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Being a Landlord

Inspections, certificates, rent and records
5
Setup steps
3
AI prompts
4
Tools & links

What it is

Letting a property you own, or managing lets for someone else. The money is steady, but the paperwork is strict: safety certificates, protected deposits and regular inspections. Good records protect you in a dispute.

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Landlord basics in the UK

Step by step

  1. 1

    Check you are allowed to let

    Tell your mortgage lender and insurer, and check your lease if the property is a flat. Many areas also need a landlord licence, so ask your council.

  2. 2

    Get the certificates

    A gas safety certificate every year, an electrical safety report (EICR) every 5 years, an energy performance certificate and working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

  3. 3

    Protect the deposit

    Put any deposit in a government approved scheme within 30 days and give the tenant the details. Skipping this can cost you up to three times the deposit.

  4. 4

    Inspect on a schedule

    Give at least 24 hours written notice, then check each room and photograph anything that needs work. Dated photos settle disputes at the end of a tenancy.

  5. 5

    Keep every record

    Rent received, repairs, certificates and inspection reports in one place. You will need them for your tax return and, if it ever happens, a tribunal.

AI prompts to try

Copy one of these into ChatGPT, Claude or your AI tool of choice and adapt it to your situation.

Inspection notice
“Write a polite written notice to a tenant giving 24 hours notice of a routine property inspection on [DATE]. Mention the reason and offer to rearrange if it is inconvenient.”
Repair reply
“Write a short reply to a tenant reporting [PROBLEM], confirming when I will send a contractor and how they can reach me. Friendly but professional. Under 90 words.”
Tenancy checklist
“List everything a UK landlord must do before a new tenancy starts, with deadlines, in a simple checklist.”

Useful links

Gov.uk: renting out your property↗Gov.uk: deposit protection schemes↗National Residential Landlords Association↗Gas Safe Register↗
Started? Run it from one place

A free OddSync account gives you a booking page, quotes and invoices sent as a link, and a running tax estimate for your side hustle.

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