707 for further information. 

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Payment can be made by PayPal/debit/credit card. ​The meeting link will be sent out 7 days before the event.

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