Rental legislation every landlord needs to know

Mon 11 Jul 2022

Ian Woodhouse-Smith, Lettings Manager

Keeping up to date with rental legislation as a landlord is very important as this ensures the safety of your tenants and means that you can avoid potential fines. Here, we take a look at the rental legislation every landlord needs to know.

Energy Performance Certificates

All landlords must be able to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This certificate will show the energy efficiency of the property rated from A to G - with A being most efficient and G being least efficient.

Properties cannot be rented out without a minimum rating of E and cannot be marketed without an EPC so this must be sourced in good time. An EPC is valid for 10 years at which point it will need to be renewed. A copy of the EPC must be provided to the Tenant at the start of a tenancy.

Gas safety certificates

If your rental property has a gas supply you will need to ensure that appliances, fittings, and flues are safe and in good working order for your tenants. This requires annual checks by a qualified gas-safe registered engineer. A copy of this certificate must be provided to the Tenant at the start of the tenancy.

Any new gas appliances or flues that you provide must also be checked by a gas-safe registered engineer within 12 months of installation and annually thereafter. Records of these checks should be kept and given to new and existing tenants.

Electrical certificates

To ensure the safety of their tenants, landlords must have the electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested at least every five years. These tests should be carried out by a qualified individual and the certificate showing the checks must be provided to the Tenant at the start of the tenancy.

Electrical appliances provided by landlords, such as washing machines and fridge-freezers, should be PAT tested to ensure that they’re safe for use too.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

In accordance with regulations, all privately owned rental properties must have a working smoke alarm on each storey. There must also be a carbon monoxide alarm in any room that has a solid fuel-burning appliance, such as a wood-burning stove or coal fire. All alarms must be tested before the start of each new tenancy to ensure that they’re working effectively.

Fire risk assessments should also be carried out periodically to identify fire risks in the property and put measures in place to prevent fires where possible. Landlords should also ensure that any items of furniture or furnishings they provide meet the fire safety standard.

At Hellards, we offer a property management service that will give you peace of mind that all rental legislation is being followed and that your property is fully compliant. To find out more, contact our knowledgeable team today.