Being a UK landlord comes with a significant legal compliance burden. The good news is that most of it boils down to having the right documents in place and making sure they stay up to date. This guide covers every document you're legally required to hold — what it is, when you need it, how often to renew it, and what happens if you don't.
Essential certificates for every rental property
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
An EPC rates your property's energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least). You must have a valid EPC before marketing the property and provide a copy to new tenants.
Legal requirement: Domestic Energy Performance Regulations 2007
Minimum rating: Your property must be E or above to be legally let (as of 2025 — proposed changes to C minimum are being discussed by government)
Validity: 10 years
Penalty for non-compliance: Up to £5,000 per property
Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)
If your property has any gas appliances — boiler, hob, gas fire — you must have them inspected annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You must provide a copy to your tenant before they move in (or within 28 days of the annual inspection for existing tenants).
Legal requirement: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
Validity: Annual (must be renewed every 12 months)
Penalty for non-compliance: Unlimited fine; up to 6 months imprisonment
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
A qualified electrician must inspect and test your property's fixed electrical installation and issue an EICR. Any unsatisfactory items must be fixed within 28 days.
Legal requirement: Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020 (England)
Validity: 5 years (or sooner if the report recommends it)
Penalty for non-compliance: Up to £30,000 per property
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
You must have a working smoke alarm on every floor with a room used as living accommodation. A carbon monoxide alarm is required in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance, and from October 2022, also in any room with a gas or oil appliance.
Legal requirement: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022
You must test alarms on the day the tenancy begins
Penalty for non-compliance: Up to £5,000 per property
Tenancy documents
Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (AST)
Your written tenancy agreement. While not strictly a legal requirement to have in writing (a verbal AST is technically valid), you absolutely need one in practice. It defines the rent, the deposit, the property address, the start date, the term, and the obligations of both parties.
Validity: Per tenancy; renew or convert to periodic at the end of the fixed term
How to Rent Guide
A government-produced guide that you must provide to every new tenant (or when the guide is updated during an existing tenancy). You can download the current version at gov.uk.
Legal requirement: Deregulation Act 2015
Penalty for non-compliance: Cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice to end the tenancy
Deposit Protection Certificate
If you take a deposit, you must protect it in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDS, DPS, or MyDeposits) within 30 days of receiving it, and provide the tenant with prescribed information about the scheme.
Legal requirement: Housing Act 2004
Penalty for non-compliance: Up to 3x the deposit amount; cannot serve a Section 21 notice
Right to Rent Checks
You must verify that all adult occupants aged 18+ have the right to rent in England before the tenancy begins. Keep a copy of the documentation checked.
Legal requirement: Immigration Act 2014 (England only)
Penalty for non-compliance: Up to £10,000 per adult occupier for a first breach
Health and safety requirements
Legionella Risk Assessment
As a landlord, you have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to assess the risk of Legionella bacteria in your water system. For most residential properties, a simple documented risk assessment is sufficient — you don't need a specialist for a standard domestic property.
Validity: Review every 2 years, or after any significant change to the water system
Fire Safety (HMO and larger properties)
If you let a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), you must also have a fire safety risk assessment, fire doors on escape routes, emergency lighting, and a full fire alarm system. HMOs require a mandatory licence in most areas.
How RentalBux helps you stay compliant
Store all of these documents in the RentalBux Document module, enter their expiry dates, and set up alerts (Guide 32). Your compliance dashboard will show you the status of every certificate across every property at a glance — so nothing slips through.
Bookmark this page and use it as a checklist every time you start a new tenancy. Running through these ten items before a tenant moves in protects both them and you — and keeps you on the right side of the law.