Blog Post | Marlborough Homes

Understanding Landlord Compliance Certificates: What Landlords Need to Know in 2026 Keeping a rental property compliant is no longer simply about having a few certificates filed away. For landlords in England, property compliance involves a combination of safety certificates, inspections, prescribed information, property standards and accurate record-keeping. With the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 reforms now in force and further changes being introduced, staying on top of these requirements has become more important than ever. At Marlborough Homes, we help our managed landlords monitor key compliance requirements, arrange inspections and renewals where instructed, and maintain records to help ensure their properties remain safe and legally compliant. Here are some of the key requirements landlords should understand.

1. Gas Safety Certificate

If a rented property has gas appliances, landlords have important legal responsibilities. Gas appliances, fittings and flues provided by the landlord must be maintained in a safe condition, and an annual gas safety check must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants must also receive a copy of the gas safety record before moving in, or within 28 days of an annual check during the tenancy. This is one of the most important annual compliance dates for landlords to monitor.

2. Electrical Safety – EICR

Landlords must ensure that the electrical installations within their rental properties are safe. For most private rented properties in England, the electrical installation must be inspected and tested by a suitably qualified person at least every five years, with any required remedial work dealt with in accordance with the regulations. The resulting Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) provides an important record of the condition of the property's fixed electrical installations. Landlords should not simply file the report away. If an EICR identifies work that needs attention, the required remedial action must also be completed within the applicable timescale.

3. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides information about a property's energy efficiency. Landlords are generally required to have a valid EPC when letting a property, subject to certain exemptions. Currently, privately rented domestic properties covered by the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards generally need an EPC rating of E or above, unless a valid exemption applies. Energy efficiency remains an important area for landlords to watch as government policy continues to develop.

4. Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are another essential part of landlord safety compliance. Landlords must comply with the applicable alarm regulations, including providing smoke alarms on each storey used as living accommodation and carbon monoxide alarms where legally required. Landlords must also ensure required alarms are working at the start of a new tenancy and deal with faulty alarms once notified. Depending on the type of property – particularly HMOs and licensed properties – additional fire precautions may also be required.

5. Property Licensing

This is an area landlords sometimes overlook because licensing requirements can vary significantly between local authorities. Depending on the property, its location and how many people occupy it, a landlord may require: Mandatory HMO licensing, Additional HMO licensing or Selective licensing. This is particularly important for landlords operating across East London and Essex, where different boroughs can operate different licensing schemes. A property being compliant in one borough does not necessarily mean the same letting arrangement would satisfy the requirements in another. At Marlborough Homes, we therefore recommend checking the licensing position before letting a property, rather than waiting until a tenancy has already started.

6. Compliance Is More Than Certificates

One of the biggest misconceptions is that a landlord is compliant simply because the Gas Safety Certificate, EICR and EPC are all valid. Those documents are extremely important – but they are only part of the picture. Landlords may also need to consider matters such as:

Tenancy deposit protection and prescribed information
Right to Rent checks
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements
Property licensing
Repairs and maintenance
Fire safety
Furniture and furnishings regulations
Damp, mould and other property hazards
HMO requirements, where applicable
Information and documents that must be provided to tenants

Government guidance makes clear that landlords must keep rented properties safe and free from health hazards, ensure gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained, provide an EPC, protect qualifying deposits and carry out Right to Rent checks in England.

The Renters’ Rights Act Has Made Good Record-Keeping Even More Important

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced major tenancy reforms on 1 May 2026, alongside stronger enforcement provisions. For landlords, this makes maintaining a clear compliance history increasingly important. It is no longer enough to assume that something was done. Landlords and managing agents should be able to demonstrate what was done, when it was completed and, where required, what information was supplied to the tenant. For example, most landlords and agents were required to provide existing tenants with the Government's Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. Failure to meet that particular requirement can result in a financial penalty of up to £7,000.

NEW: The Private Rented Sector Database

Another major development landlords should prepare for is the new Private Rented Sector Database. The Government's implementation roadmap says rollout is expected to begin from late 2026. Registration will become mandatory for PRS landlords, with further regulations setting out exactly what information must be supplied. Importantly from a compliance perspective, the Government expects the database to include key safety information such as: Gas Safety, Electrical Safety and Energy Performance information. This is a significant development because compliance records will become increasingly centralised and transparent. At Marlborough Homes, we believe landlords should be preparing now by making sure their property records are organised, accurate and up to date.

Looking Ahead: Decent Homes Standard & Awaab's Law

Further changes are also coming. The Government intends to extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector and introduce Awaab's Law requirements for private landlords. Awaab's Law is intended to introduce legally enforceable timescales for landlords to deal with serious hazards within rented properties. However, landlords should be careful about information suggesting these requirements are already fully operational in the private rented sector. The Government's current roadmap places these reforms in Phase 3, with implementation timescales still subject to consultation. Nevertheless, the direction is clear: property condition, repairs, damp, mould and serious hazards will receive even greater regulatory attention.

Why Compliance Matters

Good compliance protects everyone involved. For tenants, it helps provide confidence that their home has been properly inspected and maintained. For landlords, it reduces risk, creates a clear audit trail and helps demonstrate that legal responsibilities have been taken seriously. It can also become particularly important when dealing with a complaint, local authority investigation, insurance matter or possession proceedings. With local authorities receiving stronger enforcement powers under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords should treat compliance as an ongoing management responsibility rather than a once-a-year paperwork exercise.

How Marlborough Homes Helps Our Landlords

At Marlborough Homes, compliance forms an important part of our property management service. For our managed properties, we can monitor key certificate expiry dates, notify landlords when renewals are approaching and, where authorised, arrange inspections and certification with appropriate contractors. We also help landlords identify other requirements that may apply to their property, including property licensing and changing tenancy regulations. Our aim is simple: identify issues early rather than discovering them after something has expired or gone wrong. For landlords with properties across South Woodford, Woodford, Leytonstone, Leyton, Chingford, Stratford, Ilford, Chigwell, Loughton and surrounding East London and Essex areas, having experienced local management can make an increasingly complicated regulatory environment much easier to navigate.

Is Your Rental Property Fully Compliant?

If you're unsure whether your certificates are current, whether your property requires a licence or whether your tenancy documentation meets the latest requirements, speak to Marlborough Homes. We can review your current arrangements and explain how our fully managed property service can help you stay organised, informed and compliant.

Marlborough Homes – Established 2012