Landlord checklist for renting a house in 2026

Renting out a property in England in 2026 carries more legal obligations than at any previous point. The Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026, changing the tenancy structure, adding documentation requirements, and expanding tenant protections. This checklist covers every stage of letting a house, from pre-tenancy compliance through to move-in day, with the free downloadable landlord resources you can use at each step. If you became a landlord unintentionally, for example by inheriting a property, our essential checklist for accidental landlords is a better starting point.

Stage 1: before you market the property

Confirm the property meets minimum standards. It must be free from serious (Category 1) hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, in a reasonable state of repair, with safe installations and adequate heating. Local authorities can already enforce these standards through improvement notices and civil penalties. A formal Decent Homes Standard will also be extended to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act, which the government confirmed in January 2026 will apply from 2035; it is not yet in force, but bringing the property up to a good repair standard now is the surest way to be ready.

Check your certificates are in date. Before marketing you need a valid gas safety certificate, renewed every twelve months by a Gas Safe registered engineer; a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), renewed at least every five years, with a valid report in place for any new tenancy; and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of at least an E rating. You also need a working smoke alarm on every storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance such as a gas boiler or a solid fuel heater, gas cookers excepted. August’s compliance tools track every certificate and compliance task in one place and remind you before each one expires.

Check your licensing position. If the property is an HMO with five or more occupants from two or more households, mandatory HMO licensing applies. Many councils also run selective or additional licensing schemes, so check your selective licensing position and your local council’s website. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence and can trigger a rent repayment order.

Check your mortgage and insurance. A residential mortgage needs consent to let from your lender before you rent the property out, and your buildings insurance must cover letting, which a standard home insurance policy usually does not.

Stage 2: setting rent and finding a tenant

Set a compliant asking rent. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, rental bidding is banned: you must advertise a fixed rent and cannot invite or accept offers above it.

Do not discriminate against benefit claimants or families. Advertising language such as “no DSS”, “no benefit claimants”, or “working professionals only” is unlawful. You must assess every applicant on their total income and ability to pay, whether or not that income includes Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.

Reference the tenant thoroughly. Carry out tenant referencing covering identity, a credit check, employment or income verification, and a previous-landlord reference. The common affordability benchmark is gross income of at least 2.5 to 3 times the annual rent. Free landlord and employer reference forms are on the resources page.

Carry out Right to Rent checks. You must confirm every adult occupant has the legal right to rent in the UK before the tenancy begins, using the government’s online Right to Rent service for non-UK nationals. Getting the checks wrong carries civil penalties that now reach up to £20,000 per occupier for repeat breaches.

Take a holding deposit if needed. To reserve the property while referencing completes, you can take a holding deposit of up to one week’s rent. It must be returned, applied to the first month’s rent, or forfeited within fifteen days, unless both parties agree in writing to extend.

Stage 3: preparing the tenancy agreement

Use a compliant assured periodic tenancy. From 1 May 2026, all new tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies with no fixed end date. Fixed-term clauses are void, and using one carries a financial penalty of up to £7,000. Use a template updated for the post-Renters’ Rights Act regime; our tenancy agreement template guide sets out what the agreement must contain.

Provide the Written Statement of Terms. For any new tenancy from 1 May 2026, you must give the tenant the mandatory Written Statement of Terms before the tenancy is agreed; it can be built into the agreement itself. It must cover the rent and payment date, deposit details, notice periods, possession grounds, the rent-increase procedure, and both parties’ obligations.

Agree and sign. Every tenant named on the agreement must sign, and you must give each of them a copy immediately. Keep the signed agreement on file; in August, the app reads an uploaded agreement and fills in your tenancy record automatically.

Stage 4: before move-in day

Protect the deposit. Protect it in a government-approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS) and serve the prescribed information on every named tenant within thirty days, following gov.uk’s deposit protection rules. If you do not, you can be ordered to pay the tenant one to three times the deposit, and your ability to recover possession on certain grounds can be affected. A free prescribed-information template is on the resources page. See our tenancy deposit scheme guide for how the schemes differ.

Serve the How to Rent guide. Download the current How to Rent guide from GOV.UK immediately before serving it, because it is updated when the law changes, and give it to every named tenant before or at the start of the tenancy. Keep proof of service; failing to serve the current version can affect your ability to recover possession later.

Serve the gas safety certificate and EPC. Give every named tenant a copy of the current gas safety certificate and the EPC before or at the start of the tenancy, and keep proof of service.

Prepare a property inventory. Complete a detailed inventory recording the condition and contents of the property at the start of the tenancy, with dated photographs of every room, signed by both landlord and tenant. A free inventory sheet is on the resources page. This is your primary evidence in any deposit dispute at the end of the tenancy.

Prepare a welcome pack. A short welcome pack covering utility suppliers, emergency contacts, meter locations, bin days, and how to report maintenance sets a professional tone on day one and cuts avoidable calls later. A free template is on the resources page.

Stage 5: move-in day

Complete the check-in. Walk through the property with the tenant, confirm the condition against the inventory, record meter readings, and have both parties sign the check-in record.

Hand over keys and access. Provide all keys, fobs, and access codes, and note what was handed over in the check-in record.

Set up rent collection. Confirm the payment method and the first payment date, and if the tenant is paying by standing order, check it is set up for the right amount and date. August’s rent tracking can match incoming rent automatically via Open Banking and alert you the moment a payment is late or short, so you are not checking statements by hand.

Invite the tenant to the app. Inviting your tenant to the free August tenant app on day one lets them pay rent, report maintenance with photos, and access their documents, which saves time throughout the tenancy.

Ongoing obligations once the tenancy is live

Compliance does not stop at move-in. Renew the gas safety certificate every twelve months and serve a copy on the tenant within twenty-eight days. Renew the EICR at least every five years, and the EPC every ten. For the full rhythm of recurring tasks, our monthly landlord responsibilities checklist sets out what to do across the year.

Respond promptly to disrepair and to any report of damp or mould. Awaab’s Law, which has applied to social housing since 27 October 2025, is being extended to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act, with the timing subject to consultation and expected from 2027. Once it applies, landlords will have to investigate reported damp and mould within fixed timescales, expected to mirror the social-sector rules of fourteen days to investigate and a further seven days to begin repairs where there is a serious hazard. You do not need to wait for that date: a slow response to a serious damp or mould hazard is already enforceable through the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, so treat prompt action as the standard now.

For any rent increase, use the prescribed Section 13 process: no more than once in any twelve-month period, with at least two months’ notice, and the tenant can challenge the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal.

Frequently asked questions

What safety certificates do I need before renting out a house? 

A valid gas safety certificate (renewed every twelve months), an EICR (at least every five years), and an EPC of at least an E rating, plus a smoke alarm on every storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker.

Is the Decent Homes Standard in force for private landlords? 

Not yet. The government confirmed in January 2026 that the Decent Homes Standard will be extended to the private rented sector from 2035. Until then, your property must still be free from serious HHSRS hazards and kept in repair, which councils can already enforce.

When does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords? 

It applies to social housing now and is expected to extend to the private rented sector from 2027, with the exact date subject to consultation. Responding quickly to damp and mould is already advisable under existing hazard rules.

What documents must I give a tenant at the start of a tenancy? 

The Written Statement of Terms, the current How to Rent guide, the gas safety certificate, the EPC, the EICR where requested, and the deposit prescribed information, along with a signed tenancy agreement and inventory. You can keep all of these in one place and start for free.

About this article

Written by the August editorial team, who work with self-managing UK landlords and property professionals across England to produce practical, current guidance on compliance and tenancy management. Last reviewed: July 2026.

This checklist is a guide only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Requirements vary by property type, location, and circumstances, and several Renters’ Rights Act reforms are still being phased in. Always verify your obligations with your local authority or a qualified professional, and download the current How to Rent guide from GOV.UK immediately before serving it.