Landlord Responsibilities

If you rent out your property in Leicester or Leicestershire then you are classed as a landlord you must abide by the following in order to stay compliant.

Ensure that your rented properties are safe and free from health hazards

To ensure all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained

Provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the property

Protect your tenant’s deposit in a government-approved deposit scheme

Ensuring your tenant has the right to rent your property if it’s in England

Provide your tenant with 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 properties 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, eg 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. It's important to take action on enforcement notices from your local 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 you with a improvement notice

Fix the hazard in question themselves and bill you for the cost

Stop you or anyone else from using part or all of the property

Financial Responsibilities

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.

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