Landlord Laws & Legislation
Plain-English explainers of UK statutes governing private renting — Housing Act 1988, Landlord & Tenant Act 1985, Renters' Rights Act 2025, and more.
28 laws
Possession & eviction
Deregulation Act 2015
Deregulation Act 2015 landlord duties — EPC, gas safety certificate, How to Rent — that remain in force post-RRA 2025. Section 21 provisions are now historic.
Read guide →Harassment & Illegal Eviction
The 1997 Act, the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, penalties up to £40,000, and why self-help eviction is riskier since Section 21 was abolished.
Read guide →Illegal Eviction
Unlawful eviction carries up to 2 years in prison and an unlimited fine. Civil damages can be substantial. Excluded and non-excluded occupiers explained.
Read guide →Renters Reform Bill vs Renters' Rights Act 2025
The 2024 Renters (Reform) Bill fell at dissolution. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 went further: no Section 21, no fixed-term tenancies, no rent bidding. What changed.
Read guide →Renters' Rights Act 2025
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is now in force: Section 21 abolished, ASTs gone, rent in advance capped, new pet rights. What every landlord must do now.
Read guide →Tenancy framework & money
Housing Act 1988
Section 21 abolished, ASTs gone. Housing Act 1988 as amended by RRA 2025: periodic tenancies, possession grounds, what landlords must know.
Read guide →Tenancy Deposit Schemes Order 2007
The Tenancy Deposit Schemes Order 2007: three authorised schemes (DPS, MyDeposits, TDS), custodial vs insured, the 30-day protection window, prescribed information, and the section 214 penalty regime.
Read guide →Tenancy Form 4 (Section 13 Rent Increase)
Form 4 is the prescribed statutory form for rent increases under s.13 of the Housing Act 1988. Post-RRA 2025: 2 months' notice, once per 52 weeks, Tribunal cap. Detailed guide with worked example.
Read guide →Tenant Fees Act 2019
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 prohibits all tenant fees except a defined list. 5-week deposit cap, 1-week holding deposit cap, default fee restrictions. Civil penalties up to £30,000.
Read guide →Safety & compliance
Building Act 1984
Three approval routes (full plans, building notice, competent person). Penalties for unauthorised work and the higher-risk building regime explained.
Read guide →Building Safety Act 2022
The Building Safety Act 2022: higher-risk buildings (18m+/7+ storeys), Building Safety Regulator, Accountable Person duties, leaseholder protections, extended limitation periods.
Read guide →Defective Premises Act 1972
Section 4 landlord duty of care: who it covers, standard of care, damages and compliance — plus Building Safety Act 2022 limitation changes.
Read guide →Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020
The Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020: mandatory five-yearly EICR, qualified person requirement, C1/C2/C3/FI defect classification, provision rules, and penalties up to £30,000.
Read guide →Fire Safety Act 2021
The Fire Safety Act 2021 amended the Fire Safety Order 2005 to cover external walls, cladding, balconies, and flat doors of multi-occupied buildings. Responsible person duties, EWS1 framework, penalties. Detailed guide.
Read guide →Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations 1988
The 1988 Regulations: BS 5852 for upholstered furniture, BS 7177 for mattresses, compliance labels required. Landlords are 'suppliers'. Pre-1950 exempt. Criminal offence under Consumer Protection Act 1987.
Read guide →Gas Safety Regs 1998
Gas Safety Regulations 1998: annual CP12 checks, 28-day tenant rule, Gas Safe engineers only, current HSE penalty and record-retention rules for landlords.
Read guide →Smoke and CO Alarm Regulations (Post-2022)
The Smoke and CO Alarm Regulations 2015 as amended 2022: smoke alarm on every storey, CO alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance, start-of-tenancy testing, and penalties up to £5,000.
Read guide →Standards, energy & licensing
Awaab's Law and SHRA 2023
Awaab's Law (Social Housing Regulation Act 2023): strict response timescales for damp/mould (Oct 2024), phased extension to other hazards. PRS extension via RRA 2025 expected 2028. Detailed guide.
Read guide →EPC Requirements for Landlords
Landlords must hold a valid EPC before letting. Covers the 10-year validity rule, MEES minimum band, marketing display obligations, and civil penalties up to £5,000.
Read guide →Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
The 2018 Act: implied duty that property is fit throughout the tenancy. 29 HHSRS hazards. Tenant direct claims for damages and specific performance.
Read guide →Housing & Planning Act 2016
Housing & Planning Act 2016: civil penalties up to £30,000, expanded RROs, banning orders and the Rogue Landlord Database — what landlords must know.
Read guide →Housing Act 2004
The Housing Act 2004 for landlords: HHSRS's 2026 overhaul, HMO licensing, deposit protection, and the new £40,000 civil penalty cap.
Read guide →Landlord & Tenant Act 1985
Section 11 sets the landlord's repair duty for structure, exterior, heating and plumbing. Fitness for habitation and tenant remedies explained.
Read guide →MEES 2015
EPC Band E is the current legal minimum for PRS lets. Band C planned for all tenancies by 1 October 2030. Fines up to £30,000 per breach. Six exemptions explained.
Read guide →People, data & Wales
Equality Act 2010
The 9 protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, how direct and indirect discrimination applies to letting, and the Renters' Rights Act 2025 additions.
Read guide →Right to Rent (Immigration Act 2014)
The right to rent regime: who must be checked, acceptable documents, online eVisa checks, re-checks for time-limited rights, the 2024 penalty increase to £5,000/£10,000, and discrimination tensions.
Read guide →UK GDPR for Landlords
UK GDPR data controller duties for landlords: legal bases, privacy notices, SARs, 72-hour breach reporting. Fines up to £17.5m.
Read guide →Welsh Tenancy Forms 1, 2, 3
Welsh tenancy forms under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016: Form 1 (different terms), Form 2 (tribunal referral), Form 3 (possession), Form RHW16 (s.173 no-fault). Distinct from English forms.
Read guide →A reference library of the UK statutes and regulations that govern private renting in England. Each entry explains the law in plain English, links to the authoritative source on legislation.gov.uk, and shows how the rules apply in practice.
Most relevant right now
- Renters' Rights Act 2025 — the biggest change to private renting in 40 years. Commences 1 May 2026.
- Housing Act 1988 — the foundational statute, heavily amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — repairing obligations and the requirement for a written agreement.
Additional reference pages for tenant fees, gas safety, electrical safety, fire safety, and other regulations are being added during the rebuild.