Under the new Renters’ Rights Act, landlords could be fined up to £20,000 if they fail to comply with regulations or jailed if a tenant dies after contracting Legionnaires’ disease.

Legionella is a bacterium that thrives in warm water and can cause Legionnaires’ disease if inhaled through water droplets.

The illness is a serious form of pneumonia that can be life-threatening, especially for older adults or people with weakened immune systems.

Leah Stone, director of Legionella Guard, said: “Legionella is a deadly risk hiding in plain sight that too often gets overlooked.

“While many landlords receive support to manage obvious hazards like gas and fire safety, Legionella can lurk undetected in water systems and is often overlooked.

“It’s a legal duty for property owners to manage the risk and historically guidance has been vague, confusing and often ignored, while professional inspections are expensive.”

Landlords are being urged to complete annual legionella risk assessments to protect tenants and meet legal requirements.

Failure to do so is a criminal breach.

Ms Stone added: “Our new digital platform empowers landlords to take control of the risk, protecting tenants and themselves in one go.

“It is a simple solution that the sector has been crying out for.”

Legionella Guard, which has an office in Banbury, is designed to help landlords, letting agents, and housing associations carry out risk assessments cheaply and efficiently.

Created by experienced assessors with more than a decade of experience in the south of England, the digital tool allows users to become accredited assessors via a HSE complaint e-learning platform.

For £9.99 per survey, landlords can complete an assessment and securely store evidence of compliance.

Ms Stone said: “Once landlords have completed our straightforward e-learning programme they can assess the risk themselves, without having to pay large fees to third parties.

“We’ve deliberately kept the fee low to make this accessible and help UK landlords manage amid so many changes and market challenges.”

The platform is also available to letting agents, local authorities, and housing associations.

In 2024, the UK Health Security Agency reported 472 cases of legionellosis with a case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent.

Chest pain, coughing, high temperature, and shortness of breath are common symptoms.

Landlords can face prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 if someone falls seriously ill or dies because of exposure to Legionella in a rental property.

Although cases are rare and most people recover fully, the risk remains significant for those running residential properties.

In March, East Hagbourne residents were notified of the closure of their local Post Office counter.

A petition organised by the shop called on the Post Office to reverse its decision.

Police and crime commissioner, Matthew Barber, and Liberal Democrat MP for Didcot and Wantage, Olly Glover, also campaigned for the counter to remain open.

In a letter to Mr Barber, Blair McDougall, minister for small business and economic transformation, announced the reversal of the decision.

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Campaigners with Olly Glover (Image: Olly Glover)

The MP for East Renefrewshire said:”I am pleased to confirm that Post Office Limited has now decided to advertise the opportunity to operate the East Hagbourne branch.

“I recognise how important a local Post Office can be for a community, especially for elderly and vulnerable customers.

“I am also aware of the strength of feeling locally, not least given the Post Office’s relationship with the community‑run shop and the role both play in village life.”

The community shop, run entirely by volunteers, has hosted the well-used Post Office counter for more than 20 years.

MP Olly Glover in the community shop (Image: Olly Glover)

The Post Office placed a notice on March 4 stating that, following the resignation of the postmaster, they “are not looking to replace East Hagbourne Post Office at this time”.

However, according to the Post Office’s website, it was advertising for a successful retailer in the East Hagbourne area to tender to incorporate a Post Office Local into their existing or proposed business, with a closing date of April 13.

Mr Glover had also received dozens of emails from concerned customers, volunteers, and community organisations describing how vital the Post Office and shop are to village life.

The party has candidates running for each of the district council’s 16 wards at the May 7 election.

The party failed to meet the Oxford Mail’s deadline to share a leader’s pitch for the West Oxfordshire District Council elections, but its councillor, Natalie King, has shared comments with the BBC on her party’s proposals after “declining to attend” the broadcaster’s local debate.

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She said Reform UK winning seats in the district would mean “positive change for residents” and a focus on “ending council waste”.

Ms King said: “This will ensure more of your money goes into the frontline services that you care about, such as filling potholes, bin collections and making safer communities.”

Reform plans for West Oxfordshire include building more infrastructure around housing developments as well as pushing back on the county council’s 20mph rollout.

The party also shared a more general statement on social media from Felix Bloomfield, Reform UK’s Oxfordshire spokesperson.

It said: “Oxfordshire is in crisis. We need common sense governance for our county.”

The post says “new homes should be on brownfield site first”, and that “British people should come first in housing, jobs and services”.

On the congestion charge and LTNs put in place by the local highways authority, Oxfordshire County Council, the party says: “Reform would scrap them all”.

On education, it said: “Oxfordshire’s schools have falling standards and those families with children with Special Educational Needs have been seriously let down across the County.

“Reform UK supports knowledge based education free from gender ideology and climate alarmism.”

Mr Bloomfield finished his Oxfordshire statement on the topic of immigration and asylum.

He said: “Oxfordshire has welcomed many small boat arrivals and asylum hotel costs drain resources from social housing, our NHS and schools.

“Hotels must be reopened for Oxfordshire tourists and locals to help the local economy. British people should come first in housing, jobs and services.

“Let’s take back control of Oxfordshire.”