Being a landlord in 2026 involves considerably more than finding a tenant and collecting the rent.
Landlords in England have responsibilities covering property safety, deposits, documentation, repairs and the way tenancies are managed. The introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act changes in May 2026 has also significantly altered the private rented sector.
For landlords in Kettering and the surrounding area, keeping on top of these requirements is an important part of protecting both your tenants and your investment.
This guide looks at some of the key responsibilities landlords should understand in 2026.
This article is intended as a general guide rather than legal advice. Landlords should obtain professional advice where they are unsure of their obligations.
The Renters’ Rights Act Has Changed the Landscape
One of the biggest changes for landlords in many years arrived on 1 May 2026.
Most existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, while new assured tenancies are now periodic rather than having a fixed end date.
For landlords, this means tenancy management processes and documentation need to reflect the new system.
The familiar Section 21 “no-fault” eviction route has also been abolished. Where landlords need to regain possession, they must now use the appropriate possession grounds and follow the correct process.
This makes accurate administration more important than ever.
Providing the Correct Tenancy Information
The 2026 reforms also introduced new information requirements.
For new tenancies, landlords must provide prescribed information about the tenancy in writing. Existing tenants with written agreements did not generally require completely new agreements when the rules changed, but most landlords or their agents were required to provide the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.
If you’re uncertain whether the documentation for an existing tenancy is compliant, it is sensible to review it rather than assuming older paperwork remains sufficient.
Keeping the Property Safe
A fundamental responsibility of any landlord is ensuring their rented property is safe and free from health hazards.
Landlords are responsible for making sure gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained, meeting fire-safety requirements and dealing with necessary repairs.
Good property management isn’t simply about reacting when something breaks.
Regular inspections and preventative maintenance can help identify relatively minor issues before they develop into expensive problems.
A small leak dealt with quickly is considerably preferable to discovering extensive damp or water damage several months later.
Gas Safety
If the property contains gas appliances supplied by the landlord, there are specific safety responsibilities.
Gas equipment must be safely installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the relevant appliances and flues require an annual gas safety check.
Tenants must also receive the appropriate gas safety record.
Maintaining a reliable system for arranging inspections and retaining records is therefore important.
Electrical Safety
Landlords must ensure that electrical installations within rented properties are safe.
Electrical safety standards require periodic inspection and testing, generally at intervals of no more than five years, by an appropriately qualified person.
Any electrical appliances supplied by the landlord must also be safe.
Again, good record keeping is essential.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Rental properties are subject to requirements concerning smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Government guidance requires landlords to install and test the appropriate alarms and comply with relevant fire-safety regulations.
Requirements can vary depending on the type of property, particularly where houses in multiple occupation are concerned, so landlords should ensure they understand the rules applying to their particular property.
Energy Performance Certificates
Landlords must provide an Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, where required.
The EPC provides information about a property’s energy efficiency and is an established part of letting a residential property.
Properties generally need to meet the applicable minimum energy-efficiency requirements unless a valid exemption applies.
Protecting the Tenant’s Deposit
If you take a tenancy deposit that is required to be protected, it must be placed into an approved tenancy deposit protection scheme.
Under the current system for assured periodic tenancies, the landlord or letting agent must protect the deposit within 30 days of receiving it.
This is an area where seemingly simple administrative mistakes can create significant problems later.
Landlords should therefore make sure deposits and the associated documentation are dealt with correctly and promptly.
Right to Rent Checks
Landlords letting residential property in England must carry out the required Right to Rent checks.
The purpose is to establish whether prospective adult tenants have the legal right to rent residential accommodation in England. Right to Rent remains among the responsibilities listed in current government landlord guidance.
Checks need to be carried out correctly and without unlawful discrimination.
Advertising a Rental Property
The Renters’ Rights Act has also changed some of the rules around marketing rental properties.
When advertising a property, landlords and agents must publish an asking rent and cannot encourage or accept offers above that advertised amount.
The new rules also prohibit discrimination against prospective tenants because they have children or receive benefits.
These changes make it particularly important that landlords and letting agents use up-to-date processes rather than relying on practices that may have been acceptable previously.
Requests to Keep Pets
Tenants and prospective tenants can now request permission to keep a pet.
A landlord cannot simply apply a blanket policy without considering the request and must have a valid reason for refusing it.
This doesn’t mean every pet request must automatically be accepted, but it does change how landlords should approach the issue.
Rent Increases
Rent increases also need to be handled through the appropriate process.
The Renters’ Rights Act introduced changes intended to create a clearer system around rent increases, rather than allowing increases to be built into a tenancy through mechanisms that circumvent the statutory process.
For landlords, the important principle is simple: don’t assume that the procedure used under an older tenancy remains appropriate in 2026.
Repairs and Maintenance
A rental property inevitably requires maintenance.
Boilers fail. Taps leak. Appliances stop working. Roofs develop problems.
How quickly these issues are dealt with can have a major impact on the landlord-tenant relationship and the long-term condition of the property.
A well-managed property should have a clear process through which tenants can report problems and through which repairs can be assessed, authorised and completed.
This becomes particularly valuable for landlords who don’t live locally or who own several rental properties.
Regular Property Inspections
Periodic inspections can help landlords understand how their property is being maintained and identify emerging problems.
They should be carried out appropriately and with respect for the tenant’s right to live in the property undisturbed.
Except in an emergency, government guidance says landlords should generally provide at least 24 hours’ notice before visiting to inspect the property or carry out repairs, and visits should be at a reasonable time.
A good inspection isn’t about looking for reasons to criticise tenants.
It is an opportunity to check the property’s condition, identify maintenance requirements and protect the asset.
Keeping Accurate Records
The increasing amount of regulation surrounding residential lettings makes good record keeping particularly important.
Landlords may need records relating to safety inspections, maintenance, deposits, tenant communications, tenancy documentation, rent and other aspects of the letting.
Trying to reconstruct this information after a problem occurs can be difficult.
A properly managed property should therefore have an organised record of important documents and events throughout the tenancy.
Why More Landlords Are Considering Full Property Management
Some landlords enjoy managing every aspect of their rental property themselves.
Others discover that the administrative burden is considerably greater than expected.
Finding tenants is only one part of the job.
There is also referencing, tenancy administration, rent collection, inspections, maintenance coordination, compliance, tenant communication and keeping up with changes to legislation.
For a landlord with a full-time career, other business interests or several properties, this can become time-consuming.
Using a professional property management service can remove much of that day-to-day workload while providing an experienced point of contact for both landlord and tenant.
Property Management in Kettering
Our aim is to make property ownership simpler by helping with the practical day-to-day work involved in letting and managing residential property.
Whether you’re preparing to let a property for the first time, already have a tenant in place or would simply prefer someone else to handle the ongoing management, we can discuss the level of support you need.
If you’re a landlord in Kettering looking for a more straightforward way to manage your rental property, speak to Brennan Bespoke about our letting and property management services.
