Landlords and the Law - What You Must Know!

5th February 2024

Landlords and the Law - What You Must Know!

If you rent out one Buy to Let, three or four properties or a substantially bigger property portfolio, that makes you a landlord. 

Some see it as managing a hobby investment, while for others it's their main business, but for all there are some harsh realities that need to be taken into account.

There are now more than a 150 pieces of legislation covering the Lettings sector that landlords need to be aware of. It's a big list right now and it's getting bigger all the time.

Sometimes it can seem that there's so much red tape covering different aspects of our lives. However, when it comes to the private rental sector rules and regulations really do matter.

So if you own one or more rental properties you need to be in compliance with a lot of different rules.

Habitat

The main body of law that covers the safety of tenants who live in your property is The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

This sets out laws about a landlord's obligations to ensure properties must be "free of serious hazards" and under what circumstances they have to fix things, or face the prospect of penalties.

Obviously there's quite a lot of repairs and maintenance issues that can crop up - any homeowner knows this, but a landlord has responsibilities that go beyond his or her own interests.

Safety issues

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 requires landlords and/or their agents to carry out safety checks of gas appliances each year.

An engineer registered with Gas Safe must be used to install and maintain all gas equipment and carry out the annual safety check.

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 is similar and requires all electrical installations in rental properties to be inspected and tested at least every five years by a "qualified and competent" engineer.

Other safety requirements include obligations to make sure there is a minimum of one smoke alarm on each floor of the property and a carbon monoxide detector where any solid fuel burning appliance such as a fireplace or wood burner might be.

If the property is let as furnished there are also laws that cover safety regulations for all furniture and furnishings.

EPCs 

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are enforced by The Domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regulations.

This legislation means a rental property must have a minimum EPC rating of E and all ratings have to be included in marketing details.

The EPC rating reflects the overall energy efficiency of a property and certificates can only be issued by an accredited assessor.

Lettings management

There are so many official responsibilities when it comes to being a landlord that it really is hard work to make sure you comply with them all.

Our fully managed lettings services give you peace of mind, knowing that you are fully up to date with laws that might apply to you at both national and local levels.

It's our job to know about all the new legislation that is introduced and any changes made to existing rules. Then we make sure you have all the information you need to keep on the right side of the law.

If you own rental property in Brighton and Hove we really can help make landlord life as stress free - and as profitable - as we can!

Talk to our Lettings specialists today – call Rob and Winnie on 01273 321 000 or email [email protected]

Testimonials

  • Maslen's were amazing estate agents. Through,...

    Sarah Goodfellow Brighton

  • Very pleased with the experience. I would definitely recommend you and use you again.

    Ms D Edmonds Brighton

  • All very professional, kept updated throughout. Very pleased - Would recommend. 

    Mrs Hammond Brighton

  • Best Estate Agents ever experienced - professional, approachable, competent and exemplary. 

    Mr & Mrs Guest Brighton

  • I found the service to be courteous, friendly and efficient.

    Mr Upton Brighton

  • Very pleased with the excellent service throughout. Professional, friendly, efficient and no hard sell. Achieved above asking price. Thank you!

    Mr Witten Brighton

  • Maslen's were very good at keeping in touch an...

    Penny Ashby Brighton

  • The staff were very helpful, an excellent service. I would recommend you to others.

    Miss Hockly Brighton

  • It was an amazing experience, everyone involved were fantastic. 

    Mr & Mrs Knight Brighton

  • Paul Wilkinson was extremely helpful and efficient. The only problem was the vendors solicitor and Paul warned me of this. A good transaction all r...

    Mr Lavender Brighton

  • Excellent service as always

    Mr Field Brighton

  • This was the best experience I’ve ever had of estate agents. Professional, calm and understanding.

    Elinor James Hove

  • Everyone at Maslen's were amazing, from Sam's...

    William Slingsby Brighton

  • Thanks for an excellent service. 

    Mr King Brighton

  • Very, very happy we chose you, felt right from the start! Thank you!

    Miss Blackadder Hove

  • From start to finish the sale was dealt with in a thoroughly professional manner.  

    Mr Gibbs Brighton

  • The team provided the best service I have ever received from an estate agent. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

    Nicki Myers Woodingdean

  • You were amazingly helpful throughout - a real pillar of strength with a very difficult sale.

    Mrs Parkin Brighton

  • A really good experience.

    Mr Tibble Brighton

  • Had a great experience with the purchase of ou...

    jennifer Willson Brighton

  • Very comprehensive and professional. Nice people to work with and highly recommended. 

    Mr Alderton Brighton

  • First class service. Friendly and professional.

    Mr Thorne Brighton

  • Maslen's were extremely helpful and profession...

    Bridget Allen Brighton

  • All the staff were professional, cheerful and supportive throughout the long process.

    Mr R Turner Shoreham

  • I was new to the area and viewed a lot of properties with a lot of different agents. Maslens were by far the best I came in contact with, so when i...

    Mr & Mrs Heer Brighton

  • Fantastic service. By far the best agents we have ever used, I cannot recommend you highly enough.

    Mr Field Brighton

  • A very committed team who made the sale process very easy.

    Ms Rees Brighton

  • Service exceeded my expectations overall at all stages of the process - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you. Thanks. 

    Ms Greene Brighton

  • Excellent communication and advice throughout. It felt very reassuring to be in good hands.

    Mrs Brooker Brighton

  • Thank you Maslens, you were all excellent!

    Miss Jasper Brighton

  • Donna was our vendors sales progressor. We cou...

    Allan Da Silva Brighton

  • Excellent Service from start to finish.

    Mr T Mole Hove

  • Maslen made the selling of my flat as easy as...

    Victoria Bradley-Barnard Brighton

  • I found everyone helpful, positive and courteous.

    Jean Wooldridge Evesham

  • Donna was such a friendly and helpful support...

    Victoria Lander Brighton

  • You are the best estate agent I have ever dealt with and we will be recommending you to anyone moving!

    Hazel Young Hove

  • Very impressed with the efficient and friendly service, the staff were a pleasure to deal with. 

    Mr & Mrs Gill Brighton

  • Thank you for your service, I would (and have) recommended you to my friends.

    Liz Dean Brighton

  • The team worked very hard over a long period to ensure my sale went through - excellent service!

    Mr Patrick Brighton

  • All staff extremely helpful and polite. They made our move very smooth and less stressful.

    Mr & Mrs Gosling Woodingdean

  • Quality advice about when and how to sell, which was spot on. Thank you.

    Miss Coleman Brighton

  • An efficient, professional and friendly service. Helpful and a pleasure to do business with.

    Mr Beddington Brighton

  • The sale was dealt with swiftly, professionally and successfully. Thank you Maslen!

    Mrs Lincoln Brighton

  • Really pleased with the service and will definitely recommend to others.

    Ruth Kendall Brighton

  • Very happy with the service we got from you guys, everyone we dealt with was extremely friendly, professional and helpful. Thanks!

    Mr Brown Brighton

  • Best Agents in Brighton.

    Mrs Field Brighton

  • All agents at Maslen were extremely helpful and polite from the beginning to the completion of sale. 

    Mr Johnson Brighton

  • Your advice, support and understanding whilst dealing with the property were invaluable, making everything so easy.

    Janine Suttner Brighton

  • Superb service as usual, I would always recommend you.

    Ms S Hike Brighton

  • These guys are the real deal, highly experienced, no nonsense, honest and by far and away the most reliable we have encountered. 

    Sarah Studd Hove

  • I wish we had used you to sell our property! Nice to meet honest people, who are genuinely interested in helping. Very pleased.

    Mrs Porter Brighton

  • Estate agents generally have bad reputations b...

    Dan Harris Brighton

  • Several leagues above any other estate agent I have had contact with. Kept fully informed every step of the way.

    Paul Cade Haywards Heath

  • As always, an excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Field Brighton

  • Thanks for all your help and assistance. Very friendly and professional service.

    Lisa Downary Brighton

  • First class service from a first class team.

    Mr & Mrs English Brighton

  • In what could have been a very stressful situation it has been a pleasure dealing with you and I can’t speak highly enough of the service provided.

    Gill Frost Hove

  • The whole team were very committed from start to finish.

    Mr Pilgrim Brighton

  • Very thorough & very informative.

    Mr Michnowicz Brighton

  • Excellent customer service throughout. I will definitely recommend you, and use you again. Thank you.

    Ms Longley Brighton

  • Sold within 2 weeks for asking price "excellent!"

    Mr Grundy Hove

  • Great service, always polite and friendly. Excellent contact and info all the way.

    Mr Wells Hove

  • Paul was absolutely brilliant. 

    Mrs Tasker Brighton

  • From first valuation to completion day the Mas...

    Sam Brighton

  • I have bought and sold 7 properties, and this was the best experience of an estate agents services I have found.

    Mrs Shepherd Brighton

  • Thank you. We found all the staff knowledgeable and really pleasant to deal with. 

    Ms Ansloos Brighton

  • The best estate agents we have ever used. Friendly, efficient and above all truthful! You are in danger of giving estate agents a good name!

    Jacquie Ellis-Jones Shoreham

  • Good team. Straightforward. No nonsense.

    Mr Standing Brighton

  • Thank you for everything!

    Ms Tucker Brighton

  • Very polite, good communication, excellent service.

    Alicia Van der Sluis Surrey

  • We were delighted with the service received from all the staff with whom we had contact,

    Dr Crichton Brighton

  • I would recommend Maslen to anyone. 

    Mrs Tripp Brighton

  • Very professional and friendly. The only estate agents I would trust and recommend.

    Jean Hurley Brighton

  • A completely painless experience from start to finish. Thank you.

    Mr Woolven & Mrs Bessant-Woolven Brighton

  • Already recommended you! Thank you.

    Mr Edwards Brighton

  • Thank you to all the team at Maslen, especiall...

    Gabrielle Gardner Brighton

  • In my situation, moving the sale of my home to Maslen Estate Agents really was a case of third time lucky!

    Lise Henderson Hove

  • Delighted with the service provided. Very professional and skilful.

    Nicky Conlan Hove

  • Please thank Paul at Lewes Road - Excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Nuthall Brighton

  • Very helpful and patient team.

    Mrs Shea Brighton

  • It was a long, drawn out process that the people at Maslen helped me through, without the impression that it was a chore. So extremely professional...

    Mr McLagan Brighton

  • Compared to your rivals, your service was excellent

    Ms McGrigor Brighton

See All »