We will initially visit the property to assess its rental value and discuss your requirements. We can advise on the most appropriate service for you and make recommendations which may help improve the property's presentation and rental potential.
Our initial rental appraisal and advice are provided without charge or obligation.
Presentation can have a significant impact on both the level of interest in a property and the rent that can be achieved.
Before marketing, we recommend that landlords:
Ensure the property is clean and presented in good condition.
Attend to any outstanding repairs or maintenance.
Keep decoration relatively neutral and in good condition.
Ensure gardens and outside areas are tidy and maintained.
Check bathrooms and kitchens for issues such as damaged sealant, grouting, leaks or mould.
Ensure any furniture, appliances and equipment supplied with the property are safe and in good condition.
Ensure communal areas for which the landlord is responsible are safe and clear.
Make sure the property complies with all applicable safety and legal requirements before the tenancy begins.
Where a tenant is responsible for maintaining a garden or outside area, this should be clearly set out in the tenancy agreement.
Once you have instructed Dedman Lettings, we will prepare the property for marketing in accordance with the service you have selected.
Where applicable, this may include taking photographs, preparing the property particulars and advertising the property through Rightmove, the Dedman Lettings website and our social media platforms.
We will discuss prospective tenants and offers with you before a tenancy is agreed.
Finding a suitable tenant is an important part of successfully letting your property.
Prospective tenants and guarantors, where applicable, will normally undergo referencing and affordability checks through our referencing provider, Blinc Referencing.
Referencing may include credit checks, verification of income or employment and previous landlord or letting agent references where appropriate.
We will advise you of the outcome of the referencing process before proceeding with the tenancy.
We will also carry out the required Right to Rent checks on adult occupiers where this forms part of the service provided by Dedman Lettings.
Landlords have a number of legal responsibilities when letting residential property. The requirements applicable to a particular property can vary according to the type of property, tenancy and local authority.
Where a property has relevant gas appliances or installations, landlords must ensure that the required gas safety checks are carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
A Gas Safety Record must generally be renewed every 12 months.
A copy of the current record must be provided to new tenants before they occupy the property and to existing tenants within the required legal timescale following a subsequent check.
Landlords are also responsible for ensuring that gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants are maintained in a safe condition.
Landlords must ensure that the electrical installations in their rented properties are safe.
For properties subject to the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations, the electrical installation must be inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at least every five years, or sooner where required by the previous inspection.
The resulting Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) must be provided to tenants within the applicable legal timescales and any required remedial or investigative work must be dealt with in accordance with the Regulations.
Landlords must also ensure that any electrical appliances they provide are safe for use.
Landlords must ensure that the required smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed at the property.
A smoke alarm must be installed on each storey of the property which is used as living accommodation.
A carbon monoxide alarm is generally required in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers.
Landlords must ensure that the required alarms are working at the start of a new tenancy and must repair or replace an alarm once informed that it is faulty, where required by law.
Any upholstered furniture and furnishings supplied by a landlord must comply with the applicable Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.
This can include items such as sofas, armchairs, beds, mattresses, upholstered dining chairs and other upholstered furniture supplied with the property.
Landlords should ensure that relevant items carry the appropriate permanent fire safety labels where required.
Most properties must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before they are marketed for rent.
The EPC provides information about the property's energy efficiency and must be made available to prospective tenants and provided to the tenant as required by law.
Landlords must also ensure that the property meets the applicable Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards unless a valid exemption applies.
Properties occupied by multiple people who do not form a single household may be classed as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Depending on the property, number of occupants and location, an HMO licence may be required.
Local authorities may also operate additional HMO licensing or selective licensing schemes which apply to properties that would not otherwise require a mandatory HMO licence.
Landlords should check the licensing requirements with the relevant local authority before letting a property.
Landlords are responsible for ensuring that rented properties are safe and fit for habitation and for complying with their statutory repairing obligations.
This includes keeping relevant parts of the structure and exterior in repair and maintaining installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity, sanitation, space heating and heating water as required by law.
Any known hazards or significant repair issues should be addressed before a tenant moves into the property.
Before a tenancy begins, the required Right to Rent checks must be completed for all adult occupiers where the legislation applies.
Where Dedman Lettings is responsible for carrying out these checks as part of the agreed service, we will complete them in accordance with the applicable requirements.
Follow-up checks may also be required where an occupier has a time-limited Right to Rent.
The tenancy agreement should clearly set out the terms on which the property is being let, including the rent, responsibilities of the landlord and tenant and other relevant terms.
Where tenancy agreement preparation is included within the Dedman Lettings service selected by the landlord, we will prepare and arrange execution of the appropriate agreement.
Where a security deposit is taken, it must not exceed the statutory maximum.
For most tenancies, this is:
Five weeks' rent where the annual rent is less than £50,000.
Six weeks' rent where the annual rent is £50,000 or more.
Where Dedman Lettings is responsible for deposit registration and protection, the deposit will be dealt with through our approved tenancy deposit protection scheme, the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
Where the landlord is responsible for protecting the deposit, the landlord must ensure that it is protected correctly and that all required prescribed information and documentation are provided within the applicable legal timescales.
A detailed Inventory and Schedule of Condition provides an important record of the condition of the property at the beginning of a tenancy and can be particularly important when dealing with proposed deposit deductions at the end of the tenancy.
An Inventory and Schedule of Condition is included within our Full Management service.
It is not included within our Tenant Introduction or Tenant Introduction + Rent Collection services but can be arranged separately for an additional fee.
Landlords must ensure that tenants receive all information and documentation required by law at the appropriate time.
Depending on the property and tenancy, this may include:
The current Gas Safety Record.
The Energy Performance Certificate.
The current electrical safety report.
Deposit protection information and prescribed information where a deposit is taken.
The current government information that landlords are required to provide to tenants.
Relevant information concerning the tenancy and property.
Where Dedman Lettings is responsible for this administration under the service selected, we will arrange the relevant documentation. Landlords remain responsible for providing us with any certificates or information which they are required to obtain.
Landlords have continuing legal responsibilities for repairs and maintenance throughout the tenancy.
Where Dedman Lettings provides Full Management, tenants can report maintenance issues to us and we will liaise with the landlord and contractors in accordance with our Terms of Business and the landlord's agreed expenditure authority.
Where the landlord manages the property themselves, responsibility for dealing with repairs, maintenance and communication with the tenant passes to the landlord following commencement of the tenancy.
For properties under our Full Management service, Dedman Lettings will carry out periodic property inspections and provide the landlord with a report.
Inspections can help identify maintenance issues and provide an opportunity to check the general condition of the property.
Appropriate notice will be provided to the tenant before an inspection is carried out.
Where Dedman Lettings provides Rent Collection or Full Management, we will collect rent in accordance with our Terms of Business and transfer cleared funds to the landlord's nominated account, less any agreed fees or authorised deductions.
We will monitor payments and contact the tenant where rent falls into arrears.
Where the landlord has selected Tenant Introduction only, responsibility for collecting and administering rent passes to the landlord once the tenancy has commenced.
Landlords whose usual place of abode is outside the UK may fall within HMRC's Non-resident Landlord Scheme.
Where applicable, letting agents collecting rent on behalf of a non-resident landlord may be required to deduct tax from rental income unless HMRC has authorised the agent to pay the landlord without deduction.
Non-resident landlords should notify us of their circumstances and provide any relevant HMRC approval reference.
Landlords should obtain independent tax advice concerning their individual tax position where necessary.
Before letting a property, landlords should also consider whether they need:
Consent from their mortgage lender to let the property.
Consent from a superior landlord or freeholder where the property is leasehold.
Appropriate landlord buildings and contents insurance.
Any licence required by the local authority.
Permission or consent relating to alterations, use or occupancy of the property.
Appropriate tax or financial advice concerning rental income.
Landlords should also keep their contact details and correspondence address up to date throughout the tenancy.
The level of responsibility we assume will depend upon the service you select.
We offer:
6-Week Property Marketing.
Tenant Introduction.
Rent Collection.
Tenant Introduction + Rent Collection.
Full Management.
We can also arrange certain additional services including deposit registration and administration, tenant and guarantor referencing, Inventory and Schedule of Condition preparation and standalone tenancy agreement preparation.
Full details of our services and charges are available on our Services & Fees page and in the applicable Terms of Business.
This checklist is intended to provide landlords with general guidance and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice.
Landlord obligations can vary according to the property, tenancy, occupants and local authority area, and legislation may change from time to time.
Landlords remain responsible for ensuring that their property and tenancy comply with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Where you are unsure about your obligations, you should obtain appropriate professional advice.
Last updated: September 2026
