Landlord guide

Preparing to let

A well-prepared property lets faster and attracts better tenants.

First, check that your mortgage allows letting, or ask your lender for consent to let. Tell your insurer and arrange landlord insurance, find out whether your council needs you to have a licence, and decide whether to let furnished or unfurnished. Above all, make sure the place is clean, safe and in good repair. And if you'd like a realistic idea of the rent before you start, book a free market appraisal.

Your legal obligations

Landlords in England have some strict legal duties. Miss one and you could face a fine, or struggle to get the property back later.

Gas and electrics come first. A Gas Safe registered engineer must check the gas appliances every year, and your tenants get a copy of the record. The electrics need an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at least every five years, again with a copy for your tenants. You'll need a smoke alarm on every storey used as living space, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed fuel-burning appliance, such as a boiler or wood burner (gas cookers don't count).

The property must have an EPC rating of E or above to be let. Deposits must go into a government-approved scheme within 30 days, with the required information given to your tenants. Before the tenancy agreement is signed, check that every adult tenant has the right to rent in England, and give them the key terms of the tenancy in writing along with the government's information for tenants.

Houses in multiple occupation, and properties in some areas, need a licence from the council. And throughout the tenancy, you must keep the structure, services and installations in repair, and the home free from serious hazards such as damp and mould.

The penalties are real. Councils can now fine landlords up to £7,000 for a first breach of many of these rules and up to £40,000 for serious or repeated breaches, and tenants can claim back up to two years' rent for certain offences.

Finding a tenant

Since 1 May 2026, there are new rules on how homes are advertised and let.

You must advertise a rent and can't accept offers above it, so bidding wars are out. You can't ask for more than one month's rent in advance, or take any rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, and you can't refuse tenants because they have children or receive benefits.

Holding deposits are capped at one week's rent, and tenancy deposits at five weeks' rent (six if the annual rent is £50,000 or more). Fees for referencing, admin or check-in have been banned since the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

During the tenancy

Good management keeps your property in good shape and your tenants happy.

Deal with repairs promptly. You're responsible for the structure, exterior, heating, hot water, gas, electrics and sanitation. When you need to visit, give at least 24 hours' notice in writing, unless it's an emergency.

Tenants can ask in writing to keep a pet. You must reply within 28 days and can't unreasonably refuse, though you can use the deposit to cover any damage. Rent can go up once a year, using the formal Section 13 notice with at least two months' notice, and tenants can challenge an increase at a tribunal.

Ending a tenancy

Section 21 "no-fault" notices were abolished on 1 May 2026. To end a tenancy now, you need a legal reason, known as a ground.

Tenancies now roll on with no fixed end date. The most common grounds are selling the property, or moving in yourself or a close family member. These need four months' notice, can't be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy, and stop you re-letting or marketing the property to rent for 12 months afterwards.

Serious rent arrears, meaning at least three months' rent, need four weeks' notice. Anti-social behaviour, other arrears and breaches of the tenancy are grounds too, with notice periods from immediate to two months. The court won't grant possession if the deposit wasn't properly protected, except for anti-social behaviour. Tenants, for their part, can leave with two months' notice.

Get your notices right first time, because a mistake can mean starting all over again. Take advice before you serve one.

Thinking of selling instead? Read selling a rented property.

The Renters' Rights Act

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to renting in England for decades. The main tenancy changes took effect on 1 May 2026.

All assured shorthold tenancies became rolling assured tenancies. Section 21 was abolished, so possession now relies on Section 8 grounds, and rent increases are limited to once a year through Section 13. Rental bidding is banned and rent in advance is capped at one month. Tenants can request pets, and discrimination against families and people on benefits is banned.

There's more to come. A private rented sector database is rolling out region by region from late 2026, and every landlord will need to register on it. A landlord ombudsman is expected to be compulsory from 2028. Councils can already fine landlords up to £7,000, or £40,000 for serious or repeated breaches.

Landlord tax basics

Rental profit is taxed as income, so good records pay off.

You pay Income Tax on your rental profit, which is the rent you receive minus allowable expenses such as letting fees, repairs, insurance and ground rent. Mortgage interest isn't deducted as an expense; instead you get a tax credit at the basic rate. From April 2027, property income in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be taxed at its own rates, slightly higher than the usual Income Tax rates, and the mortgage interest credit will rise to match.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies to landlords whose income from property and self-employment is over £50,000 from April 2026, over £30,000 from April 2027, and over £20,000 from April 2028. If you live abroad, the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme applies.

Tax gets complicated quickly, so it's well worth speaking to an accountant.