What certificates does a UK rental property need?

Before a property in England can be let — and for as long as it stays let — the landlord or their agent needs a specific set of certificates, checks and records in place. Most compliance failures aren't caused by not knowing this list; they're caused by losing track of when each item expires across a growing portfolio. Here is the core checklist, with how often each item recurs.

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — every 12 months

Any property with gas appliances, fittings or flues that the landlord provides must have an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The record — commonly called a CP12 — must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in. Records should be kept for at least two years. Since 2018 a check carried out in the two months before the deadline can preserve the original expiry date, which stops the renewal date creeping earlier each year. The HSE's landlord gas safety guidance is the authoritative reference here.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — at least every 5 years

Privately rented homes in England must have their fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years (or sooner if the report itself specifies a shorter interval). Tenants must receive a copy within 28 days of the inspection, new tenants before they occupy, and the local authority within seven days if they ask. If the report records C1 or C2 defects, or FI (further investigation), remedial work is required within 28 days — with written confirmation from the electrician. We cover the detail in our EICR renewal guide.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — every 10 years

An EPC is valid for ten years and must be shown to prospective tenants. To let a property in England and Wales it currently needs a minimum rating of E unless a valid exemption is registered. Government proposals to raise the minimum standard have been consulted on, so it's worth checking the current position before relying on an older rating.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms — checked at every tenancy start

At least one smoke alarm is required on every storey with living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers). Alarms must be shown to be working at the start of each tenancy, and landlords must repair or replace faulty alarms once reported.

Deposit protection — within 30 days of receiving the deposit

A tenancy deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and the prescribed information served on the tenant in the same window. Getting this wrong affects both potential penalties and the ability to recover possession later, so the protection date and the prescribed-information date are both worth recording.

The paperwork that isn't a certificate

• How to Rent guide — tenants in England must be given the current version of the government's guide at the start of the tenancy.
• Right to Rent checks — landlords in England must check every adult occupier's right to rent before the tenancy starts and keep evidence of the check.
• Legionella risk assessment — there's no statutory certificate, but landlords have a duty to assess and control the risk of legionella; keeping a written record of the assessment is the practical way to evidence it.
• Licensing — larger HMOs need a mandatory licence, and many councils operate additional or selective licensing schemes covering ordinary lets. Whether a licence is needed depends on the specific council, so check locally for each property.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ

The rules above describe England (and, for EPCs, Wales). Scotland's Repairing Standard, Wales's Renting Homes framework and Northern Ireland's rules each set their own requirements and frequencies — if you manage properties across nations, track the requirements per property rather than assuming one checklist covers everything.

The real problem is the calendar, not the checklist

Every item above has a date attached: an annual gas check, a five-year EICR, a ten-year EPC, a 30-day deposit window. One property is easy. Across a portfolio, those dates fall on different days of different months for every property — which is why tracking certificates in a spreadsheet tends to fail precisely when the portfolio grows. Verixad reads uploaded certificates, extracts the expiry dates and reminds you before anything lapses — see how it works.