How to rent checklist

by Ed Firmin

Posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2015 at 10:00

There is a document which has been produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government which provides a checklist for tenants renting in England.

This document now has to be given to all tenants before renting a property, either by the landlord, or the letting agent acting on behalf of the landlord. It’s aimed at all tenants, although if you are renting a shared property, some of the rights and responsibilities will be slightly different, but the guide shows where that’s applicable or not for shared property tenants.

It was developed by the Government to give private tenants all details of their rental rights, to help prevent them being at the mercy of the minority of rogue landlords.

The Government wants to bring clarity and fairness to the rental system and ensure that England’s 9 million private rented sector tenants are able to hold their landlord to account if necessary, without introducing excessive regulation for landlords. So this guide is part of these measures being brought in. Other measures include the need for all letting agents to publish a tariff of all their fees on their website and in their offices, for example.

So what does this document include?

Tenants will have information on:

• advice and information on tenancy deposit schemes, bill payments and tenancy length
• a checklist of what the landlord must provide tenants, including gas certificates and deposit paperwork
• information on the requirements of the landlord to maintain the structure of the property and give tenants at least 24 hours’ notice before entering the property
• the legal requirements for landlords and tenants on ending tenancies and returning deposits

Where can this document be found?

It can be downloaded here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464910/How_to_Rent_October_2015_FINAL.pdf

You can either print this out and give it to your tenants, or give them the link – it’s able to be viewed on a laptop, computer, table or smartphone. It’s better to be viewed online, as it contains quite a few hyperlinks.

For more information on what you need to do before your tenant moves into your property, then please get in touch, I will be able to advise you on how to remain compliant and legal.

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