West Suffolk Council landlord licensing
- No selective licensing currently in Cavenham — verify position before letting
- Mandatory HMO licensing for 5+ person 2+ household properties
- Renters' Rights Act 2025 Property Portal and PRS Ombudsman registration required
Renters' Rights Act 2025 key obligations
- Section 21 no-fault evictions abolished
- Fixed-term tenancies banned for new lets — all lets periodic from day one
- Property Portal registration mandatory
- PRS Ombudsman membership mandatory for all English landlords
EPC and energy efficiency for Cavenham properties
- Current minimum Band E for all private lets
- Band C target 2030 — new lets from 2028 likely require Band C
- Many Cavenham properties off gas grid — oil, LPG or heat pump improvements needed
- Register cost cap exemption if improvement costs exceed proposed £15,000 cap
Gas, oil and electrical safety
- Annual gas safety check (CP12) where mains gas present
- Annual OFTEC service recommended for oil-fired heating
- Five-yearly EICR mandatory — remediate C1/C2 defects within 28 days
- Smoke alarms every storey, CO alarms in all solid fuel and gas rooms
Deposit protection
- Protect deposit within 30 days in an approved scheme
- Serve Prescribed Information within 30 days
- Maximum 5 weeks' rent for annual rents under £50,000