Rental property risk assessment

What you need to know

The plain-English guidance that comes with this document.

• A landlord is responsible for a safe home — this shows you took it seriously. You have duties to keep the property safe and free from serious hazards. A simple risk assessment, acted on, is your record that you looked and dealt with what you found — valuable if anything ever goes wrong.
• Damp and mould are now a sharp focus. Reforms are extending duties (like Awaab's Law and the Decent Homes Standard) into the private rented sector, requiring landlords to deal with serious hazards such as damp and mould within set timescales. Don't dismiss a mould complaint — investigate the cause (often ventilation or a leak) and fix it promptly, and record what you did.
• Fire safety: detection, escape, and safe furnishings. Working alarms, clear escape routes, and — if you provide furniture — that it meets fire-safety regulations. In HMOs and flats the fire duties are stricter; check what applies to your property type.
• Legionella: a quick assessment for a normal home. For most single lets the risk is low and managing it is simple (no stagnant water, flush unused outlets, keep the system in good order) — but you're expected to have assessed it.
• Reassess when things change. New tenant, new works, a new appliance, or a hazard reported — take another look. Otherwise review periodically.
• This is the property's safety; workplace safety is separate. If you employ anyone (a cleaner, a handyman) their safety is a separate matter. This assessment is about the home you're letting.
• England-led; check your nation and property type. Housing standards and hazard duties differ across the UK and are stricter for HMOs and licensed properties. Confirm what applies where you are.