New How to Rent guide released by Government

A new 'How to Rent' guide has been released by Government today, with private landlords reminded they MUST serve this version at the start of any new tenancy or on renewal.

Rules were brought in eight years ago making it mandatory for landlords in England to provide the latest version of ‘How to rent: a checklist for renting in England’ to their tenants when the first tenancy starts – and on renewal if there has been an update to the contents of the guide.

It forms part of the prescribed information landlords must issue, and if they do not, they lose the right to repossess using Section 21.

The guide has been updated to reflect some recent legal changes, including:

• The requirement for carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted in every room with a fixed fuel-burning appliance.
• The requirement for EICRs must be provided to the tenants.
• In addition, it also contains information on fitting smart meters and there is a section in the guide on ensuring the property is suitable if you have a disability.

The new versions of the How to Rent and How to Let guides are available on the gov.uk website.

An archive of all previous editions of the How to Rent guides is available via the NRLA website.

Understand more about the prescribed information you must issue at the start of a tenancy, in our Starting a Tenancy checklist, exclusive for NRLA members.