General responsibilities
It is a legal requirement to have a property licence if you rent your property in Haringey
Starting a new tenancy
When you issue a new assured or short assured tenancy you must provide:
- a copy of the government's How to Rent guide to your new tenant
- protection of their rent deposit
- a copy of the property's gas safety certifcate
- a copy of the property's valid energy performance certificate
Protect your tenants' deposit
You must put your tenants' deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDS) if you rent your home to tenants on an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007.
At the end of a tenancy, you must return your tenants' deposit within 10 days of both you and your tenant both agreeing on how much deposit you will be returning. If you are in a dispute with your tenant over the return of a deposit, the TDS will hold the deposit until such a time that the dispute if resolved.
Find more information on TDSs on GOV.UK.
Provide a fair tenancy agreement
A tenancy agreement is a contract between you and your tenant. It should set out the legal terms and conditions of the tenancy.
It can be written or verbal. If you are providing a fixed-term tenancy of more than 3 years, you should have a written agreement.
If you are providing a tenancy agreement it should be fair. Both you and your tenant have certain rights and responsibilities, whether or not you have a tenancy agreement.
Read the tenancy agreements overview on GOV.UK.
Rent a property that is safe and in a good state of repair
You must ensure any property you rent is safe and in good repair. Your property must legally, under the Housing Act 2004, be free from hazards that may put your tenant at risk and cause harm.
You are responsible for repairs to:
- the property structure and exterior
- basins, sinks, baths, and other sanitary fittings including pipes and drains
- heating and hot water
- gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation
- electrical wiring
- any damage caused by attempting repairs
You are also usually responsible for repairing common areas, such as staircases, in blocks of flats.
If you don't take action to fix problems at your property, your tenant can report this to the private sector housing team.
Private sector housing enforcement officers will investigate a property in poor condition using the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS). Officers can ultimately force you, through the service of enforcement notices, to make those improvements if you fail to respond appropriately to requests.
Provide a copy of the property’s energy performance certificate
An energy performance certificate (EPC) is needed whenever a property is rented. An EPC gives a property an energy rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years.
The EPC should contain information about the typical amount of energy the property would use and typical energy costs. E.g., how much it would costs to heat the property you rent. It should also provide recommendations about how to reduce energy use and save money.
Provide contact details to your tenants
You must provide your tenant with your contact details so they can communicate with you, especially in the case of an emergency.
Not evict your tenant illegally
You must follow strict procedures if you want your tenant to leave your property. If you do not, you may be guilty of illegally evicting or harassing your tenant.