Every yearGas safety check, if there's gas
Every 5 yearsElectrical safety inspection (EICR)
E or aboveThe minimum EPC rating to let a home
30 daysTo protect a tenant's deposit
This is the list of what the law expects from a private landlord in England, in the order you'll usually need it. Each item links to more detail where we have it.
Before a new tenancy starts
- Right to rent checks. Check that every adult who'll live in the property has the right to rent in the UK, before the tenancy starts.
- Written terms. Since 1 May 2026, you must give a new tenant written information about the tenancy before it's agreed. This can be in the tenancy agreement or a separate written statement.
- Gas safety record. If the property has gas, give the new tenant a copy of the current gas safety record before they move in.
- Electrical safety report (EICR). Give the new tenant a copy before they move in.
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The property needs a valid EPC rated E or above, unless you've registered an exemption.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. At least one smoke alarm on every storey with living space, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (except gas cookers). Check they all work on the day the tenancy starts.
- Licences. Check with your council whether the property needs a licence, for example as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) or under a local licensing scheme.
- The landlord register. Register yourself and the property on the new landlord register by your region's deadline.
When you take a deposit
- Protect it within 30 days in one of the three government-approved schemes: the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
- Give the tenant the scheme's details (the "prescribed information") within 30 days too.
- Keep it within the cap. A deposit is usually limited to five weeks' rent, and a holding deposit to one week's rent.
- Return it within 10 days of agreeing with the tenant how much they'll get back.
How often each check is due
| What | How often | Give the tenant a copy |
|---|---|---|
| Gas safety check | Every 12 months | Within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in |
| Electrical inspection (EICR) | At least every 5 years | Within 28 days of the inspection, and to new tenants before they move in |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Lasts 10 years | Free, to anyone thinking of renting it |
| Smoke and CO alarms | Check on the first day of each tenancy | Not needed |
| Landlord register | Renew yearly, update within 28 days of any change | Not needed |
Read more in our guide to gas, electrical and EPC certificates.
During the tenancy
- Keep up with repairs. You're responsible for the structure and exterior, heating, hot water, and gas and electrical safety.
- Fix faulty alarms as soon as you're told about them.
- Renew certificates on time and give the tenant the new copies.
- Update the landlord register within 28 days of any change, such as a new certificate or a new tenant.
- Raise the rent properly. No more than once a year, with the right notice. See putting the rent up the right way.
- Consider pet requests. Tenants can ask to keep a pet, and you can only refuse with a good reason.
Tenancies that started before 1 May 2026
Existing tenancies became rolling tenancies automatically on 1 May 2026. You didn't need to issue new agreements, but you did need to give each tenant the government's Renters' Rights Act information sheet by 31 May 2026. If you haven't, do it now.
Changes coming up
- The landlord register opens on 15 December 2026, region by region. Find your dates.
- Higher energy standards. The government aims for as many rented homes as possible to reach EPC band C, or equivalent, by 2030. The details are still being finalised.
- A Landlord Ombudsman is planned under the Renters' Rights Act. We'll update this checklist when it launches.
What to do now
- Find your current gas safety record, EICR and EPC, and note the date each one expires.
- Book any check that's due in the next two months.
- Check your deposit is protected and you gave the tenant the scheme details.
- Test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, or ask your tenant to.
- Check your landlord register dates and put the deadline in your calendar.
This checklist is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the official GOV.UK guidance, or ask a solicitor or your council if your situation is unusual.