What safety checks does a landlord need in England?

How often does a landlord need a gas safety check?

Landlords must have every gas appliance and flue they provide safety-checked at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer, under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. HSE says existing tenants must get a copy of the record within 28 days of the check, and new tenants before they move in.

Keep each record for at least 2 years. Under a 2018 amendment, the check can be done up to 2 months before it is due while keeping the original deadline date, so the yearly cycle does not creep earlier.

The duty covers appliances and flues you provide. If a tenant has their own gas appliance, you are not responsible for the appliance itself, but you are still responsible for parts of the installation and pipework that serve it. You must also keep the gas pipework, appliances and flues you provide properly maintained.

A letting agent can take this on, but HSE says the management contract should make clear who arranges maintenance and safety checks, and advises asking to see copies.

How often do landlords need an electrical safety check?

Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years. The result is usually an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), and existing tenants must get a copy within 28 days of the inspection.

Reports use codes. C1 or C2 means remedial work is required and the installation is unsatisfactory, FI means further investigation is needed without delay, and C3 means improvement is recommended but not required. Government guidance published in November 2025 says councils can impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for breaches.

• Give a new tenant a copy before they move in, and a prospective tenant a copy within 28 days of asking.
• Send the council a copy within 7 days if it asks for one.
• If the report needs remedial or further investigative work, finish it within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
• Within 28 days of finishing that work, give the tenant and the council written confirmation from the qualified person who did it.
• Keep the report until the next inspection, and give a copy to whoever does it.

What are the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules for landlords?

Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England must fit at least one smoke alarm on every storey with a room used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any such room with a fixed combustion appliance, except gas cookers. Alarms must be checked on the day a new tenancy starts and repaired or replaced once reported faulty.

A fixed combustion appliance is any fixed appliance that burns fuel to make heat, such as a gas boiler, gas fire or wood burner. The government's guidance says a purely decorative fireplace that does not work does not count.

The regulations do not say whether alarms must be mains-powered or battery-powered, so either type can meet them. The guidance advises tenants to try new batteries if an alarm stops working and to report it if that does not fix it, and the landlord is responsible for repairing or replacing faulty alarms. Landlords should also consider showing tenants how to test their alarms.

Do landlords need a legionella risk assessment?

Landlords have a legal duty to assess the risk from legionella in the water system, but HSE says this does not need to be an in-depth assessment, and most landlords can do it themselves. HSE also says the law does not require a legionella test certificate, and water sampling is not usually needed in homes.

HSE says the risk is lower where combi boilers and electric showers are fitted, because they do not store water. The law does not set a review date, but HSE advises reviewing the assessment periodically, and a gas safety visit is a practical time to check.

• Flush the water system through before a new tenancy starts.
• Keep hot water hot and cold water cold, and keep it moving. HSE gives the example of storing water in a hot water cylinder at 60°C.
• Fit a tight lid on any cold water tank to keep debris out.
• Remove any redundant pipework you find.
• Ask tenants to clean showerheads regularly and to report hot water that is not heating properly.
• If the property is empty, use the taps and shower at least once a week, or plan a flushing regime.

What EPC rating does a rented home need?

A privately rented home in England needs an EPC rating of E or above under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard, unless a valid exemption is registered. Since 1 April 2020, landlords cannot let, or continue to let, a covered property rated F or G. The current cost cap for improvements is £3,500 including VAT.

The bar is set to rise. In January 2026 the government confirmed a new standard equivalent to EPC C, with a single compliance date of 1 October 2030 and a higher cost cap of £10,000. It aims to bring the new regulations into force in 2027, so the E rule is still the one that applies today.

Under the plans, a home with a current EPC rated C or above, including one issued before 1 October 2029, would count as compliant until that EPC expires.

What changed for landlords under the Renters' Rights Act 2025?

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 changed private renting in England from 1 May 2026, when Section 21 'no fault' evictions ended and tenancies became rolling, with no end date. The next step is a national landlord register, which the government says launches on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands.

The first phase also limited rent increases to once a year, capped rent in advance at one month, stopped landlords accepting more than the advertised rent, and made it illegal to refuse tenants because they have children or receive benefits. Tenants can ask to keep a pet, and landlords must consider the request reasonably.

The register rolls out region by region over 12 months. When your area is called forward, you will have three months to sign up, and every landlord letting property must be registered by 14 November 2027. The government says registering will be a legal requirement, with a risk of a fine if it is not done.

Is the Decent Homes Standard coming to private rentals?

The Decent Homes Standard will apply to privately rented homes in England for the first time. The government says the new standard, making sure rented homes are safe, warm and in good repair, will apply by 2035, and it plans to extend Awaab's Law, which makes landlords act fast on serious hazards, to private rentals after consultation.

Neither change can be enforced against private landlords yet, but the direction is clear. The government says future rules will tackle damp, mould and dangerous conditions, and councils already have stronger powers, including higher fines and prosecution, to act when landlords break the rules.

Keeping on top of repairs now, and fixing leaks, damp and faulty extractor fans early, is the practical way to prepare. Send Emir a WhatsApp with photos of the repairs your rental needs for a free estimate.

What should a small landlord in Thurrock or Havering check each year?

A yearly routine for a small landlord in Thurrock or Havering covers most of the law: book the gas safety check before its 12-month deadline, track the EICR's 5-year renewal date, test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, review the legionella risk assessment, and check the EPC is rated E or above and still in date.

• Gas: an annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, a copy to tenants within 28 days, and records kept for 2 years.
• Electrics: an EICR at least every 5 years, remedial work within 28 days, and written confirmation to the tenant and the council.
• Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm with every fixed combustion appliance except gas cookers, all checked on the first day of each new tenancy.
• Water: the legionella risk assessment reviewed when anything changes, and the system flushed before a new tenancy.
• Energy: an EPC rated E or above now, with the EPC C equivalent standard due by 1 October 2030.
• Registration: sign up to the national landlord register when your area is called forward, and by 14 November 2027 at the latest.
• Records: keep certificates, reports and repair notes together, so you can show what was done and when.