Articles tagged “landlord-compliance”

property portal

Manchester Selective Licensing: Fees, Designated Areas and How to Apply

Manchester's selective licensing schemes run street by street, not ward by ward. Here are the designated areas, the fee for each phase, the designation end dates and the exact steps to apply.

12 min read

renters rights act

How to Write a Landlord Complaints Procedure (With Free Template)

A practical guide to writing a landlord complaints procedure before the PRS Ombudsman goes live — why it matters, what to include, recommended timescales, and a free one-page template you can copy and adapt.

7 min read

renters rights act

The Landlord Redress Scheme Explained: How PRS Ombudsman Redress Works

A plain-English guide to the new landlord redress scheme — the PRS Landlord Ombudsman created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. What redress means, who must join, what it can order, and when it starts.

11 min read

renters rights act

How Much Will the PRS Landlord Ombudsman Cost Landlords?

What the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman will cost private landlords — the annual membership fee, how it is set, how it stacks with the PRS Database fee, and the compensation and penalties that come from getting it wrong.

12 min read

renters rights act

The PRS Landlord Ombudsman: What Landlords Must Do to Prepare

A plain-English guide to the new mandatory PRS Landlord Ombudsman under the Renters' Rights Act — what it is, when it starts, what it can order, and how to get ready.

20 min read

tenant management

Setting Up a Tenancy: The Landlord's Compliance Checklist

A step-by-step compliance checklist for setting up a new tenancy in England under the Renters' Rights Act — from right to rent checks to the written statement of terms.

11 min read

renters rights act

Handling Tenant Complaints Under the Renters' Rights Act: The New PRS Ombudsman Process

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 will require all private landlords to join the PRS Ombudsman scheme (expected 2028). Understand the complaint lifecycle — from internal resolution to ombudsman investigation — and how to protect your position.

24 min read

renters rights act

Landlord Property Portal: What You'll Need to Register (Preparation Guide)

The landlord Property Portal — the new Private Rented Sector Database — is coming under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Here is exactly what you will need to register your details and each property, and how to get everything ready before your area goes live.

15 min read

renters rights act

Landlord Penalties Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025: A Complete Guide

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 sharply raises the penalties private landlords in England face. Understand the civil penalties, rent repayment orders, banning orders, and prosecution risks — which apply now, and which arrive as later phases commence.

14 min read

landlord guides

Storing Tenancy Documents Securely: What Every Landlord Must Keep and How

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

rent increases

Rental Bidding Wars Banned: New Rent Transparency Rules for Landlords in England

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 bans rental bidding wars in England. Landlords and agents must publish an asking rent and cannot invite or accept offers above it. Understand the new transparency rules.

6 min read

renters rights act

Rent Repayment Orders: What Landlords in England Risk Under the New Rules

A rent repayment order makes a landlord in England pay back rent after committing a listed housing offence. For offences from 1 May 2026, the maximum doubled to 24 months' rent. Which offences count, how the amount is set, and which rules apply by date.

8 min read

renters rights act

Banned Tenancy Clauses: What Landlords Can No Longer Include in Agreements

Which tenancy clauses no longer work in England since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 took effect on 1 May 2026 (fixed terms, no-pets, no-DSS, rent review and fee clauses), with the statute and the penalty behind each one.

8 min read

renters rights act

Tenant Pet Requests: New Rules for Landlords Under the Renters' Rights Act

Since 1 May 2026, private tenants in England can ask to keep a pet and landlords must not unreasonably refuse. You have 28 days to answer in writing. Here is how the deadline works and what counts as a good reason to say no.

7 min read

renters rights act

Decent Homes Standard for Private Landlords: What You Need to Meet

The Decent Homes Standard will apply to privately rented homes in England from 2035. Here is what the five criteria require, what is already law today, and what landlords should fix first.

8 min read

safety certificates

Electrical Safety Certificates for Landlords: EICR Requirements Explained

Everything private landlords in England need to know about Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) — the 5-year inspection cycle, what the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes require, deadlines, and penalties.

9 min read

safety certificates

Energy Efficiency Improvements for Rental Properties: Boosting Your EPC Rating

The EPC rules for rented homes in England now and from 2030, where to start improving a rental's rating, which grants landlords can use, and how the cost cap and exemptions work.

7 min read

safety certificates

Fire Safety Regulations for Rental Properties: What Every Landlord Must Know

A guide to fire safety obligations for private landlords in England — which laws apply to single lets, flats and HMOs, alarms, furniture, fire risk assessments for common parts, and the real penalties.

8 min read

safety certificates

Legionella Risk Assessments for Landlords: What You Need to Know

A clear guide to legionella risk assessments for private landlords — the legal duty, what HSE actually requires, a self-assessment checklist, and what to tell tenants.

6 min read

renters rights act

Periodic Tenancies Explained: What Landlords Need to Know Under the New Rules

Since 1 May 2026 every private assured tenancy in England is periodic. This guide explains how a periodic tenancy works for landlords, with a dated worked example of a tenancy starting in October 2026.

6 min read

renters rights act

Renters' Rights Act 2025: What Landlords Need to Know

A plain-English guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025 for private landlords in England — what changed on 1 May 2026, what is still coming, and a worked example of an existing tenancy through its first year under the new rules.

12 min read

renters rights act

Renters' Rights Act Timeline: Every Key Date Landlords Need to Know

The dated Renters' Rights Act 2025 timeline for private landlords in England — every date checked against legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK, with each one marked as in force, announced or expected, plus the region-by-region PRS Database registration windows.

9 min read

landlord guides

Right to Rent Checks: A Practical Guide for Private Landlords

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.

8 min read

safety certificates

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations for Landlords

A complete guide to smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements for private landlords in England — covering the 2022 amendments, what must be installed and where, testing obligations, and penalties for non-compliance.

8 min read

landlord guides

Tenant Deposit Protection Rules: A Complete Guide for Landlords

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.

8 min read