Rental property compliance and certification

Updated: October 12, 2022

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Overview

A Primary responsibility of a landlord to keep property safe and habitable for their tenants. This includes an obligation to obtain and renew the appropriate certifications to ensure adherence with government regulation.

This may seem like a daunting prospect, however getting the relevant documentation has become relatively simple for the modern landlord with online providers and clear guidance available.

This article looks at some of the common documents you will need to make sure your property is compliant to rent.

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Making your rental property compliant

Landlords have a legal obligation to make their properties compliant before they are let. There are cost associated with obtaining the relevant documentation so this should be factored into your start-up budget and can be viewed as an investment to ensure the safety of your tenants and the condition of your property.

Permission from your mortgage lender

Consent to let is required for anyone wanting to let out their property on a residential mortgage. Before renting their property, landlords should get formal permission from their mortgage lender – also known as consent to let.

This is only required on a residential mortgage, if you have a buy-to-let mortgage then this already covers you to rent out your property. In both cases you should keep the relevant documentation to hand so you can prove your eligibility to let if required.

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)

It is a legal requirement to provide a Gas Safety Certificate for your rental property before a tenant moves in. This important both from a regulatory perspective but also ensures the safety of your gas fittings.

You are required to renew every 12 months and you can arrange a certificate for your property from £45 using an online provider such as OpenRent.

Electrical Installation Report (EIRC)

Another legal requirement is to obtain an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) before you rent out your property (& every 5 years after). An EICR is an official document that is issued after an in-depth inspection of your property’s electrical installations. The purpose is to help make sure your property is safe for tenants.

You can arrange a certificate for your property using a qualified local electrician or by using an online provider such as OpenRent.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

UK law requires all landlords to complete an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before advertising a home. Your EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years.

PAT Testing of Electrical Appliances

Portable appliance testing (PAT) is the term used to describe the examination of electrical appliances and equipment to ensure they are safe to use. Most electrical safety defects can be found by visual examination but some types of defect can only be found by testing.

while not a legal obligation is also highly recommended to avoid safety issues and damage to your property.

How Sharehouse can help with self-management

We were created to specifically support DIY landlords by making self-management simple. Our free online library of landlord resources contains everything you need to know and our network of service providers brings together industry leading companies in one place top help with all stages of the rental journey.

There are some exciting development on the horizon too with our Landlord Academy and a Mobile App both coming soon, subscribe to start update with all the latest developments.