Becoming a landlord is more than handing over a set of keys - it is a series of legal duties you take on, each with its own paperwork and timing. This guide walks you through letting a property in the right order, from checking that letting is right for you through to your ongoing duties once a tenant has moved in. At each step we link a dedicated guide that carries the detail, so you can work through it at your own pace. With Domovita you can list the property yourself or bring in a local agent to handle the lettings work for you - both routes are first-class, and either way the compliance duties below still apply. This is general guidance, not legal or tax advice; always check the current position on gov.uk and take professional advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: 30 May 2026.
Before you start: the 12 steps at a glance
Letting a home well comes down to doing a sequence of things in the right order. The list below is that sequence. Some steps are one-off (getting an EPC), some repeat (the gas check), and some carry on for as long as you let (your tax duties). Work through them in turn and follow the linked guide for the specifics, because the figures, notice periods and deadlines change and the dedicated guide is kept current.
Step 1 - Check letting is right for you, and tell your lender and insurer
Before anything else, make sure letting actually fits your plans and your finances. If the property has a mortgage, you almost certainly need your lender's consent to let it - letting without permission can breach your mortgage terms. Your buildings insurer also needs to know, because a standard residential policy may not cover a let property. Speak to both before you advertise. For a general overview of a landlord's responsibilities, see gov.uk renting out a property.
Step 2 - Understand the post-1-May-2026 legal landscape
The framework for private renting in England has changed under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Tenancies now run as assured periodic tenancies, and possession is sought through the Section 8 route rather than the old "no-fault" process. Getting your head around this shapes every later step - the type of agreement you use, the notices you can serve, and how a tenancy ends. Read our Renters' Rights Act guide for landlords first, and check the current overview on gov.uk private renting.
Step 3 - Get a valid EPC and meet the minimum energy standard
You must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate before you market the property, and the home must meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) to be let lawfully. The exact minimum rating and any exemptions are best confirmed against the current rules, as they have been under review - see our EPC and MEES rules guide, and find or check an existing certificate at gov.uk find an energy certificate.
Step 4 - Arrange the annual gas safety check (CP12) if there is gas
If the property has any gas appliances, pipework or flues, a Gas Safe registered engineer must check them and issue a gas safety record (often called a CP12). This is repeated every year, and you must give the tenant a copy. See our gas safety certificate guide for who can carry it out, the timing, and the record-keeping; for the official position, check gov.uk renting out a property.
Step 5 - Get an electrical safety report (EICR) and fit alarms
You must have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested, with an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) as the result, and supply a copy to your tenant. You also need to fit working smoke alarms and, where required, carbon-monoxide alarms. The renewal interval and alarm rules are set out in our EICR and electrical safety guide. Confirm the current detail on gov.uk.
Step 6 - Check whether you need a licence
Some lettings need a licence from the local council - this can apply to houses in multiple occupation and, in some areas, to ordinary rented homes under selective or additional licensing schemes. Whether a scheme applies, and what it costs, is set by the local council, so check yours rather than assuming. Our landlord licensing guide explains the types of licence and how to find out what applies. For the official overview of HMO and council licensing, see gov.uk houses in multiple occupation licence.
Step 7 - Price and prepare the property
With the legal groundwork done, set a realistic rent and get the property ready - clean, safe, in good repair, and with any required documents to hand. Look at what comparable homes nearby are actually achieving rather than guessing. If you would rather not do this yourself, a local agent can advise on rent and presentation; on Domovita you can choose either route.
Step 8 - Advertise and find tenants
Now you can market the property. List it on Domovita yourself with clear photos and an honest, accurate description, or instruct a local agent to advertise and conduct viewings on your behalf. Be straight about the property's condition and costs - misleading or omitting material information can land you in trouble under consumer protection law, including the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. For the official position on what you must disclose, see gov.uk.
Step 9 - Reference tenants and carry out Right to Rent checks
Once you have an interested applicant, reference them - identity, affordability and previous-landlord checks help you let with confidence. Separately, in England you must carry out a Right to Rent check on every adult who will live there before the tenancy begins. Our tenant referencing guide and Right to Rent checks guide cover both; for the official guidance and acceptable documents, see gov.uk check a tenant's Right to Rent.
Step 10 - Take a deposit, protect it, and serve the prescribed information
If you take a deposit, it must not exceed the legal cap, it must be protected in a government-approved scheme within the required time, and you must give the tenant the prescribed information about where it is held. Getting this wrong can affect your ability to recover possession later, so follow it carefully. For the cap amount, the protection deadline and the prescribed-information rules, see our deposit protection guide and check the current figures on gov.uk tenancy deposit protection.
Step 11 - Use an up-to-date tenancy agreement
Use a current written agreement that reflects the post-2026 framework - an assured periodic tenancy, without the old "no-fault" route. An out-of-date template can contain clauses that are no longer valid or enforceable. Our tenancy agreement and periodic tenancies guide explains what a compliant agreement should and should not contain.
Step 12 - Serve the Information Sheet and keep up with ongoing duties
At the start of the tenancy you must give the tenant the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026, and then keep meeting your duties for as long as you let - safety renewals, repairs, deposit handling at the end, and tax. On tax, the restriction on finance-cost relief (often called Section 24) and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax both affect how landlords report and pay; check whether and when they apply to you. See our Information Sheet 2026 guide and landlord tax and MTD guide, and confirm the current tax position with HMRC.
A quick word on getting help
None of this needs to be daunting. Plenty of landlords manage everything themselves, and plenty prefer to hand the day-to-day to a local agent who knows the area and the paperwork. Domovita supports both: list it yourself and work through the steps above, or bring in an agent to do the heavy lifting. Whichever you choose, keep copies of every certificate, check and notice - good records are your best protection if anything is ever questioned. Because the figures and rules in this area change, treat the linked guides and the relevant gov.uk pages as the live source of truth, and take professional advice where your situation is complicated.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission from my mortgage lender to let my property?
Almost certainly, yes. Letting a mortgaged property without your lender's consent can breach your mortgage terms. Tell your lender and your buildings insurer before you advertise, because a standard residential policy may not cover a let property. See the overview at gov.uk renting out a property.
What changed for landlords from 1 May 2026?
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, tenancies in England run as assured periodic tenancies and possession is sought through the Section 8 route rather than the old no-fault process. This affects the agreement you use and how a tenancy ends. Read our Renters' Rights Act guide for landlords and check gov.uk private renting for the current position.
What safety certificates do I need before letting?
Typically a valid EPC that meets the minimum energy standard, an annual gas safety record (CP12) if there is gas, and an electrical safety report (EICR), plus working smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms where required. The exact intervals and rules are in our EPC, gas safety and EICR guides; confirm the current detail on gov.uk.
Do I need a licence to let my property?
It depends on your property and your area. Houses in multiple occupation often need a licence, and some councils run selective or additional schemes for ordinary rented homes. Whether a scheme applies is set by the local council, so check yours. Our landlord licensing guide explains how to find out.
How much deposit can I take and how quickly must I protect it?
Deposits are capped and must be protected in a government-approved scheme within a set time, with prescribed information given to the tenant. We have deliberately not restated the cap or the deadline here because they can change - see our deposit protection guide for the current figures, and check gov.uk tenancy deposit protection.
What are my ongoing duties once a tenant moves in?
You must serve the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 at the start, then keep up safety renewals, repairs, correct deposit handling, and your tax obligations. On tax, the Section 24 finance-cost restriction and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax may apply - check your position with HMRC and see our landlord tax and MTD guide.
General information, not legal advice. This guide explains the rules in plain English and is kept under review, but the law changes and every situation is different. Always check the current position on the official gov.uk pages linked above, and take professional advice - a solicitor, conveyancer, accountant, or your local council as appropriate - before relying on it for a specific decision.