London Landlord Compliance Timeline: When Each Certificate Is Due

Why a Compliance Timeline Matters

Landlord compliance in London involves a range of certificates and assessments, each with its own renewal interval. Managing these across multiple properties, with different start dates, different HMO licence conditions, and different tenancy change dates, is a genuine administrative challenge. A missed certificate is not just a paperwork failure — it is a potential criminal offence, a breach of licence conditions, and a risk to tenants. Building and maintaining a compliance calendar is one of the most important operational tasks any London landlord can undertake.

CP12: Every 12 Months from the Last Inspection Date

The Landlord Gas Safety Record must be renewed every twelve months. The renewal date runs from the date of the last inspection, not from a fixed calendar date. If your CP12 was completed on 14 March 2025, the next inspection must be completed by 14 March 2026. You may book the inspection up to two months early without losing the original anniversary date — this is a useful provision that allows you to book ahead without penalising yourself on the renewal cycle. The CP12 must be provided to tenants within 28 days of completion and to new tenants before they move in.

EICR: Every 5 Years, or Every 3 Years for Some HMO Licence Conditions

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require an EICR every five years. However, many London HMO licences impose a three-year condition on the EICR, reducing the standard interval significantly. Always check your HMO licence conditions. An EICR that produces C1 or C2 observations is not satisfactory and cannot be used as the compliance document until the identified defects have been remediated and the installation re-inspected. The satisfactory EICR must be provided to tenants within 28 days and to the local authority on request within seven days.

Fire Risk Assessment: Annually for HMOs, Every 3-5 Years for Simpler Premises

The Fire Risk Assessment must be reviewed whenever a significant change occurs — new occupants, structural alterations, change of room use, any fire safety incident — and must be formally reviewed at regular intervals regardless. For HMOs, particularly those with more than two storeys or more than five occupants, annual review is the standard expected by most London borough licensing authorities and is the safest approach. For simpler premises such as a small single-let house or flat, a review every three to five years may be appropriate provided no significant changes have occurred.

PAT Testing: Annually Recommended, Required for Most HMO Licences

PAT testing of landlord-supplied portable electrical appliances is required annually under most London HMO licence conditions. The interval runs from the date of the last test. Ensure that all tested items carry a current pass label and that a PAT test register is maintained. Items that fail testing must be removed from service — they cannot remain in the property pending repair. For a single-let property where the landlord supplies few or no appliances, PAT testing obligations may be minimal, but any appliance supplied by the landlord should be tested before a new tenancy begins.

Legionella Risk Assessment: Annually for HMOs, at Each New Letting Otherwise

HSE guidance recommends reviewing the Legionella risk assessment annually for HMOs, given the shared water systems, higher occupancy, and more complex pipework that characterise HMO properties. For single-let properties, a review at each new letting — and in any case where the water system has been significantly altered — is the minimum standard. The written risk assessment must be retained and made available on request to the local authority, which is particularly relevant for HMO licence applications.

EPC: Every 10 Years, Required at Each Letting

An Energy Performance Certificate is valid for ten years and must be available whenever a property is marketed for let. While the certificate itself lasts ten years, the minimum EPC rating required for private rented properties is subject to change — the current minimum of E may be raised in future, meaning an existing EPC showing a low E or F/G rating should prompt consideration of energy improvement works now rather than waiting for enforcement. Always confirm that a valid EPC is in place before marketing a property.

HMO Licence: Every 5 Years

HMO licences run for five years from the date of issue. Renewal applications should be submitted well in advance of the expiry date — most London boroughs recommend submitting three to six months before expiry. A renewal application submitted before the licence expires means the property can continue to be operated lawfully under the existing licence while the renewal is processed. Do not wait for the council to contact you: the obligation to apply for renewal rests with the landlord.

Smoke Alarm Checks: At the Start of Each Tenancy

The landlord must test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms at the start of each tenancy. This is a legal requirement under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022. Testing at the start of the tenancy should be documented — a written record signed by the landlord or agent and the tenant is best practice. During the tenancy, the ongoing obligation to maintain alarms falls on the tenant, but the landlord must ensure faulty alarms reported by a tenant are replaced promptly.

Building a Compliance Calendar

The most effective approach is a spreadsheet or property management software that records for each property: the current certificate for each compliance obligation, the expiry date, and a reminder date set 60 to 90 days before expiry. For CP12, set a reminder 60 days before expiry to allow time to book the Gas Safe engineer. For EICR, set a reminder 90 days before expiry as qualified electricians for HMO work in London book up quickly. For HMO licence renewal, set a reminder 180 days before expiry to allow time to gather all required supporting documentation. Certificate renewals that fall close to an HMO licence renewal date should be coordinated so that all supporting documents are current when the licence renewal application is submitted.