Landlord Handling Procedure

Last updated: 20 May 2026

Our landlord enquiry-to-instruction process

At Your Home Managed, we follow a structured, transparent, and fully compliant process from the moment a landlord first enquires through to ongoing management. This procedure has been updated to reflect the commencement of the tenancy reforms in the Renters' Rights Act 2025 on 1 May 2026, along with our continuing obligations under client money rules, the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, the UK financial sanctions framework, and the codes of practice we operate under as members of UKALA, the NRLA, and the Property Redress Scheme.

1. Initial contact and enquiry handling

When a landlord contacts us — through the website, by phone, by email, or in person — we:

Record the enquiry and gather essential property details
Take time to understand your situation, goals, and expectations
Explain our services, fees, and how our full-management approach works
Provide our Client Money Protection scheme details, our redress scheme membership, and our terms of business

We aim for full transparency from the first conversation, so you know how we operate before any commitment.

2. AML and sanctions compliance

Before accepting any formal instruction, we conduct identity verification and sanctions screening.

Identity verification. We request proof of identity and address. For individuals, this typically means a passport or UK driving licence and a recent utility bill or bank statement. For corporate landlords, we verify company details via Companies House and identify all beneficial owners holding 25% or more.

Sanctions screening. We screen every landlord, individual and corporate, against the OFSI Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets. This is mandatory regardless of the rental value of the property, in line with the changes that took effect on 14 May 2025 making letting agents "relevant firms" under the sanctions framework. We document the date of the check, the names searched, and the result. Any potential match is paused and reported to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI).

Anti-money laundering. Where we are within scope of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, we apply the full Customer Due Diligence regime as set out in our Anti-Money Laundering Policy, including PEP screening, adverse-media checks, and risk assessment.

Records. All identity, AML, and sanctions records are held securely for the current tax year plus five years.

3. Risk assessment and proposal

Once initial checks are complete, we carry out an internal risk assessment and prepare a tailored proposal covering:

Recommended service level (Tenant Find, Rent Collect, or Full Management)
Fee structure
Marketing timeline and tenant placement strategy
Service standards and communication expectations
Any property-specific compliance items (licensing, EPC, gas, electrical, fire safety)

We provide our full terms of business in writing so that the basis of our engagement is clear before you commit.

4. Formal instruction

When you are ready to proceed, we obtain your signed terms of business and collect:

Proof of property ownership
Mortgage-lender consent to let, where required
Bank account details for rent remittance
Any block-management or freeholder consents
Existing certificates (Gas Safety, EICR, EPC, smoke and CO alarms)
Current insurance details

Where there has been a material delay between initial checks and instruction, we refresh the sanctions check before proceeding. We then set you up on our management system and provide access to your landlord portal where applicable.

5. Compliance with the Renters' Rights Act 2025

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. The first wave of provisions came into force on 27 December 2025 (covering long-lease exclusions and local-authority investigatory powers). The headline tenancy reforms came into force on 1 May 2026. We advise every landlord we work with on what this means in practice.

5.1 Assured periodic tenancies

All new and existing tenancies are now assured periodic tenancies. Fixed-term ASTs have ended; existing ASTs converted automatically on 1 May 2026 to assured periodic tenancies. Tenancies are monthly periodic, with no fixed term.

5.2 Tenancy Information Sheet — deadline 31 May 2026

For tenancies that were Assured Shorthold Tenancies on 1 May 2026, the landlord must provide the tenant with the government's prescribed Tenancy Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. The civil penalty for non-compliance is up to £7,000. We are issuing the Information Sheet to in-scope tenants on behalf of all managed clients within this deadline.

5.3 Abolition of Section 21

Section 21 "no-fault" possession notices are abolished. Possession is only available on a statutory ground under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, using the prescribed notice form. Section 21 notices served before 1 May 2026 can still lead to possession proceedings, but only if the claim is brought by the earlier of either six months from the date of the notice or 31 July 2026.

5.4 Grounds for possession

The grounds for possession have been amended and extended:

Ground 1 (landlord moving in) and Ground 1A (selling the property) require four months' notice and cannot be used within the first twelve months of the tenancy. If Ground 1A is used, the property cannot be marketed or re-let for twelve months from the date of possession.
Ground 2 (mortgagee) now requires four months' notice, and the prior-notice requirement has been removed.
Ground 8 (rent arrears) now requires three months' arrears at the date of the notice and at the date of the hearing, with four weeks' notice.
New grounds have been added in respect of, among other things, anti-social behaviour, student lets, and supported housing.

5.5 Rent increases

Rent can only be increased once in any twelve-month period, by serving a Section 13 notice with at least two months' notice. The tenant has the right to refer the proposed increase to the First-tier Tribunal, which can determine the market rent.

5.6 Rent in advance and bidding

We do not accept rent payments before a tenancy agreement is signed. After signing, no more than one month's rent in advance may be required. Bidding above the advertised rent is not permitted — the advertised rent is the maximum we can accept.

5.7 Pet requests

A tenant has the right to request to keep a pet. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse and must respond within the statutory timeframe. The landlord can require the tenant to maintain pet damage insurance or to pay the reasonable cost of equivalent cover.

5.8 Discrimination protections

A landlord cannot refuse to let, or terminate negotiations, on the basis that the prospective tenant has children or receives benefits. Blanket "No DSS" or "No children" advertising and policies are unlawful.

5.9 Awaab's Law and decency

Awaab's Law obligations on responding to hazards (specifically damp and mould, and emergency hazards) are being extended to the private rented sector in phases. We monitor maintenance reports closely and respond within the statutory timescales as they apply.

5.10 PRS Database

The Private Rented Sector Database is being introduced from late 2026, with full rollout in 2027. Once operational, registration will be a prerequisite for serving a valid possession notice. We will register every managed property and keep records up to date.

5.11 PRS Landlord Ombudsman

A new PRS Landlord Ombudsman is expected to launch in 2028. Membership will be mandatory for private landlords. We will assist landlords with registration when the scheme is operational.

5.12 Decent Homes Standard

A Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector is expected to be introduced in later phases (Phase 3, currently anticipated in 2035 or 2037). We are already encouraging landlords to plan capital expenditure with future standards in mind.

6. Other compliance obligations we manage on your behalf

In addition to the Renters' Rights Act, we manage the following ongoing compliance items for fully managed properties:

Gas Safety — annual Gas Safety Record, copy to tenant within 28 days
Electrical safety — Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years, copy to tenant within 28 days
Energy Performance Certificate — current minimum E rating. The government's proposed move to a minimum EPC C rating remains under consultation, and we will advise on works and timing as that timetable firms up.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms — working alarms on every storey and in every room with a fixed combustion appliance, tested at the start of every tenancy
HHSRS — properties are free from Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System
Legionella risk — a risk assessment is carried out before each tenancy
HMO licensing — where the property is an HMO, the appropriate licence is in place
Selective and additional licensing — many London boroughs operate borough-wide or area-based selective licensing schemes. We check the local authority register and advise where licensing applies. For example, the London Borough of Wandsworth introduced a selective licensing scheme covering specified wards from 1 July 2025.
How to Rent guide — provided to every new tenant in the current edition
Tenancy Deposit Protection — registered with TDS within 30 days and the prescribed information served

7. Material information on listings

Property listings comply with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (which since 6 April 2025 has replaced the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations as the primary consumer-protection regime), as enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority. We include the information required by Parts A, B, and (where relevant) C of the previously published material information framework, including council tax band, rent, tenure, property type, construction, room information, utilities, parking, and any material issues such as flood risk, restrictive covenants, building safety matters, or known defects.

8. Ongoing compliance, monitoring, and training

Annual sanctions re-checks. We repeat sanctions checks annually and whenever material changes occur.

AML ongoing monitoring. Where MLR 2017 applies, we monitor the landlord relationship for inconsistencies or suspicious activity, and report to the National Crime Agency where required.

Transparent communication. Landlords receive monthly statements, maintenance updates, inspection reports, and prompt notification of any issues during the tenancy.

Complaint handling and redress. Our full Complaints Procedure is published on our website. We are a member of the Property Redress Scheme (PRS).

Training and quality assurance. All staff receive regular training on:

The Renters' Rights Act 2025
The Tenant Fees Act 2019
The Right to Rent Code of Practice
The Equality Act 2010 and the RRA's anti-discrimination provisions
AML and sanctions
Material information and the DMCC Act 2024
Health and safety, gas, electrical, and fire safety

Training is delivered through Propertymark, the NRLA, The Able Agent, and other recognised providers. Internal compliance audits are carried out periodically.

9. Summary

From your first enquiry through to ongoing management, we deliver:

Full legal compliance — AML, sanctions, client money, redress, the Renters' Rights Act, and the wider regulatory framework
Clear communication and transparency
Proper verification and risk assessment
Professional onboarding and property setup
Ongoing oversight, reporting, and adherence to evolving legislation

We keep this procedure under review and update it as legislation, guidance, and best practice evolve. If you would like to discuss any aspect of how we work, please get in touch.