Unlike the bad old days before the tightening up of the market and sweeping away the bad practices, there are many rules surrounding the renting out of domestic property. First and foremost is the need to keep all rented properties safe and free from health hazards. It must be ensured that all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained. There must be an Energy performance certificate for each property owned. The tenant will always be asked to pay a deposit and this must, by law, be protected in a government approved scheme. The landlord must check that his tenant has the right to rent the property if it’s in England or Wales. The landlord must give the tenant a copy of the ‘how to rent’ checklist as soon as they start renting – this can be emailed. There are different rules for landlords in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
There are additional fire safety responsibilities too and these include the fitting and testing of smoke alarms and carbonmonoxide alarms. The landlord must follow fire safety regulations for property in a purpose-built block of flats, or for houses and property adapted into flats.