What Are The Legal Requirements For Landlords?

Navigating the legal requirements for your buy to let property can be tricky due to the constantly changing landscape. At Novellus Property Management with our fully-managed service we’ll satisfy all landlord regulations for you on time, and on budget. Alternatively, if you choose to manage your own BTL properties, here is a summary of the regulations you need to adhere to:

Meeting Safety Standards

• Gas Safety Record (GSR): a gas safety test must be carried out an gas safety record renewed every 12 months by a qualified Gas Safe Engineer, to ensure all gas appliances, pipes and flues are in safe working order.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR): an electrical installation condition report must be carried out and renewed every 5 years.
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms: a smoke alarm must be installed on each floor of the property. Furthermore, carbon monoxide detectors must be placed in rooms with a solid fuel burning appliance such as a coal fire or wood burning stove.
• Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations: furniture and furnishings supplied must be fire safe, with the appropriate label attached to them. Any furniture provided must meet the requirements laid out in the Furniture and Furnishings Regulations of 1988.
• Electrical Safety for Appliances: landlord’s are required to ensure that all appliances provided within the property are in safe, working order. Whilst there are currently no requirements for any specific reports or checks for these electrical appliances, if they are faulty or endanger anyone you could find yourself liable. We recommend PAT testing your appliances every 12 months.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): every tenanted property requires an Energy Performance Certificate, EPCs currently must be rated E or above, in line with MEES regulations. This check and certificate must be renewed every 10 years.

Protecting a Tenant’s Deposit

• Deposit Protection: most tenancies are Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST) and the tenant’s deposits must be protected with a UK government-approved deposit protection scheme (DPS) for the lifecycle of the tenancy. At Novellus Property Management, we use the MyDeposits Protection Scheme.

Right to Rent Checks

• Right to Rent: landlords in England and Wales cannot legally let their property to someone who doesn’t have ‘right to rent’ in the country. Landlords (or their agent) must conduct a right to rent check on all tenants before a tenancy agreement is signed. The right to rent check requires landlords to check for proof of ID and citizenship or a legitimate visa allowing the prospective tenant to stay in the country long term and rent a property.

“How to Rent: the checklist for renting in England”

• How to Rent: the government requires landlords to give their tenants a document entitled “How to rent: the checklist for renting in England” to all tenants at the beginning of new tenancies. This applies to tenancies that start on or after October 2015 and in England only. The guide can be shared with your tenant via email, or you can give them a physical copy. The most recent guide is available from the government website here.

Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs)

• Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs): HMOs are defined as a house or flat that is rented out by a group of at least three people who are not from a single household but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. In addition to the above responsibilities, you must contact your council to check if you need a license as well as any other legal requirements the local council may enforce.

There are lots of legal landlord responsibilities to keep up to date and on top of. Contact us today to discuss our fully managed service where we’ll handle them for you!