Middlesbrough Landlord Obligations and Housing Inspections — What the Council Expects

Whether or not your property falls within a licensing area, you have baseline legal obligations as a Middlesbrough landlord that the council actively enforces. Understanding these before an inspection letter arrives is far better than scrambling after one does.

Baseline Obligations for Every Landlord

Every privately rented property in Middlesbrough, regardless of licensing status, must meet these requirements:

Gas safety: a valid Gas Safety certificate (CP12) issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer, renewed annually. Give existing tenants a copy within 28 days of the check and give new tenants a copy before they move in. Keep records for two years.

Electrical safety: an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) assessed as "Satisfactory" by an accredited electrician (NICEIC, NAPIT, BSI, or ELECSA), valid for five years. Unsatisfactory findings must be remediated within 28 days or the period stated in the report.

Energy efficiency: an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) at grade E or above, unless a valid MEES exemption applies. Properties rated below grade E cannot be let under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards without an applicable exemption; penalties can reach £5,000 per substandard unit.

Smoke and CO alarms: working smoke alarms on every storey used as living accommodation and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms used as living accommodation that contain a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers. These must be checked at the start of each tenancy.

Tenancy documentation: since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026, all assured shorthold tenancies have been converted to periodic assured tenancies. You must provide a written statement of tenancy terms complying with the new legislation.

Additional Obligations Under Licensing

If your property is in Newport ward (selective licence) or is a mandatory HMO anywhere in the borough, your licence conditions add further requirements:

• Council tenant referencing: in Newport, you must use Middlesbrough Council's free tenant referencing service before granting any new tenancy. Records must be retained for the full five-year licence term and produced within 14 days of a council demand.
• Waste management: written instructions to tenants about refuse storage, collection schedules, and bin presentation. If the property has rear alleygates, you must provide keys.
• Anti-social behaviour management: practical steps to prevent or mitigate ASB caused by tenants or visitors, including implementing a written ASB action plan if the council requests one.
• Display of licence conditions: a copy of the licence conditions and emergency management details must be displayed in the property's communal areas.

HHSRS Inspections

Middlesbrough Council's Private Sector Housing Team conducts property inspections under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), part of the Housing Act 2004. Inspections can be triggered by tenant complaints, licensing applications, or proactive enforcement programmes in designated areas.

HHSRS now covers 21 hazard types, including:

• Damp and mould growth
• Excess cold
• Fire risks
• Falls on stairs and between levels
• Electrical hazards
• Structural collapse

Hazards are scored into High, Medium, or Low bands and classified for enforcement into two categories:

• Category 1: high-risk hazards. The council has a statutory duty to take enforcement action — Improvement Notices, Prohibition Orders, or emergency remedial action.
• Category 2: medium- or low-risk hazards where the council has discretionary power to act.

Failing to comply with an Improvement Notice carries civil penalties of up to £40,000. In extreme cases, the council can carry out emergency works at the landlord's expense.

The Rogue Landlord Database

Middlesbrough Council can place landlords on the national Rogue Landlord Database (maintained under the Housing and Planning Act 2016) if they receive a Banning Order or are convicted of serious housing offences. Entry on this database is visible to other local authorities and affects your ability to hold licences nationwide.

Keeping your documentation current, responding promptly to inspection findings, and maintaining your property to HHSRS standards is the most effective way to avoid escalation.

Our Middlesbrough Landlord Licensing guide includes the full compliance checklist covering every document and condition you need to satisfy, from initial application through the five-year licence term.

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