Landlord Health & Safety Certificates (England & Wales)

Just to clarify:

• I’m only listing the required health & safety certificates – so this is not an in-depth overview of all your legal obligations, including other bits of paperwork. You will almost certainly have other legally required obligations you will need to comply with (e.g. tenancy deposit legislation, issuing right-to-rent booklet… etc).
• This list only applies to private residential rental properties in England & Wales.

We good? Cool.

Yup, that’s it.

Needless to say, compliance is not only critical for the safety and comfort of your tenants, but also, failing to comply can lead to hefty penalties.

FAQ: Landlord Health & Safety Certificates

How much do landlord safety certificates cost?

You may have noticed that prices can vary drastically for each respective certificate, and it’s not really reflective of the service – you’ll ultimately get the same thing at the end of it. For example, I’ve seen EPCs range from £35 to £120.

Buying landlord certificates is like buying most other products – you can shop around for the best deals.

I’ve found that online suppliers (like the one’s I have linked to) provide the most competitive rates and that’s because they work with a network of suppliers and benefit from economies of scales. Sourcing local tradesmen is usually the more expensive option. Although, understandably, many landlords are willing to pay extra for local tradesmen they are familiar with and have a good relationship with. The most expensive option is usually getting certificates through local letting agents, because most of them will add their own hefty commission on top.

Prices can be impacted by location and size of property, so that’s also worth bearing in mind e.g. Gas Safety Checks are likely to be more expensive in London compared to Essex.

Are there any other documents landlords need (other than the certificates mentioned above)?

Most likely.

As mentioned, this blog post only covers the health and safety certificates required. Other documents that fall out of that scope, which you may also require are:

• Tenancy deposit documentation – Landlords that take a deposit will need to issue documentation [to their tenant] with details of where the deposit is secured. The documentation is referred to as the Tenancy Deposit Prescribed Information.
• How to rent guide – Landlords in England need to issue their tenants with a copy of the latest government version of the How to rent guide at the beginning of the tenancy.
• Landlord License – if you’re a HMO landlord, or have a single-let rental property located in a borough which is subject to selective licensing, you will need to acquire a license before renting out your property. If you’re not sure if you need one, the best way to check is by visiting your local council’s website and/or contacting them directly for confirmation.

For a full list, here is a Compliance Checklist For New Tenancies.

Are landlords or letting agents responsible for Health & Safety?

Landlords should always ensure they have met their health and safety regulations, that includes ensuring all the appropriate certificates are obtained, even if using a property management service.

I haven’t used a management service in over a decade, but when I first became a landlord, I did. I initially thought I was paying them to not only manage the overall property, but also ensure I’m fully compliant. Logical, right?

While most reputable and decent agents will do exactly that, experience has taught me that it’s not a given. Let’s just say that I’ve used agents in the past that didn’t know their arse from their elbow when it came to regulation. Moreover, the reality is, the responsibility ultimately always falls on the landlord – it is their job to ensure their rental property is safe and free from health hazards.

Basically, good agents will ensure their landlords comply with their legal obligations, but they won’t be held accountable if it’s not done.

As per the Government guidelines, landlord’s are responsible for:

• Gas safety
• Electrical safety
• Fire safety

What’s the best way for landlord’s to keep up-to-date with Health & Safety regulations?

I personally believe joining a reputable Landlord Association is the way forward.

Yes, it will cost you an annual membership fee to join one, but it’s worth it, especially if you’re interested in keeping up to date with the latest regulations, which is forever shuffling.

While there are plenty of associations to choose from, I only really feel comfortable recommending the following two:

• Landlords Guild
• NRLA (National Residential Landlords Association)

You can find out more about landlord associations and their benefits.

How often do landlords need to renew Health & Safety certificates?

Each certificate has its own expiration date, so it’s important to make yourself aware of how long each certificate is valid for.

The following are the standard and minimal validation periods, at which point they should be renewed:

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) – 10 years
• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) – 1 year
• Electrical Safety Certificate (EICR) – 5 years
• Legionella Risk Assessment – 2 years or before the start of a new tenancy (whichever comes first)

It is possible that in some circumstances it might be necessary (or just sensible) to renew certificates earlier.

Does it matter where I get my landlord certificates from?

There isn’t one official outlet for any of the certificates, they’re all available from local tradesmen and online national service providers. But you should always use qualified professionals.

• EPCs should be conducted by an accredited energy assessor that is a member of an approved accreditation scheme, for example:
  • Elmhurst
  • Stroma
  • ECMK Ltd
  • Quidos
  • Sterling Accreditation
  • CIBSE
• A gas safety check/certificate must be conducted by a “Gas Safe” registered engineer (the Gas Safe website has a public directory of all registered engineers), so you should NOT use anyone that isn’t registered.
• EICRs should be conducted by someone “qualified and competent” that is a “member of a competent person scheme” (I’m quoting the guidelines provided by the Gov) e.g. NICEIC and/or NAPIT approved contractor.

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