The Buck Stops With You: What You Actually Need to Do as a Plymouth Landlord
Being a landlord comes with responsibilities. The property is yours, the tenancy agreement has your name on it, and if something goes wrong, legally, practically or financially, you are the one who has to deal with it. None of this should put you off. But it does mean going in with your eyes open and making sure the basics are properly covered.
Safety requirements are not optional
Before any tenant moves in, you need a valid Gas Safety Certificate renewed every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer, an Electrical Installation Condition Report carried out every five years, working smoke alarms on every floor, a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a solid fuel appliance, and an Energy Performance Certificate with a minimum rating of E. These are legal requirements. Falling short is not just a regulatory risk; it is a genuine safety risk to the people living in your property.
Get the tenancy agreement right from day one
A proper tenancy agreement is not optional, even if you are letting to someone you know. You need a legally sound document that sets out the obligations on both sides clearly: rent, notice periods, maintenance responsibilities and any specific rules about the property. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, all new tenancies are now periodic rather than fixed-term, so make sure your agreement reflects the current legal position. If you are unsure, ask us.
Protect the deposit properly
Every deposit must be placed in a government-approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme within 30 days of receipt, and your tenant must receive the prescribed information about where it is held. Get this wrong and you face a financial penalty and may lose access to certain possession grounds further down the line.
Understand what the Renters' Rights Act actually means for you
From 1 May 2026, Section 21 no-fault evictions no longer exist. If you need to recover your property, you must use one of the specific legal grounds available under Section 8, for example rent arrears, a breach of the tenancy, or a genuine intention to sell or move a family member in. The grounds and notice periods have been updated, so it is worth getting familiar with them.
Tenant requests for pets must be properly considered. You cannot simply say no. If you have a reasonable objection, perhaps the property is leasehold and your lease prohibits animals, you need to be able to demonstrate that. You can ask the tenant to take out pet insurance to cover potential damage.
From late 2026, all landlords will need to register on the new Private Rented Sector Database. The detail on how this works is still being confirmed, but registration will be required to use certain possession grounds so it is not something you can ignore.
Stay on top of maintenance and keep records
Respond to repair requests promptly. Keep written records of everything you have been told about and everything you have done in response. Under Awaab's Law, which will be extended to the private rented sector in a future phase of the Act, landlords will face strict timeframes for dealing with damp and mould. Get ahead of this now. Deal with issues when they come up, document your actions, and do not let small problems quietly become larger ones.
The relationship with your tenant matters more than people think
A tenant who feels respected, who knows their messages will be replied to, and who trusts that repairs will actually happen, is a tenant who stays longer, takes better care of the property and gives you far fewer headaches. The best landlord and tenant relationships are professional but genuinely human. A bit of common sense and a bit of understanding goes a long way.
If the compliance side feels like a lot to stay on top of, or if managing a tenancy alongside everything else in your life is becoming more hassle than it is worth, a fully managed letting service takes the weight off. We handle everything from tenant finding and referencing to maintenance coordination, rent collection and compliance. You stay informed and in control, but you are not the one fielding calls at 8pm on a Friday.
We look after landlords right across Plymouth and we are genuinely invested in making your property work well for you. If you want to talk through your current situation or are thinking about your first let, give us a call.