Landlord compliance deadlines: gas safety, EICR, EPC and deposits

Ask experienced landlords what keeps them up at night and most will say the same thing: not problem tenants, but paperwork. The private rented sector runs on certificates and deadlines, and the penalties for missing them range from fines to being unable to regain possession of your own property. This guide runs through the core recurring duties for landlords in England. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the details change over time, so treat this as a checklist to verify against GOV.UK rather than the final word.

How often is a gas safety check due?

Every property with a gas appliance needs an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The certificate (often called a CP12) must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the check, and to new tenants before they move in. There is no grace period: if the certificate lapses, you are breaking the law from the next day.

The sensible habit is to book the next annual check when the current certificate arrives, not when it is about to expire. Engineers get busy, tenants need notice for access, and a two-week buffer disappears fast.

How often is an EICR due?

The electrical installation in every privately rented home in England must be inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, producing an Electrical Installation Condition Report. You must give a copy to tenants within 28 days, to new tenants before they move in, and to the local authority within seven days if they ask. If the report requires remedial work, it must be completed within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so), with written confirmation provided afterwards.

Local authorities can impose substantial financial penalties for breaches, so this is one to diarise years in advance — five years passes quicker than you think.

How long does an EPC last?

A property cannot be marketed for let without a valid EPC, and there is a minimum energy efficiency standard for privately rented homes. Certificates last ten years, but if you have made energy improvements — new boiler, insulation, double glazing — renewing early can improve your rating and your property's appeal.

Check the register rather than relying on memory; many landlords are surprised to find their certificate expired during a long tenancy.

What is the deposit protection deadline?

Any deposit taken on an assured shorthold tenancy must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt, and the prescribed information must be served on the tenant within the same window. Get this wrong and the tenant can claim compensation of up to three times the deposit, and your ability to seek possession is restricted.

This is a day-one task, not a month-one task. Protect the deposit the day the funds clear and file the confirmation immediately.

What about smoke alarms, CO alarms and Right to Rent?

Smoke alarms must be fitted on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, and both must be tested on the first day of a new tenancy. Right to Rent checks must be completed before the tenancy starts, with follow-up checks where a tenant has time-limited permission to stay. Keep dated evidence of all of it.

If you're a tenant

You should receive copies of the gas safety record, the electrical report (EICR), the EPC and deposit protection confirmation. If any of these never arrived, ask your landlord in writing — they are legal requirements, not favours.

How LeaseLink helps

The common thread is that none of these duties is difficult — they are just easy to forget across multiple properties and long tenancies.

• Compliance tracking stores every certificate against the property it belongs to.
• Expiry dates are tracked with reminders well before anything lapses.
• Tenant documents give tenants their copies in the app, with a dated record.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Private landlord responsibilities on GOV.UK
• Gas safety: landlords and letting agents, HSE
• Electrical safety standards guidance, GOV.UK

Keep reading

• Gas safety certificates for landlords: how often, how much and what are the rules?
• EICR for landlords: what are the rules, costs and C1/C2 codes?
• The Renters' Rights Act: what UK landlords need to know