Landlord Guides Archives • The Independent Landlord

The Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act

10 October 2026

Decent Homes Standard Policy January 2026 private rented sector

The Decent Homes Standard currently sets minimum standards for the condition of social homes in England. However, a revised Decent Homes Standard will be extended to the private rented sector in 2035, as part of the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act. The government confirmed in January 2026 that there will be a new Decent

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Damp and mould in rental properties: who is responsible and what to do

9 October 2026

The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, due to black mould in the flat his parents rented from Rochdale Boroughwide Housing Association, underlined just how important it is for landlords to take damp and mould seriously. As well as potentially being bad for physical health, damp and mould are often very distressing, and can

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How to find tenants yourself without letting agents

30 September 2026

Tenants were found for this Victorian house in using an online agent, and not traditional letting agents

Are you wondering how easy it is to find tenants yourself online, advertising your property on Rightmove and Zoopla, without going through traditional high street letting agents? After all, with rental demand high, surely it can’t be too difficult? The short answer is that it’s not that difficult to find tenants yourself, using online letting

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How to manage a rental property yourself

29 September 2026

Are you thinking of managing your rental property yourself, rather than using a letting agent? With increased costs having squeezed landlords’ margins, managing your own rental property is an easy way of improving your profitability and net cash flow. However, most letting agents will tell you that managing rental properties is something best left to

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How much can landlords increase rent by in 2026?

24 August 2026

How much can landlords increase rent in 2026? There’s no legal cap in England, but the Renters’ Rights Act has changed how rent increases work. The only way to increase rent is now by serving a Form 4A under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Tenants can challenge an increase at the First-tier Tribunal,

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How to sell a rental property in 2026

13 August 2026

For sale and to let boards outside Victorian terrace in Battersea

Savills released data on 1 May 2026, the day the Renters’ Rights Act came into force, estimating that 254,000 previously rented homes were listed for sale in the 12 months to the end of March. That works out at around 700 a day, 9% more than the year before and 28% more than two years

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How to carry out viewings safely at your rental property

4 August 2026

landlord in pink cardigan opening door for a viewing

It’s important for landlords to think of personal safety when carrying out viewings to prospective tenants at their rental properties. Personal safety has been an important issue for estate agents and letting agents ever since the disappearance of 25-year-old estate agent Suzy Lamplugh in 1986. She went missing in broad daylight in the middle of

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What should landlords provide in unfurnished rental properties?

3 August 2026

unfurnished rented property with curtain rail and new carpet

When you’re setting out as a landlord, or even when you’ve been a landlord for a while, it can be difficult to know what you should put in unfurnished rental properties. Some of it is a grey area, depending on personal preference and target market. Others are legal obligations. Undoubtedly, the more a landlord provides,

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The end of tenancy check-out: inspection, inventory and checklist

28 July 2026

inventory being carried out in a kitchen of a Victorian house

The end of a tenancy is often fraught for landlords and tenants alike, even when it’s the tenants who’ve served a notice to quit. The tenants want their deposit back promptly and a good reference. The landlord is wondering what state the property will be in, and how long it will sit empty before new

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What to do when tenants leave belongings behind

28 July 2026

box of unwanted items left behind by a tenant when they moved out

Sometimes when tenants move out, they don’t take everything with them, which puts the landlord in a bit of a tricky situation. It might seem simple to take the items to the tip, or even to sell them. However, even though the belongings have been left behind, they still belong to the tenant, and the

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