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Renting out a property

Information about your responsibilities if you rent out a property

What you must do

A tenancy is a contract between you and the tenant, although a lettings agent may also be involved.

Please see our general guide, Standards for Private Rented Single Family Dwellings for more information.

You will have rights and responsibilities as a landlord.

As a landlord you must:

  • check your tenant has the right to rent
  • protect the tenants deposit
  • check if you need a license to rent a property 
  • make sure any furniture and furnishings provided are fire safe

As a landlord you must provide:

  • a tenancy agreement that is clear about the rent and other charges (how the rent is paid, who pays the Council Tax, the length of the tenancy, how it can be ended and contact details)
  • a list of the contents of the property and the condition of the property
  • a gas safety certificate where gas appliances are provided
  • an annual gas safety check on any gas appliances and flues
  • a copy of the gas safety certificate to the tenant
  • working smoke detectors on every storey of the property as a minimum
  • a carbon monoxide detector in rooms with a useable fireplace or woodburner being capable of burning solid fuel
  • greater fire protection such as wired fire alarms and extinguishers if the property is a house in multiple occupation 
  • an energy performance certificate with an E or above EPC rating where there is no registered exemption
  • an up to date copy of the Government's How to Rent leaflet to the tenant

There are many more regulations relating to renting a property. Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website.  

Landlords forum

We host a Landlord Forum which gives updates on any changes and issues affecting private landlords. It includes guest speakers. To find out more about our forum, please email us.

You could also consider joining a landlords association such as the:

Trading Standards advice

As a landlord, you're required to comply with Trading Standards laws that apply to you. To help you understand your obligations, you can download our Trading Standards advice leaflet.

Other information

You can find information on Housing Benefit when renting a property on our landlords page.