🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England Landlord Guide

    England Landlord Compliance

    Navigate Right to Rent checks, deposit protection deadlines, and the How to Rent guide. Our intelligent system ensures you meet every requirement for valid Section 21 notices.

    Why England Has Unique Requirements

    England has specific landlord obligations not found elsewhere in the UK

    Right to Rent Checks

    England is the only UK nation requiring immigration status verification for tenants since 2016

    How to Rent Guide

    Government checklist must be served to all new tenants or Section 21 is invalid

    30-Day Deposit Deadline

    Strict 30-day window to protect deposits and serve prescribed information

    Section 21 Prerequisites

    Multiple conditions must be met before serving a valid no-fault eviction notice

    Renters' Rights Bill 2025

    Major reforms coming including Section 21 abolition and Property Portal

    HMO Licensing Schemes

    Mandatory, additional, and selective licensing varies by local authority

    England-Specific Requirements

    Critical compliance obligations unique to or emphasized in England

    Right to Rent Check

    Verify tenant immigration status before tenancy. Check original documents or use Home Office online service.

    Before every tenancy
    Up to £3,000 per tenant

    Deposit Protection

    Protect deposit in government-approved scheme within 30 days. Serve prescribed information to tenant.

    Within 30 days
    1-3x deposit compensation

    How to Rent Guide

    Provide the current government 'How to Rent' checklist to all new tenants at the start of tenancy.

    At tenancy start
    Section 21 invalid

    Gas Safety Certificate

    Annual gas safety check by Gas Safe registered engineer. Provide copy to tenants within 28 days.

    Annual
    Up to £6,000 or imprisonment

    EICR Inspection

    Electrical Installation Condition Report every 5 years. Must be satisfactory or remedial work required.

    Every 5 years
    Up to £30,000 fine

    EPC Rating

    Valid Energy Performance Certificate with minimum E rating. Copy provided to tenant before moving in.

    Every 10 years
    Up to £5,000 fine
    Critical for Evictions

    Section 21 Prerequisites

    All these conditions must be met before you can serve a valid Section 21 notice

    Deposit protected in approved scheme
    Prescribed deposit information served
    How to Rent guide provided
    Gas Safety Certificate provided
    EICR provided to tenant
    EPC provided (minimum E rating)
    Correct Section 21 notice form used
    Property properly licensed (if HMO)

    ⚠️ If ANY of these are missing, your Section 21 notice will be invalid and cannot proceed to court

    Universal UK Requirements

    These apply across all UK nations, including England

    Gas Safety Certificate

    Annual

    EICR Inspection

    Every 5 years

    EPC Certificate

    Every 10 years

    Smoke & CO Alarms

    Test regularly

    Legionella Risk Assessment

    Annual

    PAT Testing

    Annual recommended

    Penalties for Non-Compliance

    England has significant penalties for landlord non-compliance

    OffencePenalty
    Right to Rent failure
    Up to £3,000 per tenant, criminal offence possible
    Deposit not protected in 30 days
    1-3x deposit compensation, Section 21 blocked
    Missing Gas Safety Certificate
    Up to £6,000 fine or 6 months imprisonment
    EICR non-compliance
    Up to £30,000 fine
    HMO without licence
    Unlimited fine + rent repayment order
    EPC not provided
    Up to £5,000 fine

    England vs Other UK Nations

    Key differences in landlord requirements across the UK

    Requirement🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 WalesNI
    Tenancy TypeAssured Shorthold Tenancy (AST)Private Residential TenancyStandard Occupation ContractPrivate Tenancy
    Right to RentMandatoryNot applicableNot applicableNot applicable
    Landlord RegistrationNot requiredMandatory (£50k fine)Rent Smart WalesLandlord Registration
    Deposit Deadline30 daysNo specific deadline30 days28 days
    Section 21 EquivalentSection 21 (being abolished)No-fault grounds limitedNo Section 21Notice to Quit
    HMO Licensing

    HMO Licensing in England

    England has a complex HMO licensing system with mandatory, additional, and selective schemes.

    • Mandatory licence: 5+ people, 2+ households
    • Additional licensing: Smaller HMOs in designated areas
    • Selective licensing: All rentals in certain areas
    • Fire safety: Fire doors, alarms, escape routes
    • Room sizes: Minimum 6.51m² for single occupancy
    • Penalties: Unlimited fines + rent repayment orders

    Check Your Local Authority

    Many councils operate additional or selective licensing schemes. Properties that don't meet mandatory criteria may still need a licence.

    Operating an unlicensed HMO can result in unlimited fines and rent repayment orders covering up to 12 months' rent.

    Coming 2025

    Renters' Rights Bill 2025

    Major reforms that will significantly change landlord obligations in England

    Section 21 Abolished

    No more no-fault evictions. Landlords must use specified grounds.

    Periodic Tenancies Only

    All tenancies become periodic. No more fixed-term ASTs.

    Property Portal

    Mandatory landlord and property registration database.

    Decent Homes Standard

    Private rentals must meet quality standards like social housing.

    How We Help English Landlords

    Our platform is tailored for England's unique requirements

    Auto-Detect Requirements

    Enter your England property and we generate all applicable compliance tasks

    Right to Rent Reminders

    Track follow-up checks for time-limited immigration status

    Deposit Protection Tracker

    30-day countdown with prescribed information checklist

    How to Rent Updates

    Alerts when the government updates the How to Rent guide

    Section 21 Readiness

    Pre-flight checklist ensuring your Section 21 will be valid

    Document Storage

    Upload certificates and link them to properties and tenancies

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about landlord compliance in England

    Ready to Stay Compliant in England?

    Join thousands of landlords who trust our system to track Right to Rent, deposit protection, and all the requirements needed for valid Section 21 notices.