The landlord compliance checklist for 2026
The Renters' Rights Act did not just change tenancy agreements – it rearranged the whole compliance timeline, with penalties attached to steps that used to be good practice. Here is the full checklist for a letting in England in 2026, in the order things actually happen.
Before you market the property
- EPC rated E or better, and in date.
- Licensing checked: mandatory HMO licence, or additional/selective licensing in your council area.
- Advertised rent is the rent – rental bidding (accepting above the advertised figure) is banned.
Before anyone signs
- Written tenancy information given to every named tenant before the agreement is signed – the highest-stakes new duty, with fines up to £7,000. Our pack pairs the agreement with a written statement designed for exactly this.
- Right to Rent checks on all adult occupiers.
- Gas safety certificate (where there are gas fittings), EICR, and the current How to Rent guide – copies given.
- Smoke alarm on every storey; carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with fixed combustion appliances.
- Money rules: no more than one month's rent in advance, holding deposit capped at one week's rent, no rent taken before signing.
The first 30 days
- Deposit protected in an authorised scheme (capped at five weeks' rent under £50,000 a year; six above) and prescribed information served.
Ongoing duties
- Rent increases only by Section 13 notice – once in 12 months, two months' notice.
- Pet requests answered in writing within 28 days; refusal only where reasonable.
- Repairs, damp and hazards dealt with within statutory timescales; gas checks at the intervals the regulations require and EICR at least five-yearly, with reports supplied.
- PRS Database registration and ombudsman membership as those duties are switched on through 2026 – watch for your registration window.
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Start my agreement →Frequently asked questions
What documents must a landlord give a tenant in 2026?
The written tenancy information before signing, the current How to Rent guide, the gas safety certificate where relevant, the EICR, the energy performance certificate, and the deposit prescribed information within 30 days.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Up to £7,000 for information breaches, one to three times the deposit for protection failures, and possession claims undermined by missing paperwork.
How often must safety checks be renewed?
Gas safety annually, the electrical installation report at least every five years, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms checked at the start of every tenancy.