Landlord compliance checklist 2026: the complete annual walkthrough

If you let residential property in England, your compliance obligations did not start with the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — but the Act adds several new ones and tightens the consequences of missing the old ones. This is the complete annual checklist: every item a private landlord must tick, the deadline for each, and the penalty for getting it wrong. Print it, pin it to your office wall, and work through it once a year.

1. Gas safety (CP12) — annual

Every gas appliance, flue and pipework in the property must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months. The engineer issues a Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12). You must give a copy to the tenant within 28 days of the check, and to any new tenant before they move in.

Missing a CP12 is a criminal offence under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. The HSE can prosecute for up to £6,000 per appliance. In practice, a lapsed CP12 also prevents you from relying on most Section 8 grounds until the certificate is renewed.

• Book the annual check at least 2 weeks before the anniversary date.
• Use the MOT-style early renewal: if you book within the final 2 months of the current certificate, the new certificate runs from the old expiry date — not the check date.
• Keep a copy for at least 2 years.
• Record the check in your compliance log with date served and method of service.

2. Electrical safety (EICR) — every 5 years

An Electrical Installation Condition Report must be obtained from a qualified and registered electrician at least every 5 years, or sooner if the previous report recommends an earlier re-inspection. A copy must be given to the tenant within 28 days and to the local authority within 7 days of request.

• C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) codes require remedial work within 28 days.
• C3 (improvement recommended) does not require action for compliance but should be noted for the next rewire.
• An unsatisfactory report blocks deposit deduction claims and weakens your position in any possession hearing.
• Cost: typically £150–£300 per property.

3. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — every 10 years

A valid EPC rated E or above is required before marketing a property for let. The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) ban letting a property with a rating below E unless you have a valid exemption registered on the PRS Exemptions Register. The EPC must be given to the tenant at the start of the tenancy.

• Check whether your EPC is still within its 10-year validity window.
• If below E, obtain quotes for improvement works or register a valid exemption.
• Cost: typically £60–£120 for a standard 3-bed property.
• Future: the government has consulted on raising the minimum to C by 2030. Plan ahead.

4. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms — continuous

Since October 2022, every rented property in England must have a smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, gas fire, oil boiler, solid-fuel stove). Alarms must be tested on the day the tenancy begins and must be in working order throughout.

• Test all alarms on check-in day and record the test.
• Replace batteries annually (or fit sealed 10-year units).
• Replace the entire alarm unit at the manufacturer's stated end-of-life date.
• Civil penalty for non-compliance: up to £5,000.

5. Deposit protection — within 30 days

Every deposit taken on an assured tenancy must be protected in one of three government-approved schemes (DPS, MyDeposits, TDS) within 30 days of receipt. You must also serve the prescribed information within the same 30-day window. Failure attracts a penalty of 1–3 times the deposit payable to the tenant, and blocks Section 8 possession claims until the deposit is returned or properly protected.

• Deposit cap: 5 weeks' rent (annual rent under £50,000) or 6 weeks' rent (above £50,000).
• Holding deposits: capped at 1 week's rent under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
• Re-protect if you switch scheme or if the tenancy renews on substantially different terms.
• Keep proof-of-service of the prescribed information — a signed acknowledgement or email delivery receipt.

6. Right-to-Rent check — before occupation

Every adult occupier must be checked for the right to rent in the UK before the tenancy begins. Use the Home Office online check (share code) where possible — it provides a statutory excuse. A manual check (seeing original documents in person) provides a statutory excuse only if you follow the prescribed steps exactly. Follow-up checks are required for time-limited leave.

• Check all adults aged 18+.
• Record the check date, method, and document details.
• Diarise any follow-up check date (before the leave-to-remain expiry).
• Keep records for 1 year after the tenancy ends.
• Civil penalty for failure: up to £3,000 per illegal occupant.

7. How to Rent guide — at start of tenancy

You must give the tenant the current government 'How to Rent' guide at the start of every new tenancy. If the government updates the guide during the tenancy, you must re-issue it. From 1 May 2026, this remains a prerequisite for valid Section 8 notices — failure to serve the guide can defeat a possession claim.

8. Licensing — check annually

Check whether your property requires a licence. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties with 5 or more occupants in 2 or more households. Additional and selective licensing schemes vary by council — check your local authority's website annually, as new schemes are designated regularly. Failure to licence is a criminal offence carrying civil penalties up to £30,000 and Rent Repayment Orders of up to 12 months' rent.

9. Private Landlord Database — Phase 2 (late 2026)

The Renters' Rights Act introduces a mandatory Private Landlord Database. Registration will be required before marketing a property for let. The database launches in phases through late 2026, with a regional rollout. Penalties for non-registration include fines up to £40,000 and a bar on serving possession notices. Monitor gov.uk for your region's go-live date.

10. PRS Ombudsman membership — expected ~2028

The Act provides for a compulsory Ombudsman scheme. Every private landlord will be required to join and pay a membership levy. The Ombudsman will handle tenant complaints that the landlord has failed to resolve. Our Complaint Response Template is on pre-order for when the scheme is appointed.

11. Decent Homes Standard — consultation pending

The Decent Homes Standard extends to the PRS under the Act. The detailed standard for private landlords is subject to a separate consultation. Once finalised, landlords will need to self-assess their properties against the standard. Our self-assessment template ships when the consultation outcome is published.

12. Awaab's Law — damp and mould timescales

Awaab's Law imposes fixed statutory timescales for investigating and remedying damp, mould, and other prescribed hazards. Day-one acknowledgement, 14-day investigation, remedial works 'as soon as reasonably practicable', and 24-hour emergency response for imminent risks. Commencement expected 2026–27.

The annual compliance calendar

How to use this checklist

1. Set a recurring annual calendar reminder — pick the anniversary of your first tenancy.
2. Work through each item. For each one, confirm: (a) the certificate/record is current, (b) a copy has been served on the tenant, (c) the renewal date is diarised.
3. If any item is overdue, fix it before serving any notices or starting any possession claim.
4. File everything in a single compliance folder per property — digital or physical.
5. Review the checklist again whenever a tenancy changes hands.