Practical step-by-step guides for private landlords managing 1-2 rental properties.
A dated, signed check-in inventory is the evidence a deposit adjudicator relies on. This checklist covers what to record room by room, how to photograph it, and how to get the tenant's sign-off.
7 min read · 14 April 2026
Self-managing landlords can reference tenants without a letting agent. This guide covers the checks to run, what the law lets you ask for and charge, and how the Renters' Rights Act changes affordability, guarantors and rent in advance.
8 min read · 2 April 2026
Private landlords must store tenancy documents securely and know how long to keep them. This guide covers every document you need, legal retention periods, GDPR obligations, and the best ways to organise and protect your records.
12 min read · 30 March 2026
What private landlords in England must repair under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the fitness for habitation duty, when the duty starts, and what councils and tenants can do if repairs are not done.
9 min read · 15 March 2026
How private landlords in England are taxed on rental income — allowable expenses, the mortgage interest tax credit, the new property income rates from April 2027, Making Tax Digital, and Self Assessment deadlines.
8 min read · 15 March 2026
What self-managing a rental property in England involves after the Renters' Rights Act — the legal duties an agent would otherwise handle, with deadlines and sources, and what an agent actually costs.
Which landlord insurance is a legal requirement, which your lender or lease requires, and which is optional — buildings, contents, liability, rent guarantee and legal expenses cover for private landlords in England.
How to carry out right to rent checks correctly as a private landlord in England — who to check, the three ways to check, follow-up checks, record keeping, and the civil penalties for getting it wrong.
A clear guide to tenancy deposit protection for private landlords in England — the three approved schemes, the 30-day deadline, prescribed information, the deposit cap, and what non-compliance now means for possession under the Renters' Rights Act.
