Guides for landlords
The rules for letting a home in England, in plain English. Every guide links to the law or the GOV.UK page it is based on.
Start hereLandlord compliance checklist for EnglandEvery legal requirement for letting a home in England in one list: certificates, deposits, Right to Rent and licensing, with how often each is due.
- The Renters’ Rights Act: a guide for landlords in EnglandWhat changed for landlords in England on 1 May 2026: periodic tenancies, no section 21, rent increases, rent in advance, pets and possession.
- Gas safety certificates for landlordsHow often a landlord needs a gas safety check, who can do it, when tenants must get the record and how long to keep it. Plain English, with the law linked.
- EICR: electrical safety checks for landlordsElectrical safety rules for landlords in England: an inspection at least every 5 years, who gets the report, repairs within 28 days and fines up to £30,000.
- EPC rules for landlordsThe energy rules for letting a home in England: an EPC valid for 10 years, a minimum rating of E, exemptions, penalties and the plan for C by 2030.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: the landlord rulesWhere landlords in England must fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, checking them on the first day of a tenancy, repairs and the £5,000 fine.
- Legionella risk assessments for landlordsLandlords must assess the risk of legionella in a rented home’s water. Most can do it themselves, and no test certificate is needed. What to check.
- Tenancy deposit protection: the landlord rulesHow much deposit a landlord can take, protecting it within 30 days, the information tenants must get, returning it, and what happens if you don’t.
- Tenant fees: what a landlord can charge in EnglandThe payments a landlord in England can ask a tenant for: rent, capped deposits, late rent interest, lost keys, changes to the tenancy and bills.
- Right to Rent checks for landlordsWho a landlord in England must check, when to do it, follow-up checks and civil penalties of up to £20,000 per occupier for repeat breaches.
- Raising the rent: section 13 noticesHow landlords in England can raise the rent from 1 May 2026: once a year, Form 4A, 2 months’ notice, and what happens if the tenant challenges it.
- HMO licensing for landlordsWhen an HMO needs a mandatory licence, council licensing for smaller HMOs, how long a licence lasts and the penalty for letting without one.
- Making Tax Digital for landlordsMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax: landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 from April 2026, £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028.
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