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Your responsibilities as a landlord

If you rent out accommodation you must ensure it is maintained in a safe condition.

You are responsible for: 

  • repairs and safety inspections throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period, to be carried out in line with the COVID-secure guidelines
  • the structure – roofs and gutters, ceilings, walls and floors, windows and doors, staircases and steps, banisters and handrails, drainage and paths
  • the supply of gas, water and electricity, including baths, toilets and sinks
  • heating – including water (gas boilers, immersion heaters) and space (for example, storage heaters, radiators, gas fires)

Property safety

You must make sure your property is safe to live in. You can find more information about:

Gas safety checks

By law, all gas appliances in rented properties must have an annual safety check.

Appliances include:

  • cookers
  • water heaters
  • boilers
  • wall heaters.

You are responsible for arranging this check by a Gas Safe enginnerYou must then give your tenant a copy of the landlord gas safety check certificate.

Carbon monoxide

All rented properties need to be protected against carbon monoxide and fire.

You must install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your rental properties.

Read the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms explanatory booklet.

Energy performance certificate

You are required to provide an energy performance certificate (EPC):

  • at the beginning of the tenancy
  • whenever your tenants change or renew their tenancy.

More information about EPC.

Unsatisfactory living conditions

If we find that your tenant’s housing conditions are unsatisfactory, we may serve a legal notice on you.

If this happens, you will have to carry out improvements within a fixed timescale.

Failure to comply with a legal notice is a criminal offence. In the most serious cases, it can result in prosecution in the magistrates’ court. 

Licensing your property

If you have a house in multiple occupation (HMO), you might need a licence. Check if your HMO needs to be licensed.

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