Legal Responsibilities of a Landlord in Tower Hamlets Explained

There are many legal responsibilities for landlords to comply with, and regulations are constantly changing. For example, the Renters’ Right Bill has recently received Royal Assent, introducing major reforms that will impact landlords..

If you are wondering what your landlord responsibilities are in Tower Hamlets, Wapping or Bromley, this guide explains the key areas of responsibilities and how you can ensure that you stay compliant.

What kind of responsibilities do landlords have?

Landlords have a long list of responsibilities to protect tenants’ health and safety, as well as their rights, as covered by several sets of legislation. This involves having the right documents to show evidence of compliance with gas and electrical safety, ensuring the property is fit for habitation by arranging ongoing repairs and complying with rules such as doing right to rent checks and protecting your tenant’s deposit.

The following set of questions can be used as a checklist to ensure that you are doing everything legally required as a landlord and that you have the correct documents:

1. Do you have a buy to let mortgage or consent to let?

Firstly, it is important that you have the correct type of mortgage so that you are not in breach of your mortgage lender’s terms. You will either require a buy-to-let mortgage or you can pay a fee for a ‘consent to let’ from your lender (typically if you are only renting the property out for a temporary period).

2. Do you have the correct property licence in Tower Hamlets?

You may require a property licence for your rental property. For properties in Tower Hamlets, there are areas that are covered by Selective Licensing requirements. If your property is located in the area map then you will need to apply for a Selective Licence before renting the property out.

There are also licensing requirements for Houses in Multiple Occupation:

• Additional Licensing – For properties occupied by three or four people living as separate households who share facilities.
• Mandatory Licensing – For properties occupied by five or more people living as separate households who share facilities.

3. Have you got an up to date Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?

Landlords are legally required to have a valid EPC for private rented properties. EPCs are valid for 10 years and you must provide tenants with a copy either when they move in or when you get a new EPC. Currently, rented properties must have a minimum EPC rating of ‘E’ but new rules are likely coming into force over the next few years that will require the EPC rating to be a minimum of a ‘C’ rating.

4. Have you got an electrical installation condition report (EICR)?

Having an EICR helps to ensure that there are no electrical hazards that could harm tenants. To comply with electrical safety responsibilities, landlords must have a valid EICR, which involves electrical installations checks performed by a qualified and competent electrician. These are valid for five years and a copy must be provided to the tenant at the beginning of the tenancy or when a new EICR is issued.

Want to know more? Three areas of compliance that deserve particular attention are fire safety regulations for landlords, the rules around landlord electrical safety, and the updated legislation on pets in rental properties – all of which have seen significant changes in recent years.

5. Are carbon monoxide & smoke alarms fitted?

Your gas safety responsibilities include having carbon monoxide and smoke alarms fitted where required. Carbon monoxide alarms must be fitted in any room used as living accommodation that has a fuel burning appliance. You must have smoke alarms fitted on every storey used as living accommodation.

6. Have you arranged gas safety checks?

Annual gas safety checks must be completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a copy of the gas safety certificate provided to tenants. The checks involve safety assessments of gas appliances in the property.

7. Have you done fire safety & legionella risk assessments?

Landlords have a legal requirement to perform an assessment of legionella risk. A fire safety assessment for landlords is best practice for single-family private rentals, and they are legally required for HMOs.

8. Have you carried out right to rent checks?

Before tenants move into a property, landlords are required to conduct right to rent checks to verify a tenant’s right to rent property in the UK. This involves checking documents such as passports or by using a Home Office share code. This must be done for any tenants aged 18 and over, to check your tenant is legally allowed to live in the UK.

9. Have you protected the tenant’s deposit?

You must transfer your tenancy deposits into one of the three government approved tenancy deposit schemes within 30 days of receiving it.

10. Have you given the tenant the required legal information?

Landlords are required to provide tenants with a copy of the latest ‘how to rent’ guide. Other information that you must provide include details of the tenancy deposit scheme, plus copies of valid EPC, EICR and gas safety certificates. A tenancy agreement is not always a legal requirement but it is highly recommended to protect the rights of both parties.

11. Would your property pass an HHSRS check from the council?

If the local authority receives a request from your tenant to assess the condition of the property, they will use the HHSRS system to check it is free of hazards. You can check the HHSRS list of hazards to assess whether your property would pass the assessment. It includes hazards such as damp and mould, excess cold/heat and crowding.

12. Are you ready to pay necessary taxes?

Landlords are required to pay income tax on rental income, stamp duty when buying a property and capital gains tax when selling a rental property. From April 2026, landlords with qualifying income will be required to comply with Making Tax Digital requirements by submitting quarterly submissions to HMRC.

If you have reviewed these questions and you are comfortable that you have met all of these responsibilities, then you are complying with your requirements as a landlord. Also be aware that if you need to access the property, even for compliance related duties, you are legally required to provide the tenant with at least 24 hours’ written notice.

Want to find out more? Professional support can make compliance much more manageable – explore what property management involves for Tower Hamlets landlords, compare estate agent letting fees across different service levels, and read about your obligations under the non-resident landlord tax scheme if you are based overseas.

Understand your landlord responsibilities?

Understanding all the regulations and responsibilities can be overwhelming but an experienced letting agent can provide support with meeting all your requirements. Contact us to find out how we can help with your landlord responsibilities in Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and London Docklands.

Read our other blogs to find out more about key aspects to operating as a landlord. For example, what property management involves and how to make your property safe for tenants.