Renters' Reform: what self-managing landlords in England should track

Reform of the private rented sector in England has been on the table for years and has moved in stages — abolition of Section 21, changes to grounds for possession, tightening of MEES, and stricter rules for damp and mould among them. The exact shape of the final settlement continues to shift. What has not changed is the underlying compliance rhythm every landlord is working to. Diarising that rhythm is where a self-managing landlord in England can act with confidence right now.

What is stable enough to plan around

• Annual gas safety check on properties with a gas supply.
• EICR at least every five years, or sooner if the report says so.
• EPC valid for 10 years, with the current E floor under MEES.
• Deposit protection and prescribed information within 30 days of receipt.
• Smoke and CO alarm checks at the start of a tenancy and annually.

What is worth watching, not committing to

• The proposed higher EPC minimum for new and existing tenancies.
• Changes to grounds for possession and notice periods.
• Any national register or database landlords will need to be on.
• Changes to how deposit protection interacts with possession.

What a diary buys you either way

However Renters' Reform lands, the enforcement pattern rewards landlords who can show, on paper, that they were meeting the duties day to day. That means dated evidence — not just certificates, but the notes around them. A compliance diary is worth more when the rules get stricter, not less.

The four dates most landlords benefit from keeping in one place — gas safety, EICR, EPC and the deposit clock — are the ones CertDiary is built around.