Landlord Responsibilities
Legal Obligations in the UK

Landlords in England and Wales have a range of legal obligations including: providing a valid EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) before marketing the property; carrying out annual gas safety checks and providing the certificate to tenants; installing working smoke alarms on every floor and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with solid fuel appliances; protecting the deposit in an authorised scheme within 30 days; carrying out right to rent checks; providing the How to Rent guide; maintaining the structure and exterior of the property; and ensuring the property is fit for human habitation. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords must also provide a written statement of tenancy terms before the tenancy begins.

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are responsible for keeping in repair the structure and exterior of the property (including drains, gutters and external pipes), the installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity and sanitation, and the installations for space heating and heating water. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 also requires properties to be fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy. Tenants can take legal action if landlords fail to carry out repairs.

Right to rent checks are a legal requirement for landlords in England. Before granting a tenancy, landlords must check that all adult occupiers have the right to rent in the UK. This involves checking original documents (such as a passport or biometric residence permit) or using the Home Office online checking service. Failure to carry out right to rent checks can result in a civil penalty of up to £20,000 per occupier (or unlimited fines for repeat offences). The checks must be repeated for tenants with time-limited right to rent.

Before or at the start of a tenancy, landlords must provide: a valid EPC; a current gas safety certificate; the government's How to Rent guide (England only); deposit protection prescribed information (within 30 days of receiving the deposit); a s48 notice (address for service of notices); and under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, a written statement of tenancy terms. Failure to provide these documents can affect the landlord's ability to rely on certain possession grounds and may give rise to penalty claims.

Selective licensing is a scheme operated by local authorities that requires landlords in designated areas to obtain a licence before letting a property. It is separate from mandatory HMO licensing. Selective licensing areas are designated by local councils — not all areas have it. Landlords operating without a licence in a selective licensing area face fines of up to £30,000 and may be required to repay rent to tenants. We advise landlords on whether their properties are in a selective licensing area and on the application process.

Landlords are legally required to maintain the installations for space heating and heating water in good repair and proper working order under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. There is no specific legal minimum temperature requirement, but properties must be fit for human habitation. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 includes excess cold as a hazard. If a boiler or heating system breaks down, landlords must arrange repairs within a reasonable time — typically 24 hours for total loss of heating in winter.