First-time landlord checklist
Letting your first property? Here's everything to sort out, in the order you'll need it.
1. Before you advertise
- Mortgage: get your lender's consent to let, or switch to a buy-to-let mortgage.
- Leasehold: check that the lease allows letting.
- Insurance: standard home insurance usually won't cover a let property, so get landlord insurance.
- Licensing: check whether your council needs a licence for the property.
- Registration: register on the landlord database once it opens for your region. Registration guide
2. Safety and certificates
- An EPC rated E or above
- A gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- An EICR electrical safety report
- A smoke alarm on every storey, and CO alarms where needed
- A legionella risk assessment
3. Finding a tenant
- Advertise one fixed rent. Rental bidding is banned.
- No blanket bans on children, benefits or pets.
- Carry out Right to Rent checks on every adult.
- Take no more than one month's rent in advance.
4. When the tenant moves in
- Give the written statement of terms before the tenancy starts. Tenancy agreement tips
- Give copies of the EPC, gas safety record and EICR.
- Protect the deposit within 30 days and give the prescribed information.
- Make an inventory with dated photos.
- Test the alarms on the first day.
5. Running the tenancy
- Track rent and keep records of every payment.
- Renew the gas safety check every year and the EICR every 5 years.
- Raise the rent no more than once a year, with two months' notice. Rent increase rules
- Log repairs and how quickly you fixed them.
6. Tax
- Keep records of income and allowable expenses.
- Report rental profit to HMRC through Self Assessment, or Making Tax Digital if you're over the threshold. MTD guide
How Landlord Friendly will help
- A step-by-step setup that walks you through this checklist
- Reminders before every certificate and renewal
- Rent, repairs and expenses tracked in one place
Frequently asked questions
What do I need before I can let a property?
Permission from your mortgage lender, landlord insurance, a valid EPC rated E or above, a gas safety record, an EICR, working smoke and CO alarms, and any licence your council requires.
Do I need to register as a landlord?
Yes. From 15 December 2026, landlords in England must register themselves and each property on the new landlord database, region by region, at £65 per property each year.
How much deposit can I take?
Up to five weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and it must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days.
Do I pay tax on rental income?
Yes. Rental profit is taxable and is usually reported through Self Assessment, or Making Tax Digital if your income is over the threshold.
Related: Accidental landlords · Full compliance checklist
Official sources
- Gas safety: landlords and letting agents (HSE)
- Guide for landlords: electrical safety standards in the private rented sector (GOV.UK)
- Minimum energy efficiency standard: landlord guidance (GOV.UK)
- Private renting: deposits (GOV.UK)
- Landlord's guide to right to rent checks (GOV.UK)
- Get ready: Register your rental property (GOV.UK Housing Hub)
Last reviewed 25 October 2026. This guide is general information for landlords in England, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Rules change, so check the official sources before acting.