Landlord Compliance Checklist - your essential guide

Rental properties are naturally required to adhere to a high level of safety than your main residence as landlords have a responsibility to ensure their tenants are living in a safe environment.

The majority of the documentation required is common sense but it’s worth running through which are legally required now and legal requirements for the future to ensure your property is compliant.

Electrical Safety - EICR Reports and PAT testing

Since April 2020 landlords are legally obliged to obtain an electrical installation condition report (EICR) for their properties. These are designed to assess the suitability and safety of the current electrical systems installed within a property.  Certificates are valid for 5 years with the prospect of a £30,000 fine for landlords who don’t have one or fail to comply with the recommendations of the report.

Landlords have a duty of care that any electrical appliance they provide for their tenants is kept in a safe and functioning condition. This is achieved by Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) of appliances such as fridges and kettles by a certified electrician.  This is not a legal requirement but it’s considered good practice to prevent injuries, faults and damage to your property.

Gas safety or CP12

Just as you would regularly service your home boiler and gas fire if you have one, landlords are legally required to ensure all fixed and portable gas appliances have an annual safety check. Evidence of these checks must be kept for two years and copies given to new and existing tenants.

Landlords are also required by law to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every floor of their property and a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in any room that contains a solid fuel burning appliance to adhere to fire safety regulations.  

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)

All properties that are bought, sold or rented must now have an EPC rating. These are to ensure a minimum energy efficiency standard throughout all housing stock. Properties are assessed and given a rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) with the EPC report valid for 10 years.  

Current legislation for England and Wales requires rented properties to have at least an E energy rating, rising to a C rating by 2028. For some properties, this may mean significant investment by landlords to ensure they meet the new requirements.  We would therefore recommend that an EPC is done early so any remedial work can be planned and budgeted. 

Hassle-free compliance with LPC

Complying with all the above legislation can be time-consuming for landlords especially if they own a number of properties or if their lettings portfolio is not their main source of income. 

Our Compliance 360 service offers hassle-free property compliance through one call to our service support team who can liaise directly with your tenants for access to your properties. All safety certifications are handled by our team of local engineers with detailed reporting for each service so you can make an informed decision on what action need to be taken now and what can be scheduled for later. 

One call to one supplier, for one contract and one annual fee. Contact us today for a bespoke quote for all your compliance needs.