New Landlord Checklist England: Everything You Need Before Renting Out

The Pre-Tenancy Sequence — In the Right Order

Getting the items on this checklist done is not optional. Getting them done in the right sequence matters almost as much. Serving a deposit's Prescribed Information before the tenancy starts but after the gas certificate expired, for example, does not save you from a civil penalty on the gas side — and it could invalidate your Section 8 possession route on the deposit side. The order below follows the statutory dependencies.

Permission Stage

Mortgage lender consent — If the property is on a residential mortgage, you need a written Consent to Let (or a Buy-to-Let product transfer) before advertising. Letting without it breaches the mortgage contract. Allow two to six weeks.

Freeholder or management company consent — Leasehold properties require you to check the headlease for subletting covenants. If consent is needed, apply to the freeholder for a formal licence to sublet. This runs in parallel with the lender application.

Joint owner authorisation — Every person on the Land Registry title must authorise the letting in writing.

Licensing Stage

Local authority licensing check — Enter your property postcode on your council's licensing portal. Check for mandatory HMO licensing (5+ occupants, 2+ households), additional HMO licensing (lower thresholds set by your specific council), and selective licensing (all private lets in designated areas). Councils like Newham charge around £750 and impose enforceable conditions on the licence for up to five years. For offences committed from 1 May 2026, operating without a required licence can attract a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a Rent Repayment Order of up to two years' rent.

PRS Database registration — The national Private Rented Sector Database phases in from December 2026 (West Midlands first), with nationwide compliance required by November 2027. Registration requires property compliance declarations and a prescribed fee. Check whether your area has been called forward.

Safety Certificate Stage

Gas Safety Record (CP12) — Annual inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer covering all landlord-provided gas appliances and flues. The certificate goes to the tenant before they move in. The CP12 must be retained for at least two years.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Five-yearly inspection by a qualified electrician. Required remedial or further investigative work must be completed within 28 days or any shorter period specified in the report. The satisfactory report goes to the tenant before move-in.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Must be valid (10-year lifespan) and show a rating of E or above. You need this before marketing the property — the rating must appear in listings.

Smoke and CO alarms — At least one smoke alarm on every storey; a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, wood burner — not just gas cookers). These must be tested on the day the tenancy starts.

Furniture fire safety — Any furnished items you provide (sofas, mattresses, armchairs) must carry fire safety compliance tags under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

Legionella risk assessment — A practical assessment of the hot and cold water system: check water storage temperatures, remove unused pipework, descale showerheads. This is a landlord duty under Health and Safety at Work Act guidance, not a commercial laboratory test.

Tenancy Agreement Stage

Written tenancy terms — Since 1 May 2026, all new private tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies. Draft written key information including the rent (which must be a fixed figure — rent bidding is banned), rent period, and the landlord's address for service. Provide it before signing a tenancy agreement or otherwise agreeing the tenancy; it can be included in the tenancy agreement.

Advertising rules — No blanket exclusions against tenants receiving Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, and no discrimination against families with children. Tenants have a statutory right to request a pet; you must respond within 28 days and cannot unreasonably refuse.

Tenant Selection Stage

Tenant referencing — Credit check, employer and income verification, previous landlord reference. You pay the cost — the Tenant Fees Act 2019 prohibits charging tenants for any part of the referencing process.

Right to Rent verification — A statutory duty under the Immigration Act 2014. Verify every adult occupier's right to reside in the UK via the Home Office online service (share code starting with "R"), original document check, or a certified digital verification provider. Penalties: up to £10,000 per unauthorised occupier for a first offence.

Financial Protection Stage

Deposit collection and protection — Capped at five weeks' rent (annual rent under £50,000). Must be protected in an approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS) and the Section 213 Prescribed Information served to the tenant within 30 days. Failure exposes you to compensation claims of one to three times the deposit.

Advance rent — You cannot require more than one month's rent in advance before the tenancy starts.

Document Delivery Stage

Pre-move-in pack — Before the tenant occupies the property, deliver the CP12, EICR, and EPC. The written key information must be provided before the tenancy is agreed and can be included in the tenancy agreement. The Information Sheet 2026 was for most existing tenants with a written record of their tenancy and was due by 31 May 2026. Get a signed receipt confirming delivery of required documents.

Tax Registration Stage

HMRC Self Assessment — Register by 5 October following the end of the tax year in which you first receive rental income. The £1,000 property income allowance applies to gross income; above that threshold, you file a Self Assessment return. Joint owners splitting income unequally need to submit HMRC Form 17 within 60 days.

The Full Compliance Guide

This checklist covers the requirements. For the detailed how-to — statutory references, document templates, and the audit trail that proves compliance — see the Becoming a Landlord in England guide.

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