UK landlord compliance

The compliance calendar every UK landlord should track

Gas safety (CP12), EPC, EICR, HMO licensing, deposit protection, Right to Rent: the cycles, the rules, and what happens if you miss a date.

Last updated: 29 May 2026

The short answer

UK landlords need to track six recurring compliance items: Gas Safety Record (annual), EPC (10 years), EICR (5 years), deposit protection (per tenancy), HMO licence (typically 5 years), and Right to Rent check (per tenancy).

Penalties for missing any of these range from £5,000 to £30,000 per breach, with the added consequence that several can invalidate a Section 21 notice. Most landlords don’t miss out of negligence — they miss because tracking each date across 3+ properties without a system is hard.

The six items

Every UK landlord, every property

Gas Safety RecordCP12

Annual — every 12 months

What:

Required for any property with gas appliances or a gas supply. Tenant must be given a copy within 28 days of the inspection, and before move-in for new tenants.

Who issues:

Gas Safe-registered engineer

If missed:

Civil penalties up to £30,000 per breach. Section 21 notice invalidated if CP12 not served before tenancy start. Criminal prosecution possible for serious breaches.

Energy Performance CertificateEPC

Every 10 years

What:

Required to let any residential property. Minimum E rating to let (MEES regulations). C rating expected for new tenancies from 2028 and existing from 2030, pending confirmation.

Who issues:

Accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA)

If missed:

Civil penalty up to £5,000 per property for letting below minimum standard. Council enforcement is patchy but accelerating in larger cities.

Electrical Installation Condition ReportEICR

Every 5 years

What:

Mandatory for all residential lets in England since June 2020. Covers the fixed electrical installation (consumer unit, wiring, sockets). Doesn't cover appliances — PAT testing is separate and not legally required for landlords.

Who issues:

Qualified electrician (NICEIC / NAPIT / similar)

If missed:

Civil penalty up to £30,000. Must remedy any C1 / C2 issues within 28 days. Tenants must be given the report within 28 days.

Deposit protectionDPS / MyDeposits / TDS

Per tenancy — within 30 days of receipt

What:

Any deposit on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) must be protected in one of three government-backed schemes. Prescribed information must be served to the tenant within 30 days.

Who issues:

Self-administered via DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS (insured or custodial)

If missed:

Tenant can claim 1× to 3× the deposit amount as compensation. Section 21 notice invalidated if deposit isn't protected and prescribed info hasn't been served.

HMO licence

Typically 5 years (varies by council)

What:

Mandatory for any House in Multiple Occupation with 5+ unrelated occupants forming 2+ households. Additional licensing schemes (council-specific) may extend the rule to smaller HMOs.

Who issues:

Local council

If missed:

Unlimited fine on conviction. Rent Repayment Order — tenant can claim back up to 12 months of rent paid during the unlicensed period.

Right to Rent check

Per tenancy — before move-in

What:

Landlords in England must check every adult occupier’s right to be in the UK before letting. Limited Right to Rent holders need a follow-up check before their visa expires.

Who issues:

Self-administered (online or in-person; share code for non-UK/Irish)

If missed:

Civil penalty up to £20,000 per illegal occupier (raised 2024). Criminal liability if you knowingly let to someone without right to rent.

The pattern that works

Track per property, warn early

The single biggest predictor of a missed deadline isn’t complacency — it’s scale. With one property, you remember everything. With five, you don’t. The transition usually happens between properties three and four.

The pattern that scales: track every date per property in one place, with warnings at 90, 30, and 7 days before expiry.The 90-day warning is the one that matters — it gives you a full booking window before the engineer’s availability becomes the binding constraint.

LandlordFlow does this by default. It’s the compliance tracking feature — not a separate thing you have to configure.

Common questions

Questions, answered

What happens if a Gas Safety Record expires by a day?+

Technically you’re in breach. Civil penalties can reach £30,000 per breach under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm regulations and gas safety rules, and a missed CP12 can also invalidate a Section 21 notice. Practically, book the renewal the moment you get the 30-day warning — engineers do book up.

Does MEES tighten in 2030?+

The government has consulted on raising the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) for rental properties from E to C, with proposed dates targeting 2028 for new tenancies and 2030 for existing. The exact dates have moved before — check GOV.UK and your council before planning works.

How is a selective licence different from an HMO licence?+

HMO licence: mandatory across England for any property let to 5+ unrelated occupants forming 2+ households. Selective licence: a council-by-council scheme; some London boroughs and northern cities require all rentals (not just HMOs) to be licensed. Always check your specific council.

Do I need to do a Right to Rent check on a renewal?+

Only if the previous check has a follow-up date (limited Right to Rent holders) or if there’s reason to believe immigration status has changed. For British and Irish citizens, the check is one-off at tenancy start.

Where’s the legal source of truth for each date?+

GOV.UK — Renting out a property is the master index. NRLA and RLA member guidance are also reliable references. For council-specific rules (selective / additional licensing), check the relevant council’s licensing page directly.

Worth reading next

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