In this guide
Whether you've inherited a property with a sitting tenant, temporarily moved out and let a family member stay, or simply couldn't sell — you're now a landlord. The law applies to you immediately, regardless of how you got here. This guide tells you exactly what to do, in order of priority. There is a lot to cover, but none of it is impossible. Here's what to do.
Your First 24 Hours
Three things to establish before anything else
Before you can work out what you need to do, you need to understand what situation you're actually in. The answers to three questions will tell you almost everything.
Establish the tenancy type
Do you have a formal tenancy agreement? If so, is the tenant paying rent? This determines whether an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) exists. If someone is living there without paying rent or with family permission only, different rules apply — speak to a solicitor before taking any action.
Confirm the deposit situation
Was a deposit paid? When was it paid? Is it currently protected in an approved deposit protection scheme? If a deposit was paid more than 30 days ago and has never been protected, you need to act urgently — see Section 2 below.
Check the safety certificates
Does the property have a current gas safety certificate (CP12)? A valid EICR within the last 5 years? A current EPC? If any are missing, these are your first three things to arrange — before anything else.
Reassurance: Even if some of this has not been done, you are not automatically facing a fine today. The key is acting promptly from the point you become aware. This guide tells you what is most urgent and in what order.
The 30-Day Deposit Deadline
The most time-sensitive obligation for new landlords
If your tenant paid a deposit, you are required to protect it in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receiving it. The three approved schemes are: TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme), MyDeposits, and DPS (Deposit Protection Service).
The prescribed information and the RRA Information Sheet are separate documents
You must serve both within 30 days. The prescribed information is the scheme's standard document about the deposit. The RRA Information Sheet is a separate government document about the Renters' Rights Act, mandatory from 1 May 2026. Both must be served — serving one without the other is not compliant.
Safety Certificates You Need Now
Three certificates — and when to serve them to your tenant
Every let property in England and Wales requires three safety certificates. Here's the current position on each, and what to do if you don't have them.
Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)
AnnualRequired every 12 months from a Gas Safe registered engineer. There is no grace period — the annual requirement applies from the moment you became the landlord. If there is no current CP12, arrange one immediately. Fine for non-compliance: up to £6,000 and criminal prosecution.
What to do: Book a Gas Safe engineer. Find one at gassaferegister.co.uk.
EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)
Every 5 yearsRequired every 5 years from a qualified electrician. If no valid EICR exists for the property, this is urgent. If the property has never had one, that is a non-compliance situation carrying a fine of up to £40,000.
What to do: Book a qualified electrician. Check the NAPIT or NICEIC registers.
EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
Valid for 10 yearsThe property must have a current EPC (valid for up to 10 years) and must meet the minimum Band E rating. Check if one already exists at epcregister.com using the property address — there may already be a valid one in the register.
What to do: Check epcregister.com first. If none or expired, book an accredited domestic energy assessor.
Serving them to your tenant: Once you have these certificates, you must provide copies to your tenant. If they are an existing tenant, serve copies within 28 days of obtaining the certificate. New tenants must receive copies before they move in.
Understanding Your Rights Post-Section 21
Section 21 was abolished 1 May 2026 — if you want possession, here's how it works now
Section 21 — the no-fault eviction notice — was permanently abolished on 1 May 2026. You cannot simply serve notice and ask your tenant to leave. If you want to recover possession — for example, to sell the property or move back in — you now need to use one of the Section 8 grounds.
The most relevant grounds for accidental landlords are:
Inherited a long-standing tenancy? The 12-month clock does not reset
If you inherited a property with an existing tenancy, the “first 12 months” restriction counts from when that tenancy started — not from when you became the landlord. If the tenancy is already over 12 months old, you may be able to serve Ground 1 or 1A notice immediately. Get legal advice before serving any notice.
Get your compliance sorted before you think about serving any notice.
Every Section 8 ground requires a valid deposit protection, gas cert, EICR, EPC, and How to Rent guide to be in place. LandlordAssist checks all of these before you do anything else.
Get early access — freeMortgage and Insurance Requirements
Check your mortgage terms and insurance policy before anything else
Two things to check immediately — both can have serious consequences if ignored.
Your mortgage
Most residential mortgages prohibit letting without the lender's consent. Letting without consent is technically a breach of mortgage terms and can, in the worst case, trigger a demand for immediate repayment of the outstanding balance. The practical solution: contact your lender and ask for consent to let (many allow it with a small fee or rate adjustment), or remortgage to a buy-to-let product.
What to do: Call your mortgage lender. Explain the situation. Ask about consent to let.
Buildings insurance
Standard residential buildings insurance typically does not cover a let property. Check your policy wording — look for exclusions related to tenants or commercial use. If your property is let and you have a claim under an unsuitable policy, the insurer may decline to pay.
What to do: Check your current policy. If letting is not covered, get a landlord buildings policy.
Landlord liability insurance
Not legally required, but strongly recommended. Covers you if a tenant suffers injury on the property and brings a claim. The cost is modest relative to the potential exposure.
What to do: Consider a combined landlord buildings, contents, and liability policy.
Tax Obligations
Rental income must be declared — even if you only became a landlord recently
Rental income is taxable. It doesn't matter that you didn't intend to become a landlord — HMRC applies the same rules. Income after allowable expenses is subject to income tax at your marginal rate. If you don't already file a Self Assessment tax return, register at gov.uk/self-assessment.
Allowable expenses you can deduct
- Mortgage interest — basic rate (20%) tax relief only on buy-to-let properties (since April 2020)
- Letting agent or management fees
- Repairs and maintenance (not improvements — those are capital expenditure)
- Buildings and contents insurance premiums
- Ground rent and service charges
- Legal and professional fees (tenancy agreements, debt recovery, accountancy)
- Utility bills you pay as landlord (if applicable)
Practical tip: Keep a simple log of all rental income received and all expenses paid from the day you become a landlord. A spreadsheet works fine initially. Your accountant will need this for your first Self Assessment return. Start as you mean to go on — it's much harder to reconstruct later.
The PRS Database (Coming Late 2026)
Registration will be mandatory for all landlords in England
Later in 2026, all landlords in England will be required to register on the new Private Rented Sector (PRS) database. This is a new national register being introduced under the Renters' Rights Act 2026. Registration is not yet open but is expected to launch in late 2026.
What you will need to register
- Your full contact details as landlord (or managing agent details if applicable)
- Property address and basic specification for each let property
- All current safety certificates (gas safety, EICR)
- EPC documentation and current rating
- Tenancy information (type and duration)
How LandlordAssist Supports First-Time Landlords
A compliance health score in 60 seconds — then every deadline handled automatically
You didn't plan this. Most landlords start where you are — with a property, a tenant, and a list of things to figure out. LandlordAssist gives you a compliance health score for your property in 60 seconds — then handles every deadline automatically, via Telegram. You don't need to remember when the gas cert is due. It will tell you.
Compliance health score
Answer a few questions about your property and tenancy. LandlordAssist immediately shows you which of the six mandatory prerequisites are met and which need attention — with a plain-English explanation of what to do for each one.
Deposit tracking
Log the deposit amount, protection date, scheme used, and confirmation that prescribed information and the RRA Information Sheet were served. LandlordAssist tracks the 30-day window and flags any gaps.
Certificate upload and expiry tracking
Upload your gas safety cert, EICR, and EPC. LandlordAssist tracks the expiry dates and sends you Telegram alerts 90, 60, and 30 days before each one expires — so you always have time to renew before the deadline.
Guided Telegram setup
All alerts arrive via Telegram — no app to install, no dashboard to log into. The setup takes under 2 minutes. After that, LandlordAssist messages you when something needs attention. You just have to respond.