How to Rent checklist for landlords

1. Finding and referencing a tenant

Advertise fairly, screen properly and take only the money the law allows.

• Advertise one clear asking rent and accept no offers above it.Rental bidding is banned under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
• Do not refuse applicants because they receive benefits or have children.Blanket bans are unlawful discrimination.
• Consider reasonable requests to keep a pet and reply in writing.Tenants gain the right to request a pet, which you cannot unreasonably refuse.
• Carry out Right to Rent checks on every adult before the tenancy starts and keep copies.Civil penalties apply for each person not checked.
• Take references, affordability and, where needed, a guarantor.
• Cap any holding deposit at one week's rent and return it within 7 days of the agreement.Tenant Fees Act 2019.

2. Safety and compliance before move in

The certificates you must hold, and give, before the tenant gets the keys.

• Gas Safety Record (CP12) from a Gas Safe engineer, renewed every 12 months.Without it given before move in, possession can be blocked.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) renewed at least every 5 years.
• Energy Performance Certificate rated E or above.An EPC must be given before possession proceedings are valid.
• A smoke alarm on every storey used as living space, tested on the first day.
• A carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).
• Check whether the property needs an HMO, additional or selective licence from the council.
• Legionella risk assessment and a home free of serious hazards.

3. The tenancy agreement

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 the paperwork itself is a legal requirement.

• Use a periodic assured tenancy with no fixed term.Fixed terms and Section 21 are abolished for England's private rented sector.
• Give the required written statement of terms before the tenancy starts.
• Remove any banned fees or unfair terms from the agreement.Prohibited payments are recoverable by the tenant.
• State the rent, payment day and how rent increases work (Section 13 only).
• Get the agreement signed by every tenant and the landlord, with a dated copy for each.

4. Move in day and the first 30 days

The documents that protect your right to possession later.

• Give the current How to Rent guide or the government information sheet that replaces it for your tenancy.Missing it can make later notices invalid.
• Give the Gas Safety Record, EPC and EICR, and keep proof of how and when you sent them.
• Cap the deposit at 5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if annual rent is £50,000 or more).
• Protect the deposit in a government approved scheme within 30 days.Penalties of up to three times the deposit.
• Serve the deposit Prescribed Information within the same 30 days.
• Complete a signed inventory and schedule of condition with dated photos.
• Record meter readings and tell the council and utilities about the new occupier.

5. During the tenancy

Keep rent, repairs and records in order so any dispute goes your way.

• Track every rent payment and chase arrears early and in writing.
• Log repair requests with dates and respond within reasonable timescales.Records defeat retaliatory eviction claims.
• Give at least 24 hours' written notice before inspections or access.
• Renew gas safety every year and EICR every five years.
• Increase rent no more than once a year, using Section 13 (Form 4A) with two months' notice.

6. Serving your first notice

Possession now needs a valid Section 8 ground and a clean paper trail.

• Check the deposit was protected and Prescribed Information served on time.
• Check you can prove the How to Rent guide, Gas Safety Record and EPC were given.
• Choose the correct Section 8 ground and its notice period.
• Serve Form 3A by a method the agreement allows and keep proof of service.
• Diarise the earliest date you can apply to court.

Questions landlords ask

What is the How to Rent checklist?

It is the government guide landlords in England must give tenants at the start of a tenancy. This checklist covers that guide plus every other step a landlord must complete so notices stay valid.

What happens if I do not give the How to Rent guide?

Possession notices can be invalid, and under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 failing to provide required information can lead to penalties.

Does the checklist apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

It is written for England. RentDocs.co.uk handles the equivalent rules for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland when you add a property in those nations.

Is the checklist free?

Yes. Download the PDF free. A RentDocs.co.uk account automates each step, with a free account to try it on one property.