8 Vital Rules Landlords Should Know (But Often Don't!)

Published: 03/01/2024 By Amanda Hunt

1) Right to Rent
 
Legislation introduced means landlords who fail to obey Right to Rent rules face a fine of as much as £3,000 or up to five years in prison. It means landlords or their letting agents must make adequate immigration checks to ensure a prospective tenant has the right to rent in the UK before letting a property.
 
2) Energy Efficiency regulations
 
Rental properties must, in general, achieve at least an ‘E’ rating in their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) or landlords may not be permitted to let them out.
 


3) Electrical safety
 
Recent laws mean that landlords are required to prove their property has had its electrical installation check and that electrical appliances have been subject to a PAT test before it can be let.
 
  
4) Gas safety
 
A recent study by Gas Safe Register found more than one in five privately rented homes feature at least one unsafe gas appliance. Landlords are legally required to have a gas safety check carried out by a professional and provide tenants with a gas record at the start of their tenancy (and every 12 months thereafter).
 


5) Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
 
Landlords are legally required to install and maintain at least one working smoke alarm on each storey of tenanted properties, as well as a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance. This became law in October 2015.
 
6) Want access to a property? Give notice
 
Landlords must give tenants at least 24 hours’ notice if they wish to enter a property, unless it is an emergency. If they do not, they will be in breach of the tenancy agreement. And even with notice, a tenant can refuse access.
 
 

7) Deal with maintenance requests - or lose the right to serve notice
 
The Deregulation Act in 2015 introduced a ruling that landlords must deal with maintenance or repair requests from tenants in a prescribed way - or face being unable to regain possession of their property. Landlords must now provide an adequate response to such requests in writing, detailing their intentions and a proposed timescale for any work. Those who do not will invalidate any Section 21 notice they serve.
 

 
8) Reduction of mortgage interest tax relief
 
Changes to the amount of mortgage interest tax relief enjoyed by landlords in April 2017 means that landlords will no longer be able to deduct their mortgage interest costs against their rental profits.