Landlord compliance in Derby and Nottingham
Last updated: 27 October 2026
TMS Management Solutions handles landlord compliance as part of our full management service in Derby and Nottingham. That covers the main safety checks, certificates and paperwork the law requires, from gas safety records and electrical reports to EPCs, deposit protection and Right to Rent checks, for every property we manage.
Keeping on top of changes in the law is part of the service. Below is a plain summary of what landlords in England must do, what changed in 2026, and what is coming next.
Want us to take compliance off your hands? Call us on 01332 364777, or leave your details and we will call you back.
What are a landlord's legal responsibilities in England?
Landlords must keep their properties safe and their paperwork up to date. These are the main checks, how often they are due, and what TMS does for the landlords we manage.
Gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer
How often: Every 12 months
What TMS does: Arranges the check
Electrical safety report (EICR)
How often: At least every 5 years
What TMS does: Arranges the inspection
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), rated E or above
How often: Valid for 10 years; needed when the property is let. EPC C equivalent required from 1 October 2030
What TMS does: Arranges the EPC
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
How often: Working on the first day of every tenancy
Deposit protection and prescribed information
How often: Within 30 days of taking the deposit
What TMS does: Registers the deposit
Right to Rent checks
How often: Before every new tenancy
What TMS does: Carries out the checks
Register your rental property
How often: Annually, once registration opens for your region
What TMS does: Helps you register
HMO or selective licence, where needed
How often: When the property needs one
What TMS does: Makes licence applications, as a separate service
How often do I need a gas safety check?
Every 12 months. Every gas appliance and flue you provide must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and tenants must get a copy of the gas safety record within 28 days of the check, or before they move in if they are new. We arrange the annual check for the landlords we manage.
How often do I need an electrical safety report (EICR)?
At least every five years. The electrical installation must be inspected and tested by a qualified person, and a copy of the report given to tenants within 28 days, or before a new tenant moves in. Any remedial work the report requires must then be completed. We arrange the inspection for you.
What EPC rating does a rental property need?
Currently E or above, unless an exemption applies. A rental property needs a valid Energy Performance Certificate, which lasts 10 years. The government has confirmed that from 1 October 2030, privately rented homes must meet a higher standard equivalent to EPC C, unless an exemption applies. We arrange EPCs for the properties we manage.
What smoke and carbon monoxide alarms do I need?
A smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler or wood burner, but not a gas cooker. Alarms must be working on the first day of each tenancy and repaired once a fault is reported.
How do I protect a tenant's deposit?
Put it in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and give the tenant the prescribed information about the scheme within the same 30 days. We register deposits for the landlords we manage.
What are Right to Rent checks?
Before a tenancy starts, landlords must check that every adult who will live in the property has the right to rent in the UK. We carry out Right to Rent checks as part of referencing every new tenant.
What changed with the Renters' Rights Act?
The main changes took effect on 1 May 2026. Section 21 no-fault evictions ended, all assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies with no end date, and landlords now regain possession using the Section 8 grounds. Landlords had to give existing tenants the government information sheet by 31 May 2026 (or a written summary of the terms, where the tenancy was agreed verbally).
Do I need to register as a landlord?
Yes. The government's Register your rental property service is due to open on 15 December 2026, region by region. For properties in the East Midlands, which includes Derby and Nottingham, registration is due to open on 15 February 2027, with a deadline of 14 May 2027. This applies to properties that are let, or become let, during your region's window.
The landlord has to start the registration, but letting agents can help and provide some of the property information. We will help the landlords we manage to register, so their gas, electrical and EPC details are ready when their window opens.
A new private rented sector landlord ombudsman is expected to follow, with membership expected from 2028.
Does my property need a licence?
It depends on the property and where it is. Any house in multiple occupation let to five or more people from two or more households, who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, needs a mandatory HMO licence from the council. This applies in Derby and Nottingham alike.
In Derby, that is currently the only licensing scheme, as Derby City Council does not run additional or selective licensing. Nottingham City Council also requires an additional HMO licence for smaller HMOs of three or more people from two or more households.
Nottingham also runs selective licensing for most other privately rented homes in designated areas, under a scheme running until 30 November 2028. We check which rules apply to your property and can make licence applications for you, as a separate service.
Frequently asked questions
Am I still responsible if I use a letting agent?
Yes. As the landlord you remain legally responsible, but with full management we arrange the checks and paperwork for you.
Do the rules depend on where I live?
No. They depend on where the property is. A landlord living elsewhere with a property in Derby follows the rules for England, and the registration deadline for the East Midlands.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement for landlords?
No. Portable appliance testing is not a legal requirement, but any electrical appliances you provide must be safe, so many landlords choose to have them tested.
Can you take over compliance for properties I manage myself?
Yes. When you move your properties to our full management service, we take over the checks, certificates and deposit registration for every property.
What does compliance cost with TMS?
Our fees, and what is included, are set out on our fees page.
Hand compliance over to TMS
Call us on 01332 364777, or leave your details and we will call you back to talk through your properties.
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8:30am to 6pm, Sat 9am to 12pm
Related: Full property management for landlords | Renters' Rights Act | Portfolio landlords | Switching letting agent | Contact us