Letting a property yourself saves you a letting agent's fees, which for full management are usually a percentage of every month's rent. But as a landlord you're responsible for the legal side, and the rules in England changed in 2026. Here's what to have in place before a tenant moves in.
Before you advertise
- EPC rated E or above. A rental home needs a valid Energy Performance Certificate rated at least E, and the rating must appear in your advert. On HownIt, homes rated F or G can't be listed to let for this reason.
- Gas safety certificate. If there's any gas in the property, a Gas Safe registered engineer must check it every year.
- Electrical safety report (EICR). A qualified electrician must inspect the wiring at least every five years.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. A smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fuel-burning appliance such as a boiler or log burner (gas cookers are excluded). Test them on the day the tenancy starts.
- Mortgage and insurance. Tell your lender and insurer you're letting, and get landlord insurance.
What changed with the Renters' Rights Act
Most of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 took effect on 1 May 2026. The main changes for new lets:
- No more fixed terms. Most new tenancies are periodic, with no set end date. Tenants can leave with notice.
- No more "no-fault" evictions. Section 21 has gone. To end a tenancy you need a legal reason, such as selling the property or rent arrears.
- Let at the advertised rent. You can't invite or accept offers above the rent you advertise.
- Rent rises once a year. With proper notice, using the official process.
- Fair choice of tenant. You can't refuse someone just because they have children or receive benefits.
- Pets. Tenants can ask to keep a pet, and you can only refuse for a good reason.
Further parts of the Act are being brought in over time. Check the latest on the government's Renting is changing site before you let.
When you've found a tenant
- Right to Rent. Check every adult who will live there has the right to rent in the UK, and keep copies.
- Written terms. Give the tenant the terms of the tenancy in writing before it starts.
- Protect the deposit. Put it in a government-backed scheme and give the tenant the scheme details within 30 days.
- Hand over the documents. The EPC, gas safety certificate and EICR.
- Check-in inventory. Photos and notes of the condition of each room, signed by both of you. It makes the end of the tenancy much easier.
Finding tenants without an agent
On HownIt you can list your property to let for free and talk to tenants directly through secure messages, without sharing your number until you're ready. Every listing is checked by our team before it goes live.
If managing the tenancy day to day sounds like too much, a letting agent's management service may suit you better. Many landlords find tenants themselves and manage a single property without one.
List your property to let free on HownIt.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules for landlords change often, so check GOV.UK or speak to a professional if you're unsure.
