The UK landlord's safety & compliance guide (2026)

Landlord compliance in the UK is not especially complex, but it is non-negotiable. The core obligations — gas safety, electrical safety, and alarms — are clearly defined in law, with real penalties for failing to meet them. The practical challenge is making sure each requirement gets done on time, that tenants receive the right documents, and that records are kept and retrievable.

This guide covers every principal safety obligation for a residential letting in England (with notes on Scotland and Wales where they differ).

Gas safety: annual, no exceptions

The legal requirement

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords must:

1. Have all gas appliances and flues in the property checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
2. Give the resulting gas safety record (still often called a CP12 after the old Corgi form) to new tenants before they move in, and to existing tenants within 28 days of the check.
3. Keep a copy of every gas safety record for at least two years.

What it costs

A standard gas safety check typically costs £60–£120, depending on the number of gas appliances and location. Some landlord insurance and boiler cover policies include an annual gas safety check — check your cover before booking separately.

What it covers

The engineer checks all gas appliances in the property (boiler, gas cooker, gas fires, flues and pipework) and issues the record. It is not the same as a boiler service — see what does a boiler service include? for the distinction.

Electrical safety: EICR every five years

The legal requirement

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to:

1. Have the electrical installation in the property inspected by a qualified and competent person at least every five years (or more frequently if the previous report requires it).
2. Give the EICR to new tenants before occupation.
3. Give the EICR to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection.
4. Provide a copy to prospective tenants within 28 days of a written request.
5. Carry out any remedial work identified as C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) within 28 days, or sooner if specified.

The local housing authority can issue a remedial notice for non-compliance and may fine landlords up to £30,000.

What the EICR covers

The report covers the fixed electrical installation — wiring, consumer unit, sockets, switches, light fittings and earthing arrangements. It doesn't cover portable appliances (which are covered by PAT testing, a separate matter). The report will classify any issues found as C1, C2, or C3 (improvement recommended but not urgent).

For more detail, see EICR explained: what landlords must know.

Smoke and CO alarms

Smoke alarms

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (as amended in 2022) require at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property used as living accommodation. Alarms must be tested on the first day of each new tenancy.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Since 1 October 2022, CO alarms are required in every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, including gas boilers. Previously the requirement only covered solid fuel appliances. This is a significant change — most rental properties with a gas boiler now require a CO alarm in or immediately outside the boiler room, or wherever the boiler is located.

Who installs them?

Alarms must be in working order at the start of each tenancy. Landlords are responsible for providing them; testing at the start of each tenancy is typically the landlord's (or their agent's) responsibility.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

An EPC is required for all rental properties, and the property must meet a minimum rating of E (on the A–G scale). Renting a property with an F or G rating is unlawful. The certificate lasts 10 years.

Legislation to raise the minimum to a C rating for new tenancies has been under discussion — this is worth tracking as it would require improvements to many properties.

Required documents for tenants

At the start of each tenancy, landlords in England must provide:

Document	When to give it
Gas safety record (CP12)	Before move-in
EICR	Before move-in
Energy Performance Certificate	Before move-in
How to Rent guide (England)	Before move-in
Deposit protection paperwork	Within 30 days of taking the deposit

Failing to provide these documents correctly can affect a landlord's ability to serve a valid Section 21 notice.

Record-keeping

Record	Minimum retention	Best practice
Gas safety records	2 years	Keep permanently
EICR	Until next satisfactory inspection	Keep permanently
Smoke/CO alarm checks	Duration of tenancy	Keep permanently
Boiler service records	No statutory requirement	Keep permanently
Deposit protection	Duration of tenancy + 6 years	Keep permanently

The practical challenge

The compliance requirements themselves are clear. What catches landlords out is keeping track of when each certificate expires across multiple properties, making sure the right document reaches the right tenant on time, and having everything retrievable when a tenant, agent, or local authority asks for it.

See a simple system for landlord compliance reminders for a practical approach — including how to use JustTaggit to attach compliance documents to each property and appliance and receive automatic renewal reminders.

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