UK Landlord Compliance Guide 2025
Every certificate, inspection, and legal obligation UK landlords must meet — with deadlines, penalties, and verified tradespeople to book directly.
Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)
If your property has any gas appliances — boiler, hob, fire, or pipework — you must arrange an annual Gas Safety inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The resulting certificate (a CP12) must be issued to existing tenants within 28 days and to new tenants before they move in.
- ✓ Applies to all gas appliances, flues, and pipework
- ✓ Must be renewed every 12 months without exception
- ✓ Penalty: unlimited fine or up to 6 months imprisonment
- ✓ Keep records for at least 2 years
- ✓ Typical cost: £60–£120 depending on region and appliance count
Electrical Safety (EICR)
The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) has been mandatory for all private rented properties in England since April 2021. An EICR must be carried out by a qualified electrician every 5 years — or at the start of a new tenancy if the existing report is older.
- ✓ Mandatory every 5 years (or per tenancy, whichever is sooner)
- ✓ Must be carried out by a qualified, competent electrician
- ✓ Report must be provided to tenants within 28 days
- ✓ Remedial works must be completed within 28 days of report
- ✓ Council can impose fines up to £30,000 for non-compliance
- ✓ Typical cost: £100–£300 depending on property size
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
All rented properties must have a valid EPC before marketing to new tenants. The current minimum energy rating for rented properties is EPC E. The government has proposed raising this to EPC C by 2028 for new tenancies — landlords should plan energy efficiency upgrades now to avoid last-minute costs.
- ✓ Valid for 10 years — renew before marketing or re-letting
- ✓ Current minimum: EPC E (F and G ratings cannot be let)
- ✓ Proposed minimum EPC C from 2028 for new tenancies
- ✓ Penalty for letting below minimum: up to £5,000 per property
- ✓ EPC assessors must be accredited — not a DIY job
- ✓ Typical cost: £60–£120 for a standard assessment
EPC assessment & energy upgrades
Find an EPC assessor →Repairs & Section 11 Obligations
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 places a legal duty on landlords to keep the structure and exterior of rented properties in repair, as well as installations for water, gas, electricity, heating, and sanitation. These obligations cannot be contracted out — they apply regardless of what a tenancy agreement says.
Structure & exterior
Installations
Response times
Awaab's Law 2025
Awaab's Law — named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died from mould exposure in social housing — came into force in 2025. It requires social landlords to investigate reported hazards (particularly damp and mould) within a strict timeframe and begin remedial works promptly.
While currently applying to social housing, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 extends similar obligations toward private landlords — and courts are increasingly referencing Awaab's Law timelines in private tenancy disputes.
Key timelines
Find a verified tradesperson
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