Before your first tenant moves in, you need to have completed a comprehensive compliance checklist. Here's everything that must be in place.
Letting a property without the correct documentation and compliance measures in place exposes you to fines, penalties and potentially invalid tenancy agreements. Use this checklist to ensure you're fully compliant before any tenant moves in.
Safety certificates and inspections
□ Gas Safety Certificate — current (within 12 months) from a Gas Safe registered engineer □ Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — current (within 5 years) from a qualified electrician □ Energy Performance Certificate — minimum E rating, current (within 10 years) □ Smoke alarms on every floor of the property — tested and working □ Carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a gas boiler or solid fuel appliance — tested and working □ Portable appliance testing (PAT) for any portable electrical appliances you're providing
Legal documents and notices
□ 'How to Rent' guide — current version provided to tenants (check gov.uk for latest version) □ Gas Safety Certificate — provided to tenant before or at tenancy start □ EICR — provided to tenant within 28 days of tenancy start □ EPC — provided to prospective tenants before they commit to taking the tenancy
Financial and deposit
□ Tenancy deposit protected in an approved scheme within 30 days □ Prescribed Information provided to tenants within 30 days □ First rent payment received (or direct debit set up)
Tenant checks
□ Right to Rent checks conducted for all adult occupants □ Tenant referencing completed (credit check, employment verification, landlord reference) □ Identity documents verified and copied
Property documentation
□ Check-in inventory completed and signed by tenant □ Tenancy agreement signed by all parties □ Photographs taken of all rooms and any pre-existing damage
Insurance
□ Landlord buildings insurance in place (explicitly covering rental property) □ Contents insurance in place if furnishing the property
Our management service handles all of these requirements for every tenancy we manage, giving you complete compliance peace of mind.