Letting a property comes with a long list of legal duties, most of them tied to deadlines. Miss one and the consequences range from civil penalties to prosecution. With the Renters’ Rights Act now in force and tougher energy standards confirmed for 2030, the list keeps growing.
This checklist covers the core safety and legal requirements for residential landlords in England, along with the key duties for commercial property owners.
Gas safety
Every gas appliance, fitting and flue you provide must be checked every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Give existing tenants a copy of the gas safety record within 28 days of the check and new tenants a copy before they move in. Keep each record for at least two years.
Electrical safety
The electrical installation must be inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, producing an Electrical Installation Condition Report, known as an EICR. Give tenants a copy within 28 days and provide one to the council within seven days if they ask. Where the report identifies urgent or remedial work, it must be completed within 28 days or sooner if the report says so.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
You must fit a smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation. A carbon monoxide alarm is required in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler or wood burner, though gas cookers are excluded. Check the alarms work on the first day of each new tenancy and repair or replace any faulty alarm once a tenant reports it.
Energy Performance Certificate
Tenants must receive a valid EPC. The current legal minimum for most private lets is band E. The government has confirmed that privately rented homes must reach band C by 1 October 2030, with a spending cap of £10,000 per property. Landlords with properties below band C should plan improvements now, while there is time to spread the cost and the work.
Deposits and tenancy paperwork
Any deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt, with the prescribed information given to the tenant. Before a tenancy begins, you must also carry out Right to Rent checks on every adult who will live in the property.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions ended on 1 May 2026 and most tenancies became periodic. Landlords must now give new tenants a written statement of terms. A national landlord database is due to follow, which landlords will need to join. We cover these changes in detail in our guide to the Renters’ Rights Act.
Repairs and general condition
Landlords remain responsible for the structure and exterior of the property and for keeping water, heating, gas, electrics and sanitation in working order. The property must also be fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy. Other checks worth adding to your list include a legionella risk assessment for the water system, fire-safe furniture in furnished lets and an HMO licence if the property is shared by enough unrelated tenants to need one.
Commercial property owners
Commercial landlords and businesses that manage their own premises carry a separate set of duties. These include a fire risk assessment for the premises, management of any asbestos in non-domestic buildings, regular gas and electrical safety checks and a valid EPC when a unit is let or sold.
Staying on top of the dates
The requirements themselves are straightforward, the difficulty is the calendar, with different renewal dates for every certificate across every property. A single missed date can put you in breach, which is why many landlords hand the job to a facilities management partner.
Aspire Facilities Management track your renewal dates, arrange inspections and carry out any remedial work through our own Aspire Trades team, which means compliance never depends on remembering. If you also need help finding and managing tenants, Aspire Lettings work alongside them as one team.
Talk to Aspire Facilities Management
Manage one rental property or a whole portfolio in Worcester, Hereford or the surrounding area? Call us on 01905 935043 or email Enquiries@alwaysaspire.co.uk to talk about keeping your properties safe, compliant and well maintained. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
