Landlord Compliance Requirements in West Berkshire
Landlords in West Berkshire must meet a range of legal and safety responsibilities before letting a property and throughout the tenancy. Landlord compliance requirements in West Berkshire include gas and electrical safety checks, a valid EPC where required, deposit protection, compliant furniture and furnishings, and the tenancy information required under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies moved to the assured periodic tenancy system. Henwick Properties can assist landlords with the practical administration involved in letting a property, including arranging EPCs and handling deposits through the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
Requirements can change, so landlords should check current government guidance for their property and tenancy type. If you are preparing a property to let in Thatcham, Newbury, or elsewhere in West Berkshire, contact us for a free rent appraisal and to discuss the next steps.
Preparing Your Property to Let
Advertising Your Rental Property
A traditional “To Let” board can help market your property, and our high street presence provides an additional local shop window. We also market properties through Rightmove, OnTheMarket and Zoopla, supported by our Instagram and TikTok channels.
Rent and Household Charges
We will agree on the rent to be advertised to prospective tenants. Unless agreed otherwise, charges that remain the landlord’s responsibility, such as ground rent or service charges, are not included.
Responsibility for utilities, internet, telephone services, and Council Tax should be clearly stated in the tenancy terms.
Rent Remittances
Rent is usually paid to us by standing order. Once the payment has cleared, we pass the balance due to the landlord as soon as possible.
Furnished Lettings and Fire Safety
If you provide upholstered furniture or furnishings with the property, they must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988.
This can include:
- Sofas and armchairs
- Sofa beds and upholstered bed bases
- Mattresses and headboards
- Cushions and seat pads
- Certain upholstered furniture covers
Applicable items should:
- Meet the required fire-resistance standards
- Use compliant filling materials
- Meet cigarette and match ignition resistance requirements where applicable
- Carry the required permanent compliance label
Right to Rent Checks Before a Tenancy Starts
Landlords and letting agents in England need to complete the required Right to Rent checks before entering into relevant tenancy arrangements.
Right to Rent should therefore form part of the landlord’s legal requirements reviewed before a new tenancy begins.
If Henwick Properties carries out these checks as part of your chosen property letting services, the exact responsibility should be confirmed in the service agreement.
Landlord Safety Requirements
Gas Safety Requirements for Landlords
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords must make sure that gas appliances and flues they provide for tenants are maintained safely. A Gas Safe registered engineer must complete the required gas safety check annually.
Landlords must also keep the required gas safety records and provide tenants with the relevant records. These gas safety requirements for landlords need to remain current throughout the tenancy.
Electrical Safety Requirements for Landlords
Landlords must make sure the fixed electrical installation in a rented property is inspected and tested by a properly qualified person at least every five years. Evidence of the inspection must also be provided to tenants as required.
These checks form an important part of the landlord safety requirements that continue throughout a tenancy.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements
Landlords should make sure the property meets the current smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements before a tenant moves in and throughout the tenancy.
Required alarms should be checked as part of the property’s wider landlord safety requirements, alongside gas and electrical obligations.
Insurance
The let property and the contents should be comprehensively insured by you. The Landlord should inform their insurer of their intention to let the property, as failure to do so may mean the rejection of any future claim. We can arrange all types of insurance should it be required, including rent guarantee. Please ask for further information.
Tenancy and Legal Requirements
Tenancy Agreement
From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies moved to the assured periodic tenancy system under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Assured periodic tenancies run on a rolling basis rather than having a fixed end date.
Before Letting Your Property
Before marketing a property, the landlord is responsible for making sure it is safe, clean, in good repair and ready for occupation. Landlord responsibilities in West Berkshire include having the required safety records and tenancy information in place and checking the EPC position before marketing.
Common mistakes include leaving gas or electrical checks until too late, marketing without checking the EPC position, overlooking required alarms, missing Right to Rent checks and failing to deal with a tenancy deposit within the required timeframe.
These rental property legal requirements should be reviewed before each new tenancy.
If rent arrears or a breach of tenancy terms is brought to our attention during a managed tenancy, we will inform the landlord and discuss the next steps.
If you are unsure what needs to be in place before marketing your property, contact us before the tenancy starts.
EPC Requirements for Landlords
An Energy Performance Certificate rates a property’s energy efficiency from A to G and is generally required before a rental property is marketed unless an exemption applies.
We can arrange an EPC on your behalf when one is required. These EPC requirements for landlords should be checked before the property is marketed.
Ownership, Deposit and Landlord Legal Requirements
Before letting a property, landlords should confirm that they have the authority to do so and that any required permissions are in place. These checks form part of the wider landlord legal requirements that should be addressed before a tenancy begins.
- Leasehold properties: Check the terms of the lease to make sure letting or subletting is permitted. If consent from the freeholder or superior landlord is required, obtain it in writing before letting the property.
- Mortgaged properties: Check the terms with your lender and obtain permission to let where required. Your lender may have specific conditions that must be met before the tenancy begins.
- Jointly owned properties: Obtain authority to let from the other owners and make sure the relevant parties are correctly named in the tenancy agreement.
Confirming these matters early helps landlords meet their rental property legal requirements and understand their landlord responsibilities before proceeding with a tenancy.
If you are letting a property for the first time, our Landlord Letting Guide for West Berkshire Owners covers the key preparation steps, landlord responsibilities and practical points to consider before you begin.
TENANCY DEPOSIT SCHEME
If you receive a tenancy deposit, it must be protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days. The tenant must also receive the required information about the deposit and the scheme.
We are a member of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, a government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme administered by:
The Dispute Service Limited
West Wing, First Floor
The Maylands Building
200 Maylands Avenue
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 7TG
Phone: 0300 037 1000
Web: www.tenancydepositscheme.com
Email: deposits@tenancydepositscheme.com
These tenancy deposit requirements for landlords should be dealt with within the required timeframe and recorded as part of the tenancy documentation.
For full details, please read the Henwick Properties Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you are dissatisfied with any part of the service provided by Henwick Properties, please contact senior partner Nicholas Kaxe, who will help address your query. For full details, please read our Complaints Procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Landlord Compliance Requirements in West Berkshire
Before letting your property, make sure it is safe, clean, in good repair and ready for occupation. You should also have the required safety records and tenancy information in place, check the EPC position, complete relevant pre-tenancy checks, and understand your responsibilities for any tenancy deposit received.
Gas safety requirements for landlords include an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Fixed electrical installations must also be inspected and tested by a properly qualified person at least every five years. The relevant records should be kept and provided to tenants as required.
An Energy Performance Certificate is generally required before a rental property is marketed unless an exemption applies. As part of the EPC requirements for landlords, the property’s EPC position should be checked before advertising begins. Henwick Properties can arrange an EPC on your behalf when one is required.
A tenancy deposit must be protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receipt. The tenant must also receive the required information about the deposit and scheme. We are a member of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, administered by The Dispute Service Limited.
From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies moved to the assured periodic tenancy system under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Assured periodic tenancies run on a rolling basis rather than having a fixed end date, making this an important change for landlords preparing or managing a tenancy.
Start by checking that your property is safe, in good repair, and ready for occupation. Review the relevant landlord safety requirements, EPC position, tenancy information, Right to Rent checks and deposit process before marketing. Addressing these requirements early can help avoid missing important steps before the tenancy begins.
Ready to Let Your Property?
Henwick Properties can assist with the practical administration involved in meeting landlord compliance requirements in West Berkshire, including arranging EPCs and handling deposits through the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. If you are preparing a property to let in Thatcham, Newbury or elsewhere in West Berkshire, speak to our team about the next steps.
