This checklist covers the main legal duties for a private landlord letting a home in England in 2026, then sets out where Wales and Scotland differ. It is a general guide, not legal advice. Councils run their own licensing schemes, so check with yours too. For a list tailored to your property, use the landlord compliance checker.
Before the tenancy starts (England)
- Mortgage and insurance. Get your lender's permission to let, and landlord insurance.
- Licensing. Check whether the property needs an HMO licence or is covered by your council's additional or selective licensing scheme. A property let to three or more people from more than one household who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet may be an HMO.
- Gas safety. A Gas Safe registered engineer must check every gas appliance, fitting and flue you provide. Give the new tenant a copy of the record before they move in. See gas safety certificate rules for landlords.
- Electrical safety. Have the fixed wiring inspected by a competent, scheme-registered electrician at least every five years, and give the new tenant a copy of the report (EICR) before they move in. See EICR requirements for landlords.
- Energy Performance Certificate. You need a valid EPC, normally rated E or above unless a valid exemption is registered, and the tenant must be given a copy.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. A smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation with a fixed combustion appliance (gas cookers excluded). Check they work on the first day of the tenancy.
- Right to Rent. Check that every adult who will live in the property has the right to rent in England, before the tenancy starts, and keep a copy of the check.
- Safety and hazards. The property must be free of serious health and safety hazards, such as damp and mould, fire risks and falls.
At the start of the tenancy
- Written statement of terms. Since the Renters' Rights Act changes took effect on 1 May 2026, give the tenant a written statement of the tenancy terms. The old How to Rent guide was replaced in England on the same date.
- Deposit protection. Protect the deposit in a government-authorised scheme and give the tenant the Prescribed Information within 30 days, counting the day you received the deposit as day one.
- Documents. Keep proof of what you gave the tenant and when: the gas record, the EICR, the EPC, the written statement and the deposit information.
During the tenancy
- Gas safety every year. Repeat the check within 12 months of the last one and give existing tenants a copy within 28 days.
- EICR every five years. Or sooner if the report says so. Give existing tenants a copy within 28 days, and carry out any remedial work the report requires.
- Alarms. Repair or replace a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm once you are told it is faulty.
- Repairs. Keep the structure, exterior, heating, hot water, sanitation and supply installations in repair, and deal with hazards promptly.
- Follow-up Right to Rent checks for anyone with time-limited permission.
- Rent increases. Under the Renters' Rights Act changes, rent can normally be increased once a year using the statutory process.
- Existing tenants and the information sheet. Tenants with a written tenancy that began before 1 May 2026 had to be given the government's Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. If you missed it, take advice.
Future requirements in England
The Renters' Rights Act also introduces a private rented sector landlord database and a landlord ombudsman. These are future requirements: registration and membership will be needed once they open. Keep an eye on gov.uk for dates.
What happens if you miss something
Depending on the duty, a breach can lead to a civil penalty from the council, a criminal offence, an order to repay rent, or limits on your ability to regain possession. Gaps in gas, electrical and deposit paperwork are among the most common problems. That is why the evidence matters as much as the certificate itself: see how to prove your rental property is compliant.
Wales: what is different
- Rent Smart Wales. Landlords must register, and anyone who manages the property must hold a Rent Smart Wales licence, which needs training and lasts five years.
- Occupation contracts. Tenancies are occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act, and the contract-holder must be given a written statement of the contract.
- Fitness for human habitation. Electrical safety testing at least every five years, mains-wired, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey, and carbon monoxide alarms where there is a gas, oil or solid fuel appliance.
- Deposits. Protect the deposit and give the required information within 30 days, counting the day it is paid as day one.
- No Right to Rent checks. Right to Rent applies in England only.
- Same as England: annual gas safety checks and an EPC.
Scotland: what is different
- Scottish Landlord Register. Landlords must register with their council before letting.
- Private residential tenancy. Most new lets since December 2017 are private residential tenancies, with their own notice and eviction rules.
- Repairing Standard. Includes an electrical installation check at least every five years with portable appliance testing of appliances you provide, interlinked smoke and heat alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and a legionella risk assessment.
- Damp and mould. Legal deadlines for investigating and fixing damp and mould apply to most landlords in Scotland from 6 October 2026.
- Deposits. Deposits must be lodged with an approved Scottish scheme.
- No Right to Rent checks. These apply in England only.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own rules, including the NI Landlord Registration Scheme and its own deposit schemes. Check nidirect for the current requirements.
Keeping on top of it
Most of these duties come round on a cycle, and the hard part is remembering dates across several properties and keeping proof of what you did. VoxaMTD's paid plans track each duty per property, remind you before a certificate lapses, and keep a sealed, hash-chained record of what was done and when. See how VoxaMTD records every certificate.