Landlord Legal Requirements
When becoming a landlord for the first time, there are a lot of legal requirements that must be met. We understand that this can be quite overwhelming and confusing, so we have made a helpful guide to aid landlords on their new journey.
Below is a checklist of all the documents that must be provided to rent out a property in the UK legally.
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Tenancy Agreement
A tenancy agreement gives both the landlord and the tenant rights. The landlord’s right to receive payment from the tenant, and the tenants’ right to live in the property. Even though the tenancy agreement can be written or verbal, we always advise a written tenancy agreement to save you from any complications.
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How to Rent Guide
A How to Rent guide is a government document found online that outlines the legal responsibilities tenants and landlords have while a property is being rented. It is a landlord’s legal responsibility to provide this to a tenant. We advise that both parties read through this thoroughly to get a grasp on what their obligations are.
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Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme
When a landlord has an AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy) they must be registered in a tenancy deposit protection scheme.The tenancy deposit scheme asks tenants to deposit some money which can cover any damages done to the property. If, at the end of the tenancy, there are no damages done, then the tenant will receive the whole deposit back. This scheme allows landlords to feel secure in knowing they can have compensation if any damage is done to the property.
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EICR
An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. This is a formal document you will receive after assessing an electrical installation within a property. This will be produced by a qualified electrician or approved contractor.
An EICR tests all the electrics in a household and assesses the safety of them. If a property passes all the requirements needed then a house is deemed safe, but if it fails you need to ensure the remedial works are completed.
After 1st July 2020, you are now legally required to have an EICR performed by a qualified electrician. Renewals, in this case, include statutory periodic tenancies that are created at the end of a fixed-term contract.
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EPC
An EPC is an extremely important legal document which is a record of your property’s energy efficiency. This process is as an assessment of how well your house uses and maintains energy. This can be from the windows to the light fixtures and even the insulation of a house.With an EPC, there is a rating system of ‘A-G’ with A being the best and G being the worst. In the UK, it is a legal requirement for your property to have a minimum EPC rating of E, with regulations set to change in 2025 where the required minimum will be a rating of C. Once an EPC has been performed, it will be valid for a period of ten years.
If the EPC rating is below an E (as of now), you must follow the recommendations given to improve your rating, allowing you to legally rent out your property.
EPCs don’t take long to carry out, and we offer them within our company. If you would like to arrange an EPC, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will arrange that for you as soon as possible.
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Gas safety certificate
A gas safety certificate is pretty much what it says. Legally, a qualified gas safety engineer must test all the gas fittings and appliances within a property and ensure that they are safe to use. If they are deemed unsafe, work must be completed as soon as possible for the tenant’s safety.A gas safety certificate must be completed once every year and one must also be completed before any new tenant moves into a property. It is always important to get these tests done to ensure a property is safe to live in.
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Necessary Contact Information
Lastly, sufficient contact details must be given to the tenant as means of communication. This usually includes a telephone number, an email address, and a home address.
All the above are legal requirements and must be given to a tenant. However, we know that this can be a daunting prospect. That’s why Property Fit is here to help! We will hold your hand throughout the entire process. We can also work closely with our in-house lettings and maintenance companies to help you complete any work needed and oversee some of the legal processes.
If you would like help growing your lettings portfolio, please don’t hesitate to contact us today!
