Landlord compliance checklist: gas, EPC, EICR

The short answer

To let a home in England you need an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, an electrical inspection (EICR) at least every 5 years, a valid EPC rated E or above for the property, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and a licence where your council requires one. You must also protect deposits within 30 days, check every adult’s right to rent and, since 1 May 2026, give tenants written information about the key terms of their tenancy.

Gas safety: Every 12 months
EICR: Every 5 years
Minimum EPC: E

On this page12 sections

The checklist at a glance

Landlord compliance in England: what, how often and what tenants must receive
Requirement	How often	What tenants must get
Gas safety check	Every 12 months	A copy of the record within 28 days of the check; new tenants before they move in
Electrical inspection (EICR)	At least every 5 years	A copy within 28 days of the inspection; new tenants before they occupy
Energy Performance Certificate	Valid for 10 years; rating E or above	A copy, free of charge; the rating shown in adverts
Smoke and CO alarms	Checked on the day each new tenancy starts	Working alarms, repaired or replaced once reported faulty
Licence (where required)	Up to 5 years, then renew	A home that meets the licence conditions
Deposit protection	Within 30 days of receiving the deposit	The prescribed information, within 30 days
Right to Rent	Before every new tenancy	A fair check of every adult, without discrimination
Written terms	Before each new tenancy is agreed (since 1 May 2026)	Written information about the key terms

Gas safety

Have every gas appliance and flue you provide checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Make sure gas equipment you supply is safely installed and maintained.
Give existing tenants a copy of the gas safety record within 28 days of the check, and new tenants a copy before they move in.
Keep each record for at least 2 years.

Since 2018 you can have the check done up to 2 months before it is due and keep the original deadline date, as long as you can show the checks were carried out on time. You then keep the record until two further checks have been done.

Electrical safety (EICR)

Have the fixed electrical installation, such as wiring, sockets, light fittings and the consumer unit, inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years.
Get the report, usually an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), and give a copy to existing tenants within 28 days and to new tenants before they occupy.
Send a copy to the council within 7 days if it asks, and to a prospective tenant within 28 days of a request.
Complete any remedial or further investigative work within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, then give the tenant and the council written confirmation within 28 days.

Codes C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous) and FI (further investigation) mean work is required. C3 is a recommended improvement only. Councils can impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for breaches.

EPC and the minimum E rating

An EPC is needed before you market a property to let. It is valid for 10 years.
Show the energy rating, for example “E”, in adverts.
Since 1 April 2020 you cannot let, or continue to let, a property covered by the rules with a rating below E, unless you have registered a valid exemption.
If it is F or G, improve it to E, or register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. You are not currently required to spend more than £3,500 (including VAT) on improvements.

Rooms in a shared house

Government guidance says an EPC is not required for an individual room when it is rented out. The whole building needs one when it is sold or rented out.

Councils can fine up to £5,000 per property for letting below the minimum standard. The government has said it aims for as many privately rented homes as possible to reach EPC band C or equivalent by 2030.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Fit at least one smoke alarm on every storey that has a room used as living accommodation.
Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler or a wood burner. Gas cookers are excluded.
Check every alarm works on the day a new tenancy starts.
Repair or replace alarms once you are told they are faulty.

Wider fire safety duties still apply: escape routes must stay accessible, furniture and furnishings you supply must be fire safe, and larger shared houses need fire alarms and extinguishers.

Licensing for shared houses

A licence from the council is mandatory for a larger shared house in England: one rented to 5 or more people who form more than one household, where some or all of them share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen, and at least one pays rent. Depending on the area, councils can also require licences for smaller shared houses, or for other privately rented homes.

What a licence involves

A separate licence for each property, valid for up to 5 years, with a fee set by the council.
The house must suit the number of occupants, and the manager must be a “fit and proper” person.
Send the council an updated gas safety certificate every year, install and maintain smoke alarms, and provide electrical safety certificates on request.
The council may add conditions, and must carry out a health and safety (HHSRS) assessment within 5 years of receiving the application.

The cost of getting it wrong

Renting out an unlicensed property that needs a licence can mean an unlimited fine, and tenants can apply to a tribunal for a rent repayment order covering up to 2 years of rent. Contact your council before you let.

Deposits and Right to Rent

Deposits: take no more than 5 weeks’ rent (annual rent under £50,000). Protect it in a government-approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits or TDS) within 30 days, and give tenants the prescribed information in the same 30 days. A tenant can claim up to 3 times the deposit if it isn’t protected.
Holding deposits: no more than one week’s rent, refunded within 7 days unless an exception applies.
Right to Rent: before every new tenancy, check all adults aged 18 and over who will live there, not only people you think are not British. Civil penalties are up to £10,000 per tenant for a first breach and £20,000 after that.
Fees: only the payments the Tenant Fees Act allows. Fees for viewings, referencing or admin are banned.

The Renters’ Rights Act: what changed on 1 May 2026

Rolling tenancies. New private tenancies are assured periodic tenancies with no end date, and existing assured shorthold tenancies became periodic automatically.
No section 21. Landlords can end a tenancy only on a valid ground for possession, with a section 8 notice and the right notice period.
Written terms. Give new tenants written information about the key terms before the tenancy is agreed; existing tenants needed the government’s Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
Rent rules. No rent before the agreement is signed and at most one month in advance after; increases once a year at most, not in the first year, using Form 4A with 2 months’ notice.
Fair access. No rental bidding above the advertised rent, no refusing tenants because they have children or receive benefits, and pet requests must be considered and answered within 28 days.

Councils can fine landlords up to £7,000 for breaches, such as adding an end date to a tenancy or not giving the written information, and up to £40,000 for more serious offences.

Coming next: landlord registration

A national landlord registration service launches on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands and rolling out region by region over 12 months. When your area is called forward you will have three months to register properties that are let, and all landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027. Registration will be a legal requirement, with fines for not completing it, and registration numbers will appear on adverts in future.

How GladStay helps

Compliance and safety requirements are confirmed during onboarding, before the property launches.
Where licensing is required, we align setup and operations with the council’s conditions and flag any issues during the assessment.
We can manage the full licensing process, from the initial assessment to compliance works, the licence application and inspections, through our trusted contractor network.
Tenant screening includes affordability checks, landlord references and Right to Rent checks in line with UK requirements.

Not sure what your property needs?

A free property assessment covers the fundamentals, including any licensing or refurbishment considerations.

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Questions and answers

How often do I need a gas safety check?

Every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Give tenants a copy within 28 days of the check, and new tenants before they move in.

How often do I need an EICR?

At least every 5 years. Give existing tenants a copy within 28 days of the inspection and new tenants before they occupy the property.

What EPC rating do I need to rent out a property?

At least E, unless you have registered a valid exemption. Since 1 April 2020 you cannot let, or continue to let, a covered property rated F or G.

Do I need an EPC to rent out a room?

Not for an individual room, according to government guidance. The whole building needs an EPC when it is sold or rented out.

Does my shared house need a licence?

Yes if it is rented to 5 or more people forming more than one household who share facilities. Smaller shared houses may need one depending on the area: check with your council.

What is the fine for not doing a Right to Rent check?

Up to £10,000 per tenant for a first breach and up to £20,000 for further breaches, and in serious cases prosecution.

What must I give a new tenant?

The gas safety record, the electrical safety report, the EPC, written information about the key terms, and the deposit protection details within 30 days of taking the deposit.

When do I need to register as a landlord?

The national registration service launches on 15 December 2026 and rolls out region by region. All landlords actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027.

Sources

Checked against these official sources on 25 October 2026:

About this guide

Written by the GladStay team: 1,500+ tenants helped since 2013. We check our guides against the official sources above and update them when the rules change. This is general information for England, not legal advice: for your own situation, use the official sources or get independent advice.

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