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Before a tenant moves into a rented home in England, the landlord needs a current gas safety record, an electrical installation condition report, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, an EPC rated E or above, Right to Rent checks on every adult, a protected deposit and written tenancy terms. Licensing, furniture fire safety, a legionella assessment, insurance and lender consent complete the list.

This checklist reflects the rules at the time of writing, with each source listed below the guide. It is general information and not legal, tax or financial advice. A solicitor should review your tenancy documents, and a broker your insurance and mortgage.

Safety

Gas. Where there is a gas supply, every gas appliance, flue and the pipework you provide must be checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. HSE says the record goes to existing tenants within 28 days of the check and to new tenants before they move in, and you keep it for two years. A check up to two months early keeps the original renewal date.

Electrics. The fixed installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person, producing an EICR. A new tenant gets a copy before moving in and an existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection. Any work the report marks as required must be done within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.

Alarms. A smoke alarm on every storey with a room used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any such room with a fixed combustion appliance, gas cookers excepted. Each must be working on the day the tenancy begins, and repaired or replaced once you are told it is faulty.

The detail sits in our guide to gas and electrical safety.

Energy

EPC. A property needs a valid Energy Performance Certificate before it is marketed, and at the time of writing it must be rated E or above to be let unless a registered exemption applies. The government has confirmed a move to band C from 1 October 2030, subject to legislation. See our guide to EPC rules for landlords.

The tenant

Right to Rent. Every adult who will live in the property must be checked before the tenancy starts, whether or not they are named on the agreement. Checks are manual, online with a share code, or through a certified digital identity service. See Right to Rent checks.

Referencing. Not a legal duty, but the way most landlords judge affordability and history. Since 1 May 2026 it must not screen out families with children or people receiving benefits.

The money

Deposit. Capped at five weeks' rent where annual rent is under £50,000, six weeks at or above. It must be protected in one of the three government-approved schemes within 30 days of receipt, with the prescribed information served on the tenant. Our deposits guide covers protection, deductions and disputes.

Rent in advance. No more than one month's rent, and nothing before the agreement is signed.

Fees. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 tenants cannot be charged for referencing, inventories or admin. Only permitted payments are allowed.

The paperwork

Tenancy agreement. Since 1 May 2026 every new private tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy, and the key terms must be in writing before it begins. An old fixed-term template with a section 21 clause or a rent review clause is out of date. Our guide to the Renters' Rights Act explains what changed.

How to Rent. The government's How to Rent guide, which landlords used to serve at the start of a tenancy, was withdrawn on 1 May 2026. Tenancies already in writing on that date needed the government's Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.

Inventory. A dated, photographed inventory and check-in report is the evidence that decides most deposit disputes.

The property

Licensing. A house in multiple occupation let to five or more people forming two or more households needs a mandatory licence. In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, check the address on BCP Council's licensing pages before you let, because councils can add discretionary schemes. Our licensing guide explains the local position.

Furniture. If you let furnished, upholstered furniture and mattresses must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and carry their permanent labels. Furniture made before 1950 is outside them.

Legionella. HSE says landlords must assess the risk. A simple assessment is usually enough and no certificate is required. Flush the system before a tenancy, keep stored hot water at 60°C and remove redundant pipework.

Repairs and condition. Keep the structure, heating, hot water and sanitation in repair. Damp and mould deserve fast action, and the Decent Homes Standard is due to reach private renting.

Insurance and consents

  • Landlord insurance. A home policy does not cover a let. Buildings cover (or confirmation that the freeholder insures the block), contents if furnished, and property owner's liability.
  • Lender consent. A residential mortgage normally needs the lender's consent to let. A buy-to-let mortgage may set its own conditions.
  • Freeholder consent. Many Bournemouth and Poole flats are leasehold, and the lease may require consent to underlet. Check before you market.

Local points in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch

A few items on the list need extra care on this coast:

  • Converted flats. Many rented flats are in Victorian and Edwardian villas divided decades ago. Check that the block's fire safety, alarms and electrics match the way the flat is now used, and read the lease for any restriction on letting.
  • Shared houses. In the Bournemouth area, turning a family house into a shared house for three or more unrelated people needs planning permission under an Article 4 Direction, separate from any licence.
  • Seasonal use. A flat that has been a holiday let and moves to a tenancy needs the full tenancy checklist, not the holiday let one. Deposit protection, Right to Rent and written terms all apply from the first day.
  • Older heating. Electric storage heaters and older boilers are common, which affects both the EPC and the gas and electrical checks.

Keep the evidence

Under the new possession rules, a landlord's records are the case. For every item above, keep the document, the date it was issued and the date and method you gave it to the tenant. A printable version of this list is in our landlord legal checklist resource.

Our letting agents service runs these checks before every tenancy, and full property management keeps the renewals in date.