# New tenancy checklist for letting agents: every step from the advert to day 30 > 24 steps to start a tenancy in England, from the advert to day 30: holding deposit, written terms, certificates, alarms and deposit protection, with the rules. - Page to cite: https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/new-tenancy-checklist-letting-agents-england/ - Publisher: AEO Lookup (https://aeolookup.com/) - Section: Letting agents, Compliance and safety - Published 1 October 2026 - Key fact: We wrote this list of 24 steps in 5 stages from the rules set out in 9 of our guides and the official pages each step names. Five of the 24 steps carry a deadline of 7, 15 or 30 days: 15 days for a holding deposit to lead to an agreement, 7 days to repay it in two different cases, and 30 days each for protecting the deposit and giving the prescribed information. None of those five clocks starts on the move-in date. - Sources: GOV.UK EPC guidance for landlords; GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters' Rights Act; Housing Act 2004, sections 72 and 249A; Reading Borough Council licensing pages; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1 paragraph 3; GOV.UK, Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2; GOV.UK, Check your tenant's right to rent, read 1 October 2026; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2 paragraph 5 and section 8; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2; GOV.UK, Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy; GOV.UK, Tenancy agreements: written information for your tenant; Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, section 48; Tenant Fees Act 2019; GOV.UK tenant fees guidance; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2 paragraphs 3(a) and 6; HSE, Gas safety: landlords and letting agents; Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020; GOV.UK, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations: guidance for landlords and tenants, read 1 October 2026; GOV.UK, Tenancy deposit protection; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2 paragraph 7; Housing Act 2004, section 214; GOV.UK, Tenancy deposit protection; HSE gas safety guidance; Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020; GOV.UK EPC guidance; Our Section 8 guide: what to check before serving; Housing Act 1988, section 13(2); each step names its source, and the linked guide shows the working. Most of what goes wrong at the start of a tenancy is a step done late or in the wrong order: rent taken before signing, a holding deposit kept without a written reason, a deposit protected 30 days after move-in when the money arrived three weeks earlier. This list follows one new let in England from the advert to the thirtieth day after the money arrives. It is written for the negotiator or administrator who sets the tenancy up. Tick each step as it is done, use one list for each tenancy, and clear the ticks when the next one starts. **Free tool on the page:** New tenancy checklist for letting agents. It runs in the browser at https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/new-tenancy-checklist-letting-agents-england/#tool and asks for no sign-up. ## Before you advertise **Check the EPC is in date before the property is marketed.** An EPC lasts 10 years and a valid one is needed before a property is marketed for let. A property let in 2016 on a 2016 certificate can pass its expiry mid-tenancy, and the gap only shows when it is re-let. Source: GOV.UK EPC guidance for landlords. The working is in [Lettings compliance date tracker](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-date-tracker/). **Advertise one rent and take any "offers over" wording out of the advert.** Since 1 May 2026 landlords and agents can no longer ask for, encourage or accept offers above the advertised rent. Source: GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters' Rights Act. The working is in [Lettings compliance checklist 2026 (England)](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-checklist-2026/). **Remove "no DSS" and "no children" from the advert and from your applicant criteria.** It is now unlawful to discriminate against renters who have children or receive benefits, including by withholding information, refusing viewings or refusing a tenancy. Source: GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters' Rights Act. The working is in [Lettings compliance checklist 2026 (England)](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-checklist-2026/). **Three or more sharers from two or more households: check the council's HMO licensing first.** Five or more occupiers need a mandatory licence anywhere in England. In Reading, 3 or 4 occupiers have needed an additional licence since 1 March 2026. The maximum civil penalty for an unlicensed HMO is £40,000, and the offence reaches a person managing it. Source: Housing Act 2004, sections 72 and 249A; Reading Borough Council licensing pages. The working is in [HMO licence cost in Reading](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/reading-hmo-licence-cost-additional-licensing/). ## When an applicant wants the property **Take one holding deposit only, of no more than one week's rent.** A week's rent is the annual rent divided by 52: £288.46 on £1,250 a month. Dividing the monthly rent by 4 gives £312.50, which is £24.04 over and a prohibited payment. You cannot accept more than one holding deposit per tenancy at a time. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1 paragraph 3; GOV.UK, Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy. The working is in [Holding deposit rules for letting agents](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/holding-deposit-rules-15-day-deadline-refund/). **Diary day 15 after the holding deposit arrives as the deadline for agreement.** The day the money arrives is day one, so a deposit received on 1 October 2026 has a deadline of 15 October 2026. A different deadline can be agreed, but only in writing, so agree any extension before day 15. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2. The working is in [Holding deposit rules for letting agents](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/holding-deposit-rules-15-day-deadline-refund/). **Run the Right to Rent check on every adult who will live there.** GOV.UK says you must check all tenants aged 18 and over before the start of a new tenancy, even if they are not named on the agreement. Where a tenant's permission to stay is time-limited, the check is done in the 28 days before the tenancy starts. Source: GOV.UK, Check your tenant's right to rent, read 1 October 2026. The working is in [Lettings compliance checklist 2026 (England)](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-checklist-2026/). **If the let falls through, repay the holding deposit within 7 days or give the written reason.** Repayment is due within 7 days. Even where an exception lets you keep the money, the person who paid must be given the reason in writing inside those 7 days, or it has to be repaid anyway. The penalty is up to £5,000. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2 paragraph 5 and section 8. The working is in [Holding deposit rules for letting agents](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/holding-deposit-rules-15-day-deadline-refund/). **Applicant failed referencing on accurate information: refund the holding deposit.** A low credit score or an income that falls short is not false or misleading information, so no exception covers it. GOV.UK adds that a mistake which does not affect suitability, such as a misspelling, also means a refund. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2; GOV.UK, Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy. The working is in [Holding deposit rules for letting agents](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/holding-deposit-rules-15-day-deadline-refund/). ## Before the agreement is signed **Give the tenant the written information about the key terms before signing.** For a tenancy created on or after 1 May 2026 the tenant gets written information about the key terms before the agreement is signed. The Information Sheet is not used for new tenancies, and the penalty for missing this step is up to £7,000. Source: GOV.UK, Tenancy agreements: written information for your tenant. The working is in [Renters' Rights Act information sheet](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/renters-rights-information-sheet-proof-of-service/). **Leave out any fixed term and any rent review clause.** New tenancies are assured periodic tenancies with no fixed term. Rent review clauses no longer work: the rent goes up once a year at most, by a Section 13 notice with at least two months' notice. Source: GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters' Rights Act. The working is in [Lettings compliance checklist 2026 (England)](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-checklist-2026/). **Put the landlord's address for notices in the agreement, in England or Wales.** Under section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, rent is not treated as due until the tenant has an address in England or Wales where notices can be served on the landlord. Source: Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, section 48. The working is in [Lettings compliance checklist 2026 (England)](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-checklist-2026/). **Work out the tenancy deposit from the yearly rent divided by 52, and round down.** The cap is 5 weeks' rent, or 6 weeks where the annual rent is £50,000 or more. On £1,250 a month that is £1,442.30. Rounding up to £1,442.31 goes a penny over, and dividing the monthly rent by 4 takes £120.20 too much. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019; GOV.UK tenant fees guidance. The working is in [Tenancy deposit cap calculator](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/tenancy-deposit-cap-calculator/). **Ask for rent in advance only after signing, and for no more than one month.** You cannot ask for rent in advance before the agreement is entered into. Once it is signed the most you can ask for is one month's rent, or 28 days' rent where rent is paid more often than monthly. Source: GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters' Rights Act. The working is in [Tenancy deposit cap calculator](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/tenancy-deposit-cap-calculator/). **Get the tenant's agreement before putting the holding deposit towards rent or the deposit.** Once the tenant signs, the holding deposit is refunded, or put towards the first rent or the tenancy deposit with the tenant's consent. Without that consent the last day to repay is the seventh day, counting the day of signing as day one. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2 paragraphs 3(a) and 6. The working is in [Holding deposit rules for letting agents](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/holding-deposit-rules-15-day-deadline-refund/). ## Before the keys are handed over **Give the tenant the gas safety record before they move in.** New tenants must have the record before they move in. A record stays valid for twelve months from the check, so the same one can pass to a new tenant inside that time. If an empty property may have been tampered with, HSE recommends another check first. Source: HSE, Gas safety: landlords and letting agents. The working is in [Tenant will not give access for the gas safety check](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/gas-safety-check-no-access-three-attempts-letters/). **Give the tenant the electrical report (EICR) before they move in.** Under the 2020 regulations new tenants get a copy of the report before they move in. The installation must be inspected at intervals of no more than five years, or sooner if the last report says so. Councils can fine a landlord up to £40,000. Source: Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. The working is in [Lettings compliance date tracker](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-date-tracker/). **Give the tenant the EPC with the other certificates.** The EPC sits on our start-of-tenancy list beside the gas record and the electrical report. EPCs last 10 years, so check the date on the certificate again on the day you hand it over. Source: GOV.UK EPC guidance for landlords. The working is in [Lettings compliance checklist 2026 (England)](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-checklist-2026/). **Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm on the first day and note it on the check-in sheet.** Alarms must be confirmed working on the first day of every new tenancy: a smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, except gas cookers. Source: GOV.UK, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations: guidance for landlords and tenants, read 1 October 2026. The working is in [Lettings compliance date tracker](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-date-tracker/). ## Within 30 days, and for the file **Protect the deposit in an approved scheme within 30 days of receiving the money.** The clock starts when the money arrives, not at move-in. A holding deposit put towards the deposit counts as received on the date of the tenancy agreement: signed on 9 October 2026 for a 1 November move-in, the 30 days start on 9 October. Source: GOV.UK, Tenancy deposit protection; Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 2 paragraph 7. The working is in [Holding deposit rules for letting agents](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/holding-deposit-rules-15-day-deadline-refund/). **Give the tenant the prescribed information inside the same 30 days.** If the deadline is missed, a court can order the landlord to pay the tenant between one and three times the deposit, on top of returning it. On a £1,442.30 deposit that is up to £4,326.90. Source: Housing Act 2004, section 214; GOV.UK, Tenancy deposit protection. The working is in [Tenancy deposit cap calculator](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/tenancy-deposit-cap-calculator/). **Put the gas, EICR and EPC due dates for the property in the diary.** The gas check is due every 12 months and can be done up to two months early without moving the date. The electrical inspection is due within five years, or sooner if the report says so. The EPC lasts 10 years. Source: HSE gas safety guidance; Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020; GOV.UK EPC guidance. The working is in [Lettings compliance date tracker](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/lettings-compliance-date-tracker/). **File proof of what the tenant was given, when and how.** Our Section 8 guide lists the start-of-tenancy papers to check before any notice is served: deposit protection and the prescribed information, the gas and electrical safety records and the EPC. Source: Our Section 8 guide: what to check before serving. The working is in [Section 8 notices after the Renters' Rights Act](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/section-8-notice-after-renters-rights-act/). **Diary the first date the rent can go up: 52 weeks after the tenancy begins.** The first increase cannot start sooner than 52 weeks after the tenancy began, and Form 4A has to be served at least two months before the new rent starts. Source: Housing Act 1988, section 13(2). The working is in [Section 13 rent increase](https://aeolookup.com/letting-agents/section-13-rent-increase-form-4a-dates/). ## How to use the list Print or copy the finished list and keep it, dated, with the tenancy file beside the documents it refers to. Where a step did not apply, such as the licence check on a let to one family, tick it anyway so the file shows that somebody decided. If a possession claim or a deposit dispute comes years later, the list and the proof behind each tick show what the tenant was given, when and how. A ticked list is a record that the steps were done, not proof that each was done properly. The list covers the points our guides and the official pages named above set out; it is not every duty a firm has. This page is general information, not legal advice. Overlyft ![](https://aeolookup.com/img/d/ours-badge.png) sets up AI assistants for letting agents: they prepare drafts for a person to approve. They do not tick off any of these steps for you, and you can do every one without them. ## Short answers from this page **What deadlines does a letting agent have in the first 30 days of a new tenancy in England?** Five, and none starts on the move-in date. A holding deposit has 15 days to lead to an agreement, counting the day it arrives as day one. It must be repaid within 7 days if the let falls through or, without the tenant's consent to use it, after signing. The tenancy deposit must be protected, and the prescribed information given, within 30 days of receiving the money. --- ![](https://aeolookup.com/img/d/owner-line.png) General information for UK small firms, not legal, tax or financial advice.