Landlord responsibilites summary .Gov
If you are renting out a property in England or Wales the government provide a summary of landlord responsibilities which many landlords will be completely familiar with, but it is still common to find the basics missed. Click here for the full .Gov web pages.
Make sure you are on top of what is required and have the fundamentals covered.
Landlord Responsibilities:
Keep your rented properties safe and free from health hazards
Make sure all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained
Provide an Energy Performance Certificate for the property
Protect your tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme
Check your tenant has the right to rent your property if it’s in England
Give your tenant a copy of the How to rent checklist when they start renting from you (you can email it to them)
Fire Safety:
Fit and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms
Follow fire safety regulations for property in a purpose-built block of flats or for houses and property adapted into flats
Health and safety inspections
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is used by your council to make sure that properties in its area are safe for the people who live there. This involves inspecting your property for possible hazards, such as uneven stairs.
If you own a property and rent it out, the council may decide to do an HHSRS inspection because:
- your tenants have asked for an inspection
- the council has done a survey of local properties and thinks your property might be hazardous
HHSRS hazard ratings
Inspectors look at 29 health and safety areas and score each hazard they find as category 1 or 2, according to its seriousness. You must take action on enforcement notices from your council. You also have the right to appeal enforcement notices.
The council can do any of the following if they find a serious hazard:
- issue an improvement notice
- fix the hazard themselves and bill you for the cost
- stop you or anyone else from using part or all of the property
Financial responsibilities (It is still amazing how many questions we get at Property118 from Landlords who have not informed HMRC or their lender that they are renting property)
You have to pay:
- Income Tax on your rental income, minus your day-to-day running expenses
- Class 2 National Insurance if the work you do renting out property counts as running a business
If you have a mortgage on the property you want to rent out, you must get permission from your mortgage lender.
Property you personally own: The first £1,000 of your income from property rental is tax-free. This is your ‘property allowance’.
Contact HMRC if your income from property rental is between £1,000 and £2,500 a year. You must report it on a Self Assessment tax return if it’s:
- £2,500 to £9,999 after allowable expenses
- £10,000 or more before allowable expenses
If you do not usually send a tax return, you need to register by 5 October following the tax year you had rental income.
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
If you let your property to several tenants who are not members of the same family, it may be a ‘House in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO).
Your property is an HMO if both of the following apply:
- at least 3 tenants live there, forming more than one household
- toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities are shared
A household consists of either a single person or members of the same family who live together. It includes people who are married or living together and people in same-sex relationships.
Licences
An HMO must have a licence if it is occupied by 5 or more people. A council can also include other types of HMOs for licensing.
Find out if you need an HMO licence from your council.
Risk assessment
The council has to carry out a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) risk assessment on your HMO within 5 years of receiving a licence application. If the inspector finds any unacceptable risks during the assessment, you must carry out work to eliminate them.
Reporting changes
You must tell the council if:
- you plan to make changes to an HMO
- your tenants make changes
- your tenants’ circumstances change (for example they have a child)
Comments
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Previous Article
Open ended tenancies and on the hook for start dates?
Member Since October 2015 - Comments: 18
10:50 AM, 4th January 2019, About 7 years ago
what about the April 2018 minimum EPC of E
how many of you have let a home From April 2018 with a lower than E EPC
fine £5000 happy days
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 1969 - Articles: 1
10:52 AM, 4th January 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by yew tree at 04/01/2019 – 10:50
And, due to the methodology, previously rated low ‘C’ properties can now fall below the threshold. Don’t assume your rating will be the same at renewal (which started in 2017 on the ten-year anniversary).
Member Since February 2016 - Comments: 1056
11:30 AM, 4th January 2019, About 7 years ago
There doesn’t seem to be any mention of the legionella risk assessment either, unless I’ve missed it.
Member Since June 2014 - Comments: 325
6:55 PM, 7th January 2019, About 7 years ago
Not the best government web page, as in addition to omitting LRA also omits the EICR (Periodic Fixed Wiring checks).
Member Since December 2018 - Comments: 6
10:47 AM, 8th January 2019, About 7 years ago
They mentioned EPC however did not mention anything about CP12 (Gas Safety Certificates) which is vital. Without providing this at the begin of the tenancy it is very hard for landlord to evict tenants let alone any rent repayment order could be given to the tenants.
Member Since April 2014 - Comments: 460 - Articles: 1
4:55 PM, 8th January 2019, About 7 years ago
I don’t know who wrote that guide, but there seems to be a lot missing! Re EPCs. Mine have just been renewed. All fully double glazed properties with full central heating and the requisite density loft insulation. Can’t get any of them above a ‘D’. The recommendations are to install things like solar panels, under floor heating etc! Fortunately they are all above ‘E’ and the tenants are perfectly happy, so I guess I can tick that box
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 1969 - Articles: 1
10:37 PM, 8th January 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Annie Landlord at 08/01/2019 – 16:55
Expect by next renewal in 10 years (if we’re all still here) for the goalposts to have been shifted…I vaguely recall the view to make C the new minimum!
Member Since April 2014 - Comments: 460 - Articles: 1
10:54 AM, 9th January 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 08/01/2019 – 22:37
As my strategy is to sell, I sincerely hope in 10 years I won’t be a part of what has become a disgusting, politically motivated circus for both tenants and landlords!