✅ UK Residential Landlord Compliance Checklist
- MAS Letting's & Management
- Sep 27
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 14
1. Right to Rent Checks (England only)
🔲 Verify tenant(s) have the legal right to rent in the UK.
🔲 Keep copies of documents for at least 1 year after the tenancy ends.
2. Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP)
🔲 Protect tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days.
🔲 Provide prescribed information to the tenant within 30 days.
Schemes include:
Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
MyDeposits
Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
3. Gas Safety
🔲 Annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
🔲 Provide copy of certificate (CP12) to new tenants before move-in, and within 28 days of each annual check.
4. Electrical Safety
🔲 Have Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) done every 5 years by a qualified person.
🔲 Provide copy to tenants before they move in or within 28 days of request.
5. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
🔲 Property must have an EPC rated E or above (unless exempt).
🔲 Provide EPC to prospective tenants at the viewing stage or before tenancy starts.
6. Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms
🔲 At least one smoke alarm on every storey.
🔲 Carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a solid fuel-burning appliance (now extended to gas appliances in some UK areas—check local rules).
🔲 Test alarms on the first day of the tenancy.
7. How to Rent Guide (England)
🔲 Provide the latest version of the government’s "How to Rent" guide to tenants at the start of the tenancy.
8. Licensing Requirements
🔲 Check if your property requires a mandatory HMO licence (if 5+ unrelated tenants).
🔲 Check for additional or selective licensing schemes in your local council area.
9. Repairs and Maintenance
🔲 Maintain structure, exterior, and installations (heating, water, sanitation, electricity).
🔲 Respond to repair requests promptly.
🔲 Keep communal areas (if any) in good repair.
10. Fire Safety (especially for HMOs)
🔲 Ensure fire risk assessment is done and kept up to date.
🔲 Provide fire doors, extinguishers, signage, and alarms as required.
🔲 Comply with The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (for buildings over 11m).
11. Rent and Eviction Notices
🔲 Use the correct Section 21 or Section 8 notices for eviction.
🔲 Ensure all compliance is up to date before serving Section 21 (or it may be invalid).
🔲 Serve notices in line with minimum notice periods.
12. Data Protection
🔲 Register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if handling tenant data.
🔲 Comply with GDPR and keep data secure.
13. Insurance
🔲 Landlord insurance in place (standard home insurance isn’t sufficient).
🔲 Consider cover for legal expenses, rent guarantee, and buildings/contents.
14. Council Tax and Utilities
🔲 Clarify in the tenancy agreement who is responsible.
🔲 Notify local council of new tenancies or void periods.
