🔑 Letting out a property checklist

Most of what goes wrong for a first-time landlord is a step skipped before the tenant arrives. Sort the paperwork and the safety checks first.

20 items

1. Whether a licence is needed for the property checked with the local authority
2. Mortgage lender's permission to let obtainedLetting without asking can breach the mortgage terms, even on a property owned outright.
3. Landlord insurance arrangedA standard home insurance policy usually doesn't cover a tenanted property.
4. Safety checks booked
5. Gas safety certificate
6. Electrical installation condition report
7. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms fitted and tested
8. Any furniture provided checked against fire safety rules
9. Energy Performance Certificate in date
10. Deposit protection scheme chosen before taking oneCheck the current rules — most schemes set a strict deadline for registering a deposit.
11. Tenancy agreement drafted or checked against the current rulesTake advice rather than reusing an old template — the rules around notice and rent change.
12. Right to rent or equivalent checks completed
13. Inventory prepared with dated photographsThe same evidence a tenant needs at check-out protects a landlord equally at check-in.
14. Rent amount and payment date agreed in writing
15. Emergency contact and repair process given to the tenant
16. Meter readings recorded at the start of the tenancy
17. Utilities and council tax responsibility confirmedCheck who's actually billed from the start date rather than assume.
18. Smoke alarms, appliances and keys tested in front of the tenant
19. Contact details kept for any managing agent
20. Reminder set for every safety certificate's renewal dateA lapsed gas certificate nobody noticed is the most common way landlords end up non-compliant.