Letting a property in London means keeping several separate legal duties up to date at once: safety certificates with different renewal cycles, paperwork that has to reach the tenant at the right moment, and licensing rules that change from borough to borough. This checklist sets out what a private landlord in England needs before a tenancy starts, what has to be kept current during it, and what changes are coming. Rules for Wales and Scotland differ.
Before the tenancy starts
Gas safety record (CP12)
Every gas appliance, flue and fitting you provide must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months. New tenants must receive a copy of the current record before they move in, and existing tenants within 28 days of each check. Keep each record for at least two years. Our gas safety certificate page explains the inspection.
Electrical safety report (EICR)
The fixed wiring must be inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, or sooner if the report says so. New tenants need a copy before they move in. Any C1, C2 or further investigation items must be fixed within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies. See our EICR page and our guide on when a landlord needs an EICR.
Energy Performance Certificate
A valid EPC must be given to the tenant, and a let property must currently be rated E or above unless a registered exemption applies. Certificates last ten years. Read EPC ratings explained, and EPC C by 2030 for the proposed higher standard.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
There must be a working smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance such as a boiler or wood burner, excluding gas cookers. Test them on the first day of the tenancy and repair or replace any alarm reported faulty.
Right to Rent, deposit and documents
Check that every adult occupier has the right to rent in the UK. Protect any deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and give the prescribed information. Give the tenant the documents the law requires at the start of the tenancy, including the current government guidance for tenants where it applies.
Licensing and HMOs
A house in multiple occupation with five or more people from two or more households needs a mandatory licence from the council. Many London boroughs also run additional licensing for smaller HMOs and selective licensing for ordinary lets in certain wards, so check your council's current schemes before you let. Licence conditions often go further than the national rules, for example on fire doors, interlinked alarms and room sizes. Our HMO works page covers what licensing inspections usually ask for.
During the tenancy
- Repairs: keep the structure, exterior, heating, hot water, water supply, drainage and electrics in repair, and respond to reports within a reasonable time.
- Damp and mould: investigate the cause and fix it, not just the staining. Our damp and mould page explains the approach.
- Legionella: assess the risk from the hot and cold water system and keep a record. Testing is not usually needed in a normal home, but the assessment is. See legionella risk assessment.
- Fire safety: in HMOs and blocks, the common parts fall under the Fire Safety Order and need a fire risk assessment. See fire risk assessments.
- Renewals: diarise the gas safety check every year, the EICR at least every five years and the EPC every ten.
Changes landlords need to plan for
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is being brought in in stages. It ends section 21 no-fault evictions, moves tenancies onto periodic terms and introduces a landlord database and an ombudsman. The government has also proposed applying a Decent Homes Standard and the Awaab's Law timescales for damp and hazards to the private rented sector, and has consulted on raising the minimum EPC to C by 2030. Check GOV.UK for which parts apply on the date your tenancy starts.
Penalties for getting it wrong
Councils can issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 for breaches of the electrical safety regulations. Gas safety failings are a criminal offence. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm breaches and minimum energy standard breaches can each bring penalties of up to £5,000. Missing documents can also stop you from regaining possession of the property.
Keeping the certificates in one place
Most landlords miss a date not because they ignore the rules, but because each certificate runs on a different cycle. GMAS books the gas safety check, EICR, EPC and alarm testing for the same visit where possible, emails every certificate the same day the inspection is done, and quotes any remedial work in writing before it goes ahead. Our landlord hub lists everything we cover.
Frequently asked questions
What certificates does a London landlord legally need?
A gas safety record every 12 months if there is gas, an EICR at least every five years, a valid EPC rated E or above, and working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. HMOs and licensed properties may need more.
How often does a landlord need a gas safety check?
Every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. A copy goes to existing tenants within 28 days and to new tenants before they move in.
Do I need a licence to let my property in London?
Large HMOs always need a licence. Many London boroughs also license smaller HMOs and ordinary lets in some areas, so check your council's current schemes.
Can I book all my certificates in one visit?
Yes. We arrange the gas safety check, EICR, EPC and alarm testing together where possible and email the certificates the same day.