What does it mean to be a landlord?

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This post details what it means to be a landlord in the UK (find out all about your responsibilities as a landlord).

As someone who owns buildings, flats, houses or other dwelling units, a landlord rents property to a tenant.

This requires the landlord and tenant to be in a contractual relationship with one another, with rights and responsibilities with respect to the other.

In the UK, a tenancy agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords.

Key responsibilities that landlords have include keeping rented properties safe and free from health hazards, ensuring all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained, following fire safety regulations, providing an Energy Performance Certificate for the property and protecting a tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme, according to Gov.uk.

Landlords are also responsible for repairing the structure and exterior of the premises (drains, gutters and external pipes), water and gas pipes and electric wiring (including taps and sockets), basins, sinks, baths and toilets, water heaters and fixed heaters.

Landlords are also typically responsible for repairs to common parts of the building like stairways, lifts, gardens or hallways.

Landlords cannot discriminate when it comes to carrying out repairs based on a tenant’s race, religion, sex or disability.

While landlords may need to access their properties from time to time (for inspections and repairs), they should give tenants reasonable notice to arrange a time to visit and should not come in unannounced.

Landlords need to tell their tenants when and how to pay rent (by cheque or direct debit, for example), and can only increase rent at certain times (detailed in the tenancy agreement).

Landlords are required to give tenants their name and contact address in England or Wales, and if the property is managed by a letting or property agent, the agent should provide tenants with the landlord’s contact details.

Landlords can find out more information from the National Landlords Association.

Confused about flatshare terminology? Our handy glossary defines all of the main terms you need to know.

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