The 7 things you should do if you’re a landlord.
Do you rent out a residential property? Then here’s our checklist of the seven things every landlord needs to get right.
Being a landlord comes with a host of responsibilities – many of which are enshrined in law. The rules and regulations are constantly changing, with several new rules coming into effect from December 1. Read on to make sure your property is safe and legal.
1. Register with Rent Smart Wales
If you want to rent a property in Wales, it’s a legal requirement that you have a Rent Smart Wales licence. As part of your license application, you will be required to undertake Rent Smart Wales training. The training costs £100 if you do it in a classroom and £30 to do it online. You can find more information on rentsmart.gov.wales.
2. Make sure the property is fire safe
As a landlord, your legal responsibilities include following safety regulations, fitting a smoke alarm on every storey of the property, fitting a carbon monoxide alarm in any room that contains a solid fuel burning appliance, and ensuring your tenants have access to escape routes at all times. You must also make sure any furniture and furnishings you supply are fire safe and provide fire alarms and extinguishers if the property is a large HMO (house in multiple occupation).
3. Ensure the electrics are safe
Another legal requirement is to make sure the electrical system is safe. That includes checking sockets and light fittings and making sure all appliances you provide – such as cookers and kettles – are safe. From December 1 2022, you are required to hire a licenced professional to conduct an EICR test (electrical installation condition report) at least once every five years – and it’s recommended you get a new certificate whenever there is a change of tenancy. An EICR test checks that all the light fittings, sockets, wiring and fuse boxes in your property are safe.
4. Ensure the gas appliances and heating are safe
You are legally required to make sure any gas equipment you supply is safely installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You need to get a registered engineer to carry out an annual gas safety check on every appliance and flue and you must give your tenant a copy of the gas safety check record, known as a CP12, before they move in, or within 28 days of the check
5. Make sure the property is in a good state of repair
As of December 1 2022, the updated Welsh Government guidance for landlords on the Fitness of Homes for Human Habitation says that landlords’ responsibilities to keep a dwelling in a state of repair extend tothe structure and exterior of the property (including drains, gutters and external pipes), and the service installations in the dwelling, such as those for sanitation, the supply of water, gas or electricity and for heating. You must
keep the dwelling in repair at all times, and if you are notified of an issue, you must fix it in good time. You must also make good any damage resulting from the repairs. If the tenant has not caused the problem, they have no obligation to pay towards the repairs.
6. Get landlord insurance
While not a legal requirement, this is common sense – and if you have a mortgage on your property, it will almost certainly be required by the lender. If the property was previously your home, be aware that the insurance policy you had on the property when you lived there will not cover you as a landlord: you need to get special landlord’s insurance.
7. Get an energy performance certificate
An energy performance certificate gives your property a banded rating depending on how energy efficient it is. At present, landlords must ensure any rental property has an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of E or above, but from 2025 this threshold will rise to band C – so it’s worth planning now to ensure your property makes the grade.
Need help?
From plumbing and electrics to structural repairs, we can make sure your property is safe, compliant, and properly certified. Get in touch today to book a visit.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.