You've got a property in Hornchurch ready to let, or maybe you've just taken on one in Elm Park or Harold Wood. The question most landlords ask us is simple: what do I actually have to do before a tenant moves in?
Here's the honest answer, in plain English. England sets out a clear list of legal duties before you let a home, and getting them right protects you, your tenant, and your ability to regain the property later if you ever need to. Miss one and the cost can be real, from fines to being unable to evict. So let's walk through them properly.
Your safety certificates
These documents prove the property is safe to live in. They aren't optional, and tenants are entitled to copies.
- EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). You must have a valid EPC before you market the property, and it needs a rating of at least E. Homes rated F or G can't legally be let unless you've registered a valid exemption. An EPC lasts 10 years.
- Gas Safety Certificate. If there are any gas appliances, such as a boiler, hob or fire, a Gas Safe registered engineer must check them every 12 months. Give a new tenant a copy before they move in, and any existing tenant a copy within 28 days of each yearly check.
- EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report). The electrics must be inspected by a qualified person at least every 5 years, and the report must show the installation is safe. New tenants get a copy before they move in; existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection.
A quick local note. With so many of Havering's homes being 1930s semis and inter-war terraces, older wiring and ageing boilers are common around here. We'd always rather flag a problem before a tenancy than during one.
Alarms in the right places
Since October 2022 the rules have been firmer than many landlords realise:
- A working smoke alarm on every storey that has a room used as living accommodation.
- A carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, for example a gas boiler or a log burner. Gas cookers are the one exception.
- You must test every alarm on the first day of a new tenancy, and once a tenant reports a fault, it's your job to put it right.
Checks on the people
Two duties here, and both happen before move-in.
- Right to Rent. You must check that every adult who'll live in the property, named on the agreement or not, has the legal right to rent in the UK. That means seeing original documents or completing the relevant share-code check before the tenancy begins, and keeping a record. Get it wrong and you can face a penalty.
- The deposit. If you take a deposit, it must go into one of the government-backed schemes (DPS, MyDeposits or the TDS) within 30 days. Within that same window you must also give the tenant the prescribed information, which is the detail of where the deposit is held and how to get it back. This one really matters: protect it late or skip the prescribed information and you can lose the ability to serve certain notices, and a tenant can claim compensation.
Getting the deposit and its paperwork right in the first 30 days is one of the easiest duties to slip on, and one of the costliest to get wrong.
The paperwork your tenant must receive
At the start of the tenancy your tenant should be handed a tidy pack. Alongside the gas certificate, EPC and EICR, that includes the government's How to Rent guide in its current version, plus any inventory and the tenancy agreement itself. Keeping dated proof that you supplied everything is well worth the few minutes it takes; it's exactly the evidence that protects you down the line.
A calm word on the changing rules
Renting law in England is going through its biggest shake-up in a generation. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, from 1 May 2026 assured shorthold tenancies converted to periodic assured tenancies, and the old "no-fault" Section 21 route was abolished, so possession now runs through specific legal grounds. Further pieces, such as a national landlord database and an ombudsman, are due to follow.
None of this should worry you. Landlords who keep their property safe and their paperwork in order are well placed for the new rules. It simply pays to have someone local keeping an eye on what's current, so you're never caught out.
Your quick checklist
- Valid EPC, rating E or above
- Annual Gas Safety Certificate where gas is present
- EICR within the last 5 years
- Smoke alarm on every storey, CO alarm where required, all tested day one
- Right to Rent checks completed and recorded
- Deposit protected and prescribed information served within 30 days
- How to Rent guide, tenancy agreement and inventory handed over
Let us carry the checklist for you
It's a lot to track, and the cost of a missed step is real. At 100 Key Properties, one local person on Hornchurch High Street handles your whole let end to end: arranging the certificates, running the checks, protecting the deposit on time and keeping you right as the rules change. No call centres, no being passed around, and we're happy to talk it through in English or Lithuanian. Have a quick read of our landlord fees, or just give us a call and we'll tell you exactly what your property needs.