Safety certificates required before letting
- Gas Safety Certificate: annually from a Gas Safe registered engineer, given to each new tenant before occupancy. No valid GSC = criminal offence
- EICR: at least every 5 years by a qualified electrician, given to new tenant before move-in. Unsatisfactory EICR requires remediation within 28 days. Civil penalty up to �30,000
- EPC: minimum E rating, provided at marketing stage, valid for 10 years. Penalty up to �5,000 for letting without a valid EPC
- Legionella risk assessment: required under ACOP L8, records must be maintained and temperature/flushing checks documented
Smoke and CO alarms, Right to Rent, and deposit protection
- Smoke alarms: at least one per storey used as living accommodation, tested on the first day of tenancy
- CO alarms: required in every room used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance (boiler, log burner, open fire)
- Right to Rent: check every adult occupier's right to rent before the tenancy begins. Civil penalty up to �20,000 per tenant for a first breach
- Deposit protection: protect in a government-approved scheme and serve prescribed information within 30 days. Cap: 5 weeks' rent. Failure = court penalty of 1�3x deposit
- Information Sheet (from 1 May 2026): the government's prescribed Information Sheet must be served on every new tenant before or at the start of the tenancy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025
Additional 2026 pre-let requirements
- Written statement of terms: must be provided proactively before or at the start of every new tenancy � no longer sufficient to provide only on demand
- All new tenancies are Periodic Assured Tenancies from 1 May 2026 � the tenancy agreement must reflect this
- HMO licence required before occupancy where mandatory, selective, or additional licensing applies
- Material information must be disclosed accurately at the advertising stage (NTS guidance on tenure, council tax band, utilities, restrictions)