Landlord Compliance Checklist Leeds: Selective Licensing and Beyond

Why a Checklist Matters

Leeds landlords face obligations from at least three directions: local licensing rules, national landlord duties, and the Renters' Rights Act provisions now in force. Missing one can invalidate another — an expired Gas Safety Record makes a licence application incomplete, and operating without a required licence can trigger enforcement.

The Leeds City Council Private Sector Housing Team enforces all of these, often discovering breaches during licensing inspections or tenant complaints.

The Core Compliance Items

Licensing

• Boundary check — confirm whether the property address falls inside the East, South and West Leeds Selective Licensing boundary using the Council's GIS map
• Scheme determination — five or more tenants from two or more households sharing facilities means a mandatory HMO licence (city-wide); below that threshold inside the selective boundary means a selective licence
• Application submitted and duly made — form complete, all documents uploaded, Stage 1 fee paid
• Licence conditions met — ongoing compliance with every condition attached to the granted licence

Safety Certificates

• Gas Safety Record (CP12) — renewed annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — satisfactory, no C1/C2 faults, renewed every five years
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Band E minimum, or a valid exemption registered on the PRS Exemptions Register; the EPC lasts 10 years, but exemption periods differ
• Smoke alarms — mains-powered or 10-year sealed battery on every storey
• Carbon monoxide alarms — in every room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker

Tenancy and Deposit

• Written tenancy agreement — in place for every tenant
• Deposit protection — deposit registered with TDS, MyDeposits or DPS within 30 days of receipt, Prescribed Information served on the tenant
• Deposit cap — no more than five weeks' rent for annual rents under £50,000

Right to Rent

• Immigration status checks — document checks completed on all adult occupiers before the tenancy starts, copies retained

Renters' Rights Act (from 1 May 2026)

• No Section 21 notices — assured tenancies are periodic; possession only through reformed Section 8 grounds
• Rent increases — annual Section 13 notices only, no contractual review clauses
• PRS Database — voluntary registration from 15 December 2026, mandatory for Yorkshire by 15 April 2027

Annual Maintenance Cycle

Build a rolling calendar:

• Every 12 months: renew Gas Safety Record
• Every 5 years: renew EICR
• Every 10 years: renew EPC
• 60 days before licence expiry: submit renewal application
• On tenant change: fresh Right to Rent check, new deposit protection, new tenancy agreement

The Contact for Enforcement Questions

Leeds City Council's licensing teams handle enquiries:

• Selective licensing: [email protected] / 0113 535 1369
• HMO licensing: [email protected] / 0113 378 4698

For a structured compliance tracker and the full application walkthrough, see our Landlord Licensing in Leeds guide.

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