The Landlord's Letting Checklist

Arrange a Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) if there are any gas appliances

An annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer is a legal requirement where there's gas. The tenant must be given a copy before they move in, and within 28 days of each yearly check.

Get an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in date

Landlords must ensure the electrical installation is inspected and tested, with a satisfactory report given to tenants. Reports generally last up to five years. Budget time for any remedial work the report flags.

Make sure there's a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

You need a valid EPC to market and let the property, and there's a minimum energy-efficiency standard to meet. Check the rating early — improvement works take time and planning.

Fit and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Provide a smoke alarm on every storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fuel-burning appliance, and check they work at the start of the tenancy. Test them, and note the date you did.

Make sure furnishings and any white goods are safe

Upholstered furniture you provide should meet fire-safety requirements, and any appliances should be in good working order with manuals available. If you're letting furnished, photograph the condition for the inventory.

Carry out essential repairs and a deep clean

Fix anything that affects safety or habitability, service the boiler, and have the property professionally cleaned. A property that's genuinely ready lets faster and starts the tenancy on the right footing.

Present the property to let well

Neutral, clean and well-maintained appeals to the widest pool of good tenants. Tend the garden, deal with any damp or mould, and make sure it's somewhere you'd be happy to live yourself.

Check whether you need any permissions to let

If the property is leasehold or mortgaged, you may need consent to let from the freeholder or lender. If you have buildings insurance, tell your insurer it's a let property. Some areas also operate landlord licensing — check with the local council.

Set a realistic, evidence-based rent

Price against genuinely comparable local properties, not optimism. A slightly keener rent that lets quickly to a strong tenant usually beats a higher figure that sits empty for weeks.

Arrange good photography, a floorplan and an honest description

Most tenants shortlist online. Bright photographs, a clear floorplan and an accurate description attract more of the right enquiries and waste less of everyone's time.

Advertise where tenants are actually looking

The major portals reach the widest audience. A letting agent can list there on your behalf and handle the volume of enquiries that follows a well-priced property.

Qualify applicants before booking viewings

A few questions up front — move date, budget, who's moving in, any pets, employment situation — saves wasted viewings and surfaces obvious mismatches early.

Carry out accompanied viewings

Accompanied viewings are safer, show the property better and let you gather first impressions of applicants. Never give out keys for unaccompanied access.

Carry out Right to Rent checks on every adult occupier

In England, you must check that everyone aged 18 or over has the legal right to rent before the tenancy begins, see the original documents or use the online check, and keep a record. This applies to every adult, not just the lead tenant.

Reference each applicant properly

Credit check, income and employment verification, and a previous-landlord reference. Verify references directly rather than taking written ones at face value — and assess affordability honestly.

Decide whether a guarantor is needed

If an applicant's income or references don't quite meet your threshold, a guarantor can bridge the gap. The guarantor should be referenced and sign a properly drawn-up guarantee, not just be named.

Use a clear, up-to-date written tenancy agreement

The agreement should reflect current law and set out rent, deposit, responsibilities and notice clearly. If you're unsure, have a letting agent or solicitor provide or review it rather than relying on an old template.

Take the deposit and protect it in a government-approved scheme

A tenant's deposit must be protected in an approved scheme within the required timeframe, and the prescribed information given to the tenant. Getting this wrong can cost you financially and limit your options later, so don't let it drift.

Give the tenant the documents they're entitled to at the start

Typically the current edition of the government's How to Rent guide, the EPC, the gas safety certificate and the electrical report. Serving these correctly at the outset matters — keep a record of what you provided and when.

Collect the first month's rent and confirm the start date

Take the first rent and the protected deposit in cleared funds before handing over keys, set up a standing order for future rent, and confirm the tenancy start date in writing.

Prepare a detailed inventory and schedule of condition

Record the condition of every room, fixture and any furniture, with dated photographs. This is the evidence you'll rely on if there's a dispute over the deposit later — a thorough inventory is worth the effort.

Carry out a check-in with the tenant and have them sign the inventory

Walk the property with the tenant, agree the condition, and have them sign or formally accept the inventory. An independent inventory clerk adds weight if a dispute ever arises.

Take meter readings for gas, electricity and water

Record opening readings (with photos) and pass them, plus the tenant's details, to the suppliers so the tenant is billed from day one and you're not.

Hand over keys and explain how things work

Provide all sets of keys, show the tenant the stopcock, fuse board, meters, boiler and alarms, and explain bin days and anything quirky. A confident handover heads off a lot of early calls.

Confirm how rent is paid and who to contact

Make sure the tenant knows the rent amount, payment date and method, and exactly who to contact for repairs or questions — you or your managing agent.

Diarise every safety certificate and renewal date

Set reminders ahead of expiry for the gas safety check, the EICR and the EPC, and book renewals in good time. Missed renewals are one of the most common — and avoidable — landlord failings.

Respond to repairs and maintenance promptly

Deal with reported repairs quickly, keep the property in good order, and don't let small issues become big ones. Prompt, documented responses keep tenants happy and reduce your liability.

Carry out periodic inspections with proper notice

Inspect the property from time to time — giving the tenant the notice they're entitled to — to catch maintenance issues early. Record what you find, with photos.

Monitor rent and act on arrears straight away

Keep a simple rent record and follow up on any missed or late payment immediately and professionally. Early, correct action gives you the most options if a problem develops.

Keep organised records for the whole tenancy

Certificates, the signed tenancy agreement and inventory, the deposit protection details, inspection reports, repair history and all tenant correspondence. Good records protect you in any dispute and make tax returns far easier.

Plan ahead for renewal, rent reviews and the tenancy ending

Think about renewal or any rent review well before the time comes, and follow the correct legal process for any notice — getting the procedure right is essential, so take advice if you're unsure.