Updated: 27 September 2026. Managing compliance across several rental properties is different from managing one certificate at a time. For London letting agents and property managers, the real challenge is controlling multiple renewal dates, property types, borough requirements, remedial actions and evidence without letting one overdue item create a wider compliance problem.
A good compliance system should answer five questions for every property: what is required, when is it due, who is responsible, what action is outstanding, and where is the evidence stored? This guide sets out a practical framework for managing that process across a portfolio.
Property compliance for letting agents: what needs to be tracked?
| Compliance area | Typical control point | Common evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Gas safety | Annual check where relevant | Gas safety check record |
| Electrical safety | At least every 5 years, or sooner if the report requires | EICR and remedial certificates |
| EPC / MEES | Check validity and rating before relevant marketing/letting decisions | EPC, recommendation report, exemption evidence where applicable |
| Fire safety | Property-specific; depends on building type and risk | Fire risk assessment, alarm, emergency-lighting and fire-door records where relevant |
| HMO / property licensing | Scheme and borough dependent | Licence, conditions, renewal date and supporting certificates |
| Legionella | Risk-based review rather than a universal annual certificate | Risk assessment and control records |
| Asbestos | Building/use/work dependent | Survey, register, management plan or project-specific refurbishment survey |
Not every property needs every item in this table. The purpose is to create a structured decision process rather than apply the same checklist blindly to every address.
Start with a property-by-property compliance matrix
The simplest way to reduce missed renewals is to create one compliance record for every property. At minimum, it should include:
- property address and postcode
- property type and occupancy
- landlord / owner details
- managing agent responsibility
- borough and licensing scheme where relevant
- gas certificate date and renewal window
- EICR date, outcome and next inspection date
- EPC rating and certificate status
- fire-safety requirements and outstanding actions
- HMO or selective-licensing details
- Legionella and water-hygiene records where relevant
- asbestos information for buildings or planned works where relevant
- open remedial actions and evidence of completion
The aim is not to create paperwork for its own sake. It is to make it immediately obvious which properties are compliant, which require action and which have incomplete evidence.
Clarify who is responsible: landlord or agent?
A letting or managing agent may arrange inspections and keep records on behalf of a landlord, but the management agreement should clearly state who is responsible for each compliance task.
Gas safety is a good example. HSE guidance states that if a management contract assigns gas-safety maintenance, checks and record keeping to the agent, the same duties apply to the agent. If the contract is unclear, responsibility can remain with the landlord.
See the HSE explanation of landlords and managing agents.
Operationally, agents should avoid relying on assumptions. Responsibilities should be written down, and landlords should receive evidence that required checks and remedial work have actually been completed.
Build renewal dates around the legal trigger, not a generic 12-month calendar
One of the most common portfolio-management mistakes is treating every compliance item as an annual certificate. Different areas have different triggers.
- Gas safety: generally every 12 months for relevant landlord-provided appliances and flues.
- Electrical safety: generally at least every five years for rented homes covered by the regulations, or sooner if the report specifies.
- EPC: the important questions are whether a valid certificate is required and whether the rating complies with current MEES rules.
- Fire risk assessments: there is no universal annual renewal date that fits every building; reviews should reflect risk and significant change.
- Legionella: HSE does not require a universal annual certificate; review is risk based.
- HMO licensing: licence duration and conditions depend on the local authority and scheme.
This is why the system should track the actual legal or risk trigger for each service rather than assigning the same renewal frequency to everything.
Manage remedial work as part of compliance, not as a separate maintenance issue
An inspection is not the end of the compliance process. If an EICR identifies C1, C2 or FI observations, if a fire-door check finds a failed closer, or if a fire risk assessment identifies priority actions, the compliance record should remain open until the required work is completed and evidenced.
A useful status structure is:
- Booked — inspection arranged
- Completed — inspection done and report received
- Action required — defects or follow-up identified
- Remedial booked — corrective work arranged
- Closed — final evidence received and stored
This prevents an “inspection completed” status from hiding unresolved defects.
Use the borough as a compliance field for London properties
London portfolios often cross several boroughs, and licensing requirements can differ significantly. A property that does not require an additional HMO licence in one borough may fall within a scheme in another.
For each address, record the local authority and whether mandatory HMO licensing, additional licensing or selective licensing may apply. Do not rely on a portfolio-wide assumption just because the properties are all in London.
For HMO-specific checks, see our HMO Compliance Checklist for London Landlords.
Track evidence, not just expiry dates
A diary reminder is useful, but compliance evidence is what allows an agent or landlord to demonstrate that the requirement was actually met.
For each completed task, store the final document and enough information to identify the property, date, contractor or assessor and any follow-up action. Where a report has been superseded, retain the history rather than overwriting the only copy.
This approach also supports the government’s current Housing Health and Safety Rating System guidance for landlords and property professionals, which emphasises managing health and safety hazards across residential premises. See the 2026 HHSRS landlord and agent guide.
Create escalation windows before certificates expire
Waiting until the final week creates avoidable problems: tenant access may fail, an engineer may have no availability, defects may need remedial work, or a landlord may need approval before proceeding.
A better system uses staged reminders. For example, the agent may flag an upcoming requirement several weeks in advance, confirm access, book the competent person, receive the report and then open any remedial actions before the legal deadline becomes critical.
Gas safety has a particularly useful scheduling feature: under the statutory flexibility, checks can generally be completed up to two months early while retaining the original renewal deadline where the legal conditions are followed. See our gas safety certificate service.
Use exception reporting for larger portfolios
Once an agent manages dozens or hundreds of properties, looking through every record every day is inefficient. The system should instead surface exceptions such as:
- certificates due within the next 30 or 60 days
- failed access attempts
- unsatisfactory EICRs
- open fire-safety actions
- licences approaching expiry
- missing documents
- properties with EPC F or G
- vacant properties requiring water-system review
- refurbishments where asbestos information is incomplete
That turns compliance management from a document archive into an active control system.
What should letting agents check before a new tenancy?
Before a new tenant moves in, the agent should confirm that the property has the relevant safety and compliance evidence for that tenancy and property type. This commonly includes checking gas-safety records where gas is present, electrical-safety evidence, EPC status, alarms, licensing and any outstanding hazards or remedial work.
GOV.UK’s current landlord responsibilities guidance gives the national baseline for rented-property safety, including gas, electrical equipment and EPC requirements.
How Primelinks Solutions can support letting agents
Primelinks Solutions is structured to help landlords, letting agents and property managers coordinate multiple property-compliance requirements through one route across London.
- See our home page.
- For several properties, use landlord compliance packs.
- If requirements are unclear, use landlord compliance packs.
- For an overview of core landlord duties, read the Landlord Compliance Checklist.
- For London coverage, see our London coverage page.
Frequently asked questions
Can a letting agent arrange compliance certificates for a landlord?
Yes. Agents commonly coordinate inspections and records on a landlord’s behalf. The management agreement should clearly define responsibility for arranging checks, remedial work and record keeping.
Should every compliance item be renewed annually?
No. Gas safety is generally annual, but EICRs are generally at least every five years, EPC and MEES requirements follow different triggers, and fire, Legionella and licensing requirements are property-specific.
What is the best way to manage compliance across many properties?
Use one property-level compliance matrix, track actual due dates and legal triggers, keep evidence centrally, and use exception reporting for overdue, expiring or action-required items.
Do London boroughs have different licensing requirements?
Yes. Additional HMO and selective-licensing schemes can vary by borough, so licensing should be checked against the local authority for each property.
Managing a London property portfolio?
If you manage several properties and want to coordinate compliance requirements through one route, use landlord compliance packs or Get a Quote and provide the property list, postcodes and known certificate or inspection requirements.
This article provides general operational information and is not legal advice. The exact compliance requirements depend on each property, tenancy, occupancy, local authority and management agreement.