Landlord guide: Hastings Council

Overview

If you let a property in the Hastings Council area, the first job is to confirm which licensing regime the exact address falls under. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to larger HMOs. Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs, and selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area. Designations run for up to five years and can be ward- or street-specific, so check the council's current designations and boundaries before advertising. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (main provisions commence 2026) replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies, ends section 21 no-fault evictions and introduces a national landlord database and ombudsman. Whatever the licensing position, landlords must always provide a current gas safety record where there is gas, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all other required prescribed documents before the tenancy starts.