Consent to let
In some instances, landlords may need to obtain consent before letting their property.

This would be from a mortgage lender if the property is not held in a buy-to-let mortgage, an insurance company, or the main leaseholder of a property.
Legionella Risk Assessment
Landlords are required by law to minimise the risk of legionella (a lung infection which can be caught from inhaling droplets of water containing bacteria).
While the disease is fairly uncommon it can be very serious, which is why it is imperative that landlords identify potential sources of legionella bacteria and treat them accordingly.
More information on landlords’ responsibilities when it comes to Legionella can be found here - https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/legionella-landlords-responsibilities.htm
Tenant Fees
Under the Tenant Fees Act (2019) landlords and letting agents are prevented from charging tenants unnecessary fees. The only permitted charges are:
- Rent
- A refundable tenancy deposit
- A refundable holding deposit
- Payments associated with early termination of the tenancy
- Payments capped at £50 for the variation, assignment, or novation of a tenancy
- Payments in respect of utilities, communication services, TV licence and Council Tax
- A default fee for late payment of rent and replacement of a lost key/security device
More information on the Tenant Fees Act can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tenant-fees-act
How to Rent Guide
Before a tenant moves into a property, a landlord must supply them with the Government ‘How to Rent’ Guide. Failure to do so will impede the landlord’s ability to repossess their property.
View and download the guide here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent
Property Redress Scheme
It is a legal requirement for all letting/property management agencies to join an authorised redress scheme. A redress scheme will work to resolve any disputes between letting agents and their clients.
Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £5,000.
Landlords should ensure they are using a reputable agency that is part of an authorised redress scheme.
Taxes
Income generated as a landlord must be reported to HMRC, failure to do so is a criminal offence and can result in large fines and in some instances imprisonment.
More information on paying tax as the landlord is available here - https://www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property/paying-tax
Increasing Rent
A tenancy agreement should clearly state how and when rent will be reviewed. The type of tenancy will affect when a landlord can increase rent.
Tenants living in a periodic tenancy cannot normally have their rent increased more than once a year while those living in a fixed-term tenancy must agree to their rent being increased during the fixed term, otherwise, the landlord will need to wait until the end of the fixed term.
More information on rent increases can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/rent-increases
Evicting Tenants
In most cases to evict a tenant, a landlord will need to apply for an eviction order from the court, which can then be enforced by bailiffs.
There are strict processes which a landlord must adhere to when attempting to evict a tenant. These begin with issuing either a Section 21 or Section 8 notice before applying to the court.
Full details on the process for landlords can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/evicting-tenants
While this isn’t an exhaustive list of all the rules and regulations that landlords need to comply with, we hope it helps to give your landlord clients a good overview. Remind them to do their research!