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Landlord’s Checklist – A Pre-tenancy guide

The Landlords Pre-Tenancy Guide

Renting a property out by yourself can take a lot of time, patience and organisation for any landlord. We’ve complied an easy checklist for landlords to help you to ensure you’ve remembered everything. From compliance to protection, there’s a lot of things to consider…

  • Check if you need a licence and ensure it’s in place

Some rental properties require a licence, you can find out if your property needs one by checking with your local authority. There are lots of different licences that you may need, from selective to additional licences. If your property is a HMO, it’s more likely that you will require an additional licence.

  • Gas and Electrical Safety Checks

Gas and electrical safety checks are a legal requirement for landlords to ensure tenants are living in safe conditions. Gas checks are yearly and electrical checks are required every five years; they must be completed by a registered tradesperson.

  • Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms

The law states a rental property must have a fire alarm installed on each floor and a carbon monoxide detector located where there is an appliance which burns solid fuel. You must have this in place before renting your property out.

  • Energy Performance Certificate

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) shows how energy efficient your property is. Since 2015 it has been a mandatory requirement for landlords to have a certificate and prove that the energy efficiency of the property is above grade F. These are valid for 10 years.

  • Referencing and deposit protection

Ensuring your tenants pass all referencing checks is the first way in protecting yourself and ensuring you choose the right tenant for you. Its also vital that you check they have the right to rent in the UK with the correct immigration certificate if required. Once you are ready to go with your tenant, you must ensure that you register their deposit in a government backed deposit scheme within 30 days.

  • A tenancy agreement

The tenancy agreement forms the basis of the entire tenancy and sets out the clear expectations and obligations of all parties. Without a tenancy agreement, neither parties are protected.

  • The Property Inventory

The property inventory is such a vital aspect of renting out a property. It is a detailed report showing the condition of the property at the time the tenants checked in and is completed again once they move out. The inventory will determine any damage taken place throughout the course of the inventory and form the basis for deposit recovery.

You can book in your property inventory with us by clicking here