What safety checks must my landlord carry out?

Your landlord has several mandatory safety obligations — and failing to carry them out is a criminal offence.

Gas safety: if the property has gas, your landlord must have a gas safety check carried out every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You must receive a copy of the certificate within 28 days of it being done. A new tenant must get it before moving in.

Electrical safety: landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested by a qualified electrician at least every five years. You must receive a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). If it flags urgent issues, these must be fixed within 28 days.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: there must be at least one working smoke alarm on each storey of the property, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (like a gas boiler or log burner). Landlords must test these at the start of each new tenancy.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): your landlord must give you a valid EPC before you move in. Since April 2020, privately rented properties must have a minimum EPC rating of E. By 2030, this will increase to C.

If your landlord hasn't provided a gas safety certificate, EICR, or EPC, write to them requesting it. If they don't respond, contact the council's housing enforcement team. Missing a gas safety certificate also means any Section 21 notice your landlord might have served was invalid.