Our Guide For Landlords
Compliance
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025, set to begin implementation from May 2026, represents the most significant overhaul of the private rental sector in decades. With the abolition of no‑fault evictions, the introduction of periodic tenancies, stricter rules on rent increases, and stronger enforcement powers for local councils, landlords face a new era of heightened compliance and scrutiny, with over 170 pieces of legislation for a Landlord to keep on top of. Now more than ever, it is crucial to be fully compliant, protect yourself legally and financially, and select the very best tenants. For private individual landlords, managing properties under these evolving regulations is increasingly complex—often amounting to a full‑time job. At Dwelling&Manor, we take this burden off your shoulders, ensuring your properties are expertly managed, compliant with the latest legislation, and positioned for long‑term success.
Tenancy Management
A tenancy is a partnership between the occupier and the manager of the property. A successful partnership results from great communication between both parties. Not only are first impressions crucial but tenants will then need regular contact, help and support throughout the years of living in the property.
When managing a property, you need to be on hand and accessible to help your tenants with any questions and offer speedy resolutions when issues arise. This is why we have on hand experts ready to answer calls from tenants and online streamlined systems to receive, manage and delegate tenant queries.
Tenants are excited when they first move into their new home and want to be proud of where they live. Great property management is about enhancing this feeling, with good communication from check-in to check-out.
Our aim is to help your tenant keep their property in the best possible condition. Whilst they are in charge of the everyday upkeep of their home, we are here to stay on top of maintenance with your tenants as our eyes and ears.
Before welcoming new tenants, it’s vital that your property is fully prepared. Everything should be in perfect working order, with clear access to manuals and useful information, and the space professionally cleaned to a high standard. At Dwelling&Manor, we only represent properties that are well maintained, because the better the property, the better the calibre of tenants it attracts. This not only safeguards long‑term profits but also ensures a positive experience for all parties involved. To help you achieve this, we provide tailored recommendations to make your property rental‑ready, and for those seeking to truly stand out, we offer a bespoke interior design service that elevates your property to the next level.
Property Management
Just like your own home, your property investment requires regular care, updates, and ongoing maintenance. Long‑term success isn’t achieved by chance—it demands a clear plan, consistent routines, and good habits. The most effective approach is preventative maintenance, ensuring issues are addressed before they become costly problems. At Dwelling&Manor, we take this responsibility off your hands, providing tailored services, timely reminders, and a comprehensive suite of property management solutions that safeguard your investment and keep it performing at its best.
A preventative maintenance plan differs from one property to the next, that’s why we offer bespoke tailored solutions to each property.
We have an in-house team of maintenance engineers who are on hand to keep costs down and help stay on top of the little to medium sized jobs. We can also help prolong the life of the boiler by organising a service at the same time as the annual gas safety certificate is carried out. These preventative measures reduce the likelihood of costly repairs and put the tenants mind at ease.
The rewards are reliable, long-term tenants, steady rental income and your asset continuing to gain value.
Safety & Legal compliance
The work we do in finding the tenant, setting up the tenancy agreement, helping arrange appropriate certificates and check-in formalities, covers you for many of the risks at the start of the tenancy. There are now over 170 pieces of legislation for a Landlord to keep on top of, the key ones being:
Electrical safety
All rented properties require an Electrical Installation Condition Report to be carried out every five years. This will also need to be provided to your tenant within 30 days of the certificate being issued.
Annual gas safety check
Any property containing a gas supply needs to have an annual Landlord’s gas safety inspection. This will also need to be provided to your tenant within 28 days of the certificate being issued.
Smoke alarms & carbon monoxide detectors
Your property needs to be fitted with a smoke alarm on each floor and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a gas appliance. Both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms will need to be tested and working on the day of move-in and whenever the property is visited. Any expired alarms must be replaced before the tenancy starts.
If you have a more complex fire alarm system in your property, it may need six monthly servicing with a specialist contractor and tenants will need to be provided with information on how to operate and test the alarm system when they first move into their home. Failure to do this could invalidate your insurance policy.
Property inspections
Regular property visits during a tenancy are a cornerstone of effective management, ensuring your investment is properly cared for and maintained to the highest standard. These inspections allow us to spot any issues tenants may have overlooked and verify that essential safety measures, such as smoke alarms, remain in working order. At Dwelling&Manor, we begin with an initial visit within two weeks of the tenancy commencing—helping tenants settle in while addressing any snagging or maintenance concerns early. Thereafter, we conduct routine inspections every six months, each carefully documented and shared with you. This consistent, proactive approach not only protects your property but also enables us to track how it is being used over time, refine our maintenance strategies, and tailor plans that safeguard both your asset and your tenants’ comfort.
Risk of Legionnaires' disease
Legionella can develop when water becomes stagnant. If your property has been empty for a while, we recommend carrying out a Legionella risk assessment.
Property licensing
We recommend staying in regular contact with the Local Authority to understand any changes to licensing schemes that affect your property.
Additional fire safety
Communal areas of buildings:
If you own a property which shares a communal hallway with one or more residential properties, you will need to establish who the Responsible Person for the building is - which will normally be the freeholder or block manager, as they will be responsible for fire safety in the common parts.
Types of fire safety measures required in the common parts could be:
Annual Fire Risk Assessments
Fire alarm systems, fire doors, emergency lighting, sprinkler systems and EICR for the common parts
Testing and servicing alarms and fire safety equipment regularly - and maintaining records
Providing a copy of the Fire Evacuation Plan and fire safety information to the tenants annually
Attaching the Fire Evacuation Plan to the wall in the common parts of each floor
Insurance
We would strongly recommend taking out both Building and Contents insurance when letting out a property, to provide you with complete protection. Buildings insurance covers the cost of repairing the structure of your property, for example, damage caused by bad weather, fallen trees, frozen or burst pipes, fires and explosions. Contents insurance protects everything you have supplied in your property, such as electrical appliances, white goods, furniture, carpets etc.
We also strongly advise and encourage our landlords to take out emergency call‑out insurance. This invaluable cover ensures urgent issues—such as boiler breakdowns, electrical faults, or plumbing emergencies—are dealt with swiftly and professionally, without unexpected costs or delays. It keeps both you and your tenants protected, offering peace of mind even outside of office hours, whether late at night or over the weekend. With this safeguard in place, your tenants know they are supported at all times, and your property remains secure and well‑maintained. At Dwelling&Manor, we view this as an essential layer of protection that complements our management service and strengthens your investment.
Help, advice & ongoing support
At Dwelling&Manor, our priority is to ensure the relationship with tenants is successful and long‑lasting. We support you and your property throughout the tenancy, staying in regular contact and managing every detail with care. Our tenancy agreements are carefully designed to protect your best interests, and we are happy to tailor them to each property to ensure every aspect of your investment is safeguarded. With our management and guidance, your property will remain in excellent condition, attract quality tenants, and re‑let quickly—minimising the risk of costly void periods.