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Free download · ARLA-reviewed

Every landlord compliance requirement, on one page.

A printable, ARLA-Propertymark-reviewed compliance checklist for Tunbridge Wells landlords. Every current legal requirement, every renewal cadence, every recent change from the Renters' Rights Act and Awaab's Law — cited and indexed. Pop it on a fridge, a desk, or send it to your accountant.

  • 30+
    Compliance items covered
  • 1pg
    Printable PDF — fridge-ready
  • RRA
    Updated for the Renters' Rights Act
  • Free
    No catch. No upsell required

What's in the checklist

The full content, visible here.

We don't gate the content behind the form — every compliance item below is identical to the PDF. The PDF is the printable, shareable version with each item collapsed onto a single page. Use either, both, neither.

Pre-tenancy safety certificates

Every certificate must be in place AND served to the tenant before move-in. Each has a defined renewal cadence.

  • Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)

    Annual

    Issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Covers every gas appliance, flue and pipework on the property.

  • Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

    Every 5 years

    Full electrical safety inspection by a qualified electrician. Any C1 / C2 defects must be remedied within 28 days.

  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

    Every 10 years

    Minimum E rating to let. Properties below E require £10,000 spend on improvements before letting.

  • Portable Appliance Test (PAT)

    Annual recommended

    Recommended (not statutory) for any electrical items left for tenant use.

  • Legionella risk assessment

    On instruction + after any plumbing change

    Required for all let properties under the Health & Safety at Work Act. Most domestic properties are low risk — a written assessment must still exist.

  • Furniture & Furnishings Fire Safety

    Verified at every changeover

    All upholstered furniture left for tenant use must comply with the 1988 regulations. Fire-resistant labels must be present.

Smoke & carbon monoxide alarms

Statutory since 2022. Penalties up to £5,000 per breach. Must be tested at the start of every new tenancy.

  • Smoke alarms on every storey

    Working smoke alarm on every floor where there's a room used as living accommodation. Test on the first day of every new tenancy.

  • Carbon monoxide alarms

    Required in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, gas fire, log burner, etc.). Excludes gas cookers.

  • Working order at tenancy start

    Both must be confirmed working before move-in. Tenants are responsible for ongoing battery replacement during the tenancy.

Tenancy setup & paperwork

All required at the start of every new tenancy. Failure to serve correctly can invalidate possession proceedings later.

  • Right to Rent verification

    Every new tenancy

    Documentation checked, retained and recorded for every adult occupant. Civil penalty up to £20,000 per breach.

  • Deposit registered with TDS

    Within 30 days of receipt

    Within 30 days of receipt. Prescribed information served on the tenant. Failure = up to 3x deposit damages + invalidated S8 ground.

  • How to Rent guide served

    Every new tenancy

    Government PDF, current edition. Must be served — not just made available.

  • EPC, Gas Safety & EICR served

    Every new tenancy

    Copies provided to tenant at the start of the tenancy. Without service, S8 grounds may be challenged.

  • Tenancy agreement

    Every new tenancy

    Renters' Rights Act-compliant AST. Periodic from the outset. No fixed-term workarounds.

Renters' Rights Act compliance (post-commencement)

The biggest change to landlord legislation in decades. Most provisions are now in force; some commence in stages. Track each as it applies.

  • Periodic tenancy structure

    All new tenancies are periodic from the outset. Tenants give two months' notice. Landlords need a valid possession ground.

  • Possession grounds documented

    Section 21 abolished. Section 8 grounds (rent arrears, breach, sale, landlord moving in) require correct notice and documentation.

  • Awaab's Law response timeframes

    Damp / mould / hazards must be investigated within 14 days of notification and remedied within a further fixed window.

  • Decent Homes Standard maintained

    Minimum property condition standard. Now extended from social housing to the private rented sector.

  • Landlord database registration

    Mandatory before letting (when commenced). Track the commencement date and register before next tenancy.

  • Ombudsman scheme membership

    Mandatory for all private landlords. Provides binding redress for tenant complaints.

  • Pet-keeping requests

    Must consider in good faith. Refusal requires reasonable grounds. Pet insurance can be required as a condition.

Ongoing during tenancy

Recurring obligations to track on the calendar. Missing a renewal date can invalidate insurance, possession claims, or compliance defences.

  • Annual gas safety renewal

    Annual

    Schedule the renewal 1 month before expiry to avoid any gap.

  • Periodic EICR renewal

    Every 5 years

    Schedule before the 5-year expiry. Remediate any new defects within 28 days.

  • Section 13 rent reviews

    Annual at most

    Annual rent increase via correct statutory notice. Increases must be in line with market rents.

  • Property inspections

    Annual minimum

    At least annual visual inspection. Photographic record advisable. Catches maintenance issues before they become disputes.

  • Maintenance response times

    As issues arise

    Reasonable timeframes for repairs (Awaab's Law for hazards, contractual elsewhere). Document everything in writing.

  • Tenancy renewal / Section 13

    If continuing, document the rent review and any changes in writing. Platinum-tier landlords have this included.

Want this on one printable page, formatted for a fridge or a wall? Get the PDF.

Email me the PDF

Why this matters

The cost of a missed deadline is no longer a slap on the wrist.

Penalty exposure has multiplied

Renters' Rights Act significantly raised the cost of procedural error. Damages claims, rent reduction orders, civil penalties up to £20,000 — all now routine outcomes for landlords who got the paperwork wrong.

Possession depends on it

Section 8 possession grounds can be invalidated by a defective notice, an unserved EPC, an unregistered deposit. Compliance isn't just a fine — it's whether you can actually regain possession when you need to.

Insurance depends on it

Most landlord insurance and rent protection policies require ongoing compliance. A lapsed gas certificate at claim time can void the entire policy.

Buyers and lenders check

When you eventually sell or refinance, conveyancers and lenders increasingly check the compliance trail. Gaps = delayed completion or refused mortgage.

Important note

This checklist is a starting point, not legal advice. Specific circumstances vary; some commencement dates of Renters' Rights Act provisions can change. For complex or contentious situations, confirm with your solicitor — or ask us, and we'll route you to a specialist legal partner.

Common Questions

Frequently asked
questions.

Anything specific not covered here? Call us on 01892 533367 — Mike (MARLA · FNAEA) handles complex compliance directly.

  • Is this checklist actually free?

    Yes — no payment, no upsell required, no credit card. Pop your name and email in and we'll send the PDF over. We'd love you to consider Kings Estates for letting your property when the time comes, but the checklist is yours to use either way.

  • Is the checklist legally accurate?

    It's reviewed by our ARLA Propertymark-qualified team and tracked against legislation as it commences. We've cited the relevant Act, regulation or scheme on each item so you can verify independently. It's an excellent starting point — for anything in dispute, confirm with your solicitor.

  • How often is it updated?

    Whenever regulation changes meaningfully — Renters' Rights Act commencement orders, Awaab's Law detail, EPC threshold changes, etc. The PDF you receive is the current edition; we'll email anyone on our list when a substantive update lands.

  • What format is the PDF?

    A4, single page, printable. Designed to live on a fridge, an office wall, or shared with your accountant. Clean type, no marketing fluff, no ads.

  • Can I share it with friends or my landlord forum?

    Yes — please do. Attribution to Kings Estates appreciated but not required. The more landlords get this right, the better the rental sector works.

  • What if I'd rather Kings Estates handled all of this for me?

    That's literally what our Fully Managed and Platinum-tier service do. Every item on the checklist is tracked on your compliance dashboard, renewed before lapse, and signed off by you on anything that costs money. No deadline you have to remember.

Or take the work off your desk entirely

Compliance handled, on every property.

Every item on the checklist is tracked on your compliance dashboard if you let with us — gas, electrical, EPC, deposit, ombudsman, the lot. Renewed before lapse. Signed off by you on anything that costs money.

Fully Managed lettingsWhy let with us
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