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An overview of Landlord Responsibilities

Updated on April 23, 2026

| Property Solicitors

Our London-based Landlord solicitors provide a guide to landlord responsibilities for both a residential and commercial landlord

While it may come with a lot of responsibilities, becoming a landlord is a fantastic way to earn a steady income from an otherwise redundant property. However, it does require a lot of hard work, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the law, so that you understand and carry out all of your obligations effectively.

Whether you are a residential or commercial landlord, our solicitors can help with a variety of issues, from evicting a tenant to drafting the perfect contract. Here we provide an in-depth guide to landlord responsibilities and duties.

You may also want to read: A Landlords Overview of The Renters’ Rights Act

What are my responsibilities as a landlord?

In short, your primary responsibility of a landlord is to ensure your properties are safe to occupy and that your tenant(s) can rent legally rent it. Regardless of whether you are renting out a property for residential or commercial purposes, there are a few core landlord responsibilities. These include:

Ensuring any gas or electrical appliances are installed safely and maintained
Ensuring there is a functional hot water and heating supply to the property
Ensuring repairs are made to damaged exterior parts of your property including guttering, drains and windows
Ensuring there is at least one functional fire alarm per storey and (in commercial properties) fire extinguishers
Ensuring properties are safe from health hazards
Providing an Energy Performance Certificate
Checking that your tenant legally has the right to rent your property
Protecting your tenant’s deposit using a government approved scheme
Providing your Tenant with the “How to Rent” checklist
Paying the income tax on your rental income
Managing the upkeep of communal areas in multiple occupancy properties

Do I have different responsibilities as a commercial landlord?

Your responsibilities as a commercial landlord are largely similar to those of a residential landlord – you must ensure that the property is safe, has all the amenities it needs and that the people renting it have the right to do so. However, you are also responsible for checking for asbestos in the property, and failure to do so can report in hefty fines.

Generally speaking, while renting out property for commercial use tends to be more expensive, it is in most cases easier to manage than residential properties. Because there are not any residential tenants, things will break less often and if you are in an urban area there may be fewer exterior features that you are responsible for. However, the initial conveyancing process can be more difficult for commercial property which may put some tenants and landlords off – see our blog post titled Conveyancing For Limited Company Purchase to learn more.

Do I have to manage all of the maintenance myself?

As a landlord, you are responsible for making sure all necessary maintenance is completed, but you can enlist the help of agents to manage some of your duties. The three approaches you may take as a landlord are:

Having an agent running the property
– This is the best approach for landlords who want to spend as little time as possible running the property. An agent can manage the upkeep of the property, as well as advertising and finding tenants to begin with, which saves you a lot of time. Unfortunately, this approach is costly. The agent may demand a large chunk of the rental income every month regardless of how much time they’ve actually spent on managing the property; you could be giving away a large percentage of your earnings while the agent has done nothing.
Using an agent to advertise the property
– This means using an estate agent to advertise the property and conduct viewings, but you will be responsible for its upkeep. Considerably less expensive than enlisting a managing agent, this approach means you are more likely to find tenants quickly, as the majority of prospective tenants will use online sites like Zoopla and Rightmove to find a place to rent. Plus, they can release keys, manage contracts, collect deposits and for an extra fee, even rent collection. However, it can still be expensive to use an agent even for just advertising property.
Doing it all yourself
– The most cost-effective route, you do not have to use an agent at all. You will be able to conduct viewings yourself, giving you the chance to meet who you will be renting to which can be reassuring to many landlords. Plus, when it comes to handling maintenance, should you need a professional to repair something, you can find someone who offers the most value for money, while a managing agent will not spend time looking for the best option. The downside of doing everything yourself is that it is time-consuming, plus it will be harder to find tenants without advertising through estate agents.

How do I become a landlord?

Before you start searching for tenants, there are a lot of things you must do first:

Check that you can rent your property: Some local councils will insist that you have a landlord license before you can rent the property out. In most cases, you will need a buy-to-let mortgage and if you share ownership of your property, you must check with the other owner before you can rent it.
Make sure that your property meets the requirements: You must obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and a gas safety certificate (CP12) before you can rent your property, as well as ensuring fire alarms have been installed and that the property is habitable.
Get your finances prepared: There may be null periods in which your property is left vacant. Even if you are not receiving rental income, you will have to ensure you keep up with mortgage payments for both your home and your buy-to-let properties, else you may end up in mortgage arrears and could face repossession. For more information concerning Buy-To-Let Mortgages.
Don’t assume that your tenant will be perfect: While the majority of tenancies run smoothly, there is always a chance that your tenant will become a problem. Make sure you have accounted for this in your finances in case you have to make expensive repairs or they fail to pay rent for a prolonged period of time.

What should be in a tenancy agreement?

The tenancy agreement will record all the terms in which your tenant can stay in your property, and they must keep to these terms else you may evict them. In most cases, any responsibilities not expressly listed as belonging to the landlord belong to the tenant, but to prevent having to evict your tenant it is best you make your tenancy agreement as detailed as possible. However, you are also responsible for keeping your end of the agreement, so be sure to understand your responsibilities first.

Your tenancy agreement should contain:

The names of all people involved (including yours)
The price of the deposit and how it will be protected
The price of rent and how it should be paid
How and when the amount of rent will be reviewed
Details of when and for what reasons the deposit may be partially or fully withheld (usually when the tenant severely damages the property)
The dates in which the tenancy will begin and end on
Any bills the tenant is responsible for paying
The obligations of the landlord
Whether the property can be sublet or have lodgers
Whether or not the tenancy can be ended early and on what terms
Who is responsible for minor repairs (not including your responsibilities as a landlord)

Your tenant will read these through carefully and can seek legal advice from a solicitor that specialises in landlord and tenant law should they have any concerns about some of the terms. It is important that the agreement is fair for both parties and covers all necessary concerns.

How do I evict a tenant?

How to evict a tenant depends on the reason for which you want them to leave your property. You will serve them either a section 8 or a section 21 notice:

Section 21 notice: a section 21 notice is served when a tenant has not violated the tenancy agreement but you would like them out of the property. You will have to give 2 months’ notice in writing and state the required date on which you need them to have left by and the section 21 notice can be valid for up to 6 months.
Section 8 notice: If your tenant has breached the tenancy agreement, usually by failing to pay rent, you serve them a section 8 notice. Your tenant must have been in arrears for over two months before you can serve them a section 8 notice, and you may serve a section 8 notice at any time during the tenancy depending on the nature of which the agreement was breached. Their removal can be immediate, within 2 weeks or within 2 months of the notice being served.

Find out more about which eviction notice to serve here.

What is license to assign?

If you are a commercial landlord and your tenant wishes to sell their tenancy to someone else, both you and your tenant will need to sign a license to assign in order to do so. The provisions you set in your lease will determine what you need from the next tenant.

Can I alter the terms of the lease?

Either you or your tenants can request to alter a lease, but you must both agree on the new terms. To do so, you will need to both sign a deed of variation with the new terms and from when they will take effect.

How Starck Uberoi can Help

Starck Uberoi have a dedicated team of experts that specialise in Landlord and Tenant matters. For more information please visit our Landlord & Tenant page or alternatively contact our Landlord and Tenants specialist solicitors on 02088406640 or at solicitor@starckuberoi.co.uk . We are based in Ealing, Brentford, Canterbury and London Belgravia. We can also provide a professional Notary Public service at all our offices. For an appointment at any of our offices, email us at solicitor@starckuberoi.co.uk or call 0208 840 6640.