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Similar to another question about a citizen's legal obligations, which I found very informative, I would like to ask a the same but for landlords. I would also like to expand the scope beyond just legal obligations.

Who do I need to inform or pay or register with in the U.K. as a landlord? Are there other ethical (but not necessarily strictly legal) obligations that I have as a landlord?

NL - Apologize to Monica
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Kickball
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1 Answers1

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  • If the property is leasehold (you don't own the land the property is on, common in appartments) then pay the annual leasehold charge and renew the lease prior to its expiry.
  • If the property is managed by a management company (common in appartment blocks) then pay the annual management fee.
  • If the property is being let to multiple tenants then register with the local council as an HMO (houses in multiple occupancy).
  • While not generally legally required, it would be recommended/best practice to purchase landlord's insurance which also covers things like compliance imdenification.
  • Notify insurance and mortgage companies about major changes to the property (e.g. change of tenant or major renovations).
  • Service gas boilers annually.
  • Register deposit in authorised deposit protection scheme within 28 (not 100% of that) days of receiving it.
  • Provide tenant with EPC certificate, gas safety certificate and deposit protection information within 1 month of moving in.
  • Complete a tax self assessment if icome reaches certain levels: https://www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property/paying-tax.
Kickball
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  • Note that: (1) the points about leasehold properties are true, but apply to the leaseholder whether or not they are a landlord. (2) In practice, you need to renew any lease decades before it expires, otherwise it is impossible to acquire a mortgage, and will greatly reduce the value of the lease. (3) "Landlord's" insurance is a vague term. If you are the freeholder, any mortgage will require buildings insurance. Rent guarantee & legal insurance is strongly recommended for landlords. (4) It is not required to notify your insurer or mortgage provider on change of tenants. – Steve Melnikoff May 07 '19 at 08:32
  • (5) The full list of documents that must be supplied to a tenant is listed in the official How to Rent document - which must also be supplied. (6) It is worth doing a tax return even if you make a loss, as property losses can be carried forward into future tax years. – Steve Melnikoff May 07 '19 at 08:33