Residential Letting – New Government ‘How to Rent: the checklist for renting in England’ update

Government How to Rent Booklet

HM Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has informed the National Residential Landlords Association that a new version of the ‘How to Rent: the checklist for renting in England’ (the “Guide”) will be released on Friday 24 March 2023.

The Guide is one of the many prerequisite documents that needs to be served on the Tenant prior to the service of a Section 21 Notice (Form 6A) in England or the notice will be invalid. The service of the booklet has been required on all new and replacement tenancies from 1 October 2015. In the case of ‘replacement’ tenancy there is no requirement to re-serve the booklet unless a new edition has been released.

The Guide has not been updated since 2020 (apart from the release of an ‘easy read’ version which was released in 2021) and as such does not contain any information on more recent regulations. The new version will likely include guidance on:

• Carbon Monoxide Alarms – From 1 October 2022, all properties will be expected to have CO detector fitted in every room that is: used partly or wholly as living accommodation, and contains any appliance which burns, or is capable of burning fuel (Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022)
• Electrical Installation Condition Report – EICR must be completed and a copy of the report should be served on the Tenant (Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020)

The new updated Residential Letting Guide will be released on the Gov.uk housing guidance page here.

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