Renting out a property in Lambeth — landlord rules & licensing

A starting-point reference for anyone letting a residential property in Lambeth. The rules on this page apply England-wide; the live links below let you confirm Lambeth's own licensing, housing standards and complaints processes.

Core legal requirements (England)

• Gas safety: annual CP12 certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• Electrical safety: EICR every 5 years (Electrical Safety Standards Regs 2020).
• EPC: minimum band E to let a new or renewing tenancy (MEES Regs 2015).
• Smoke & CO alarms: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) (Amendment) Regs 2022.
• Right to Rent: Immigration Act 2014 — check every adult occupier.
• Deposit protection: protect within 30 days & serve Prescribed Information (Housing Act 2004).
• HMO / selective licensing: check Lambeth's position via the dedicated pages linked below.

FAQ

Do I need a licence to let a property in Lambeth? It depends on the property and the area. Any HMO occupied by 5+ people from 2+ households needs a mandatory HMO licence. Lambeth may also operate an additional HMO scheme (smaller HMOs) and/or a selective licensing scheme (most rented homes in a defined area). Check the linked council pages for the current position.

Which gas and electrical certificates does the council check? Councils don't pre-approve certificates, but in any enforcement check they expect a current annual Gas Safety Record (CP12), an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) issued within the last 5 years, and an EPC of at least band E. Keep PDFs of all three on file.

Where do I report a problem with a rented property or a rogue landlord? Report concerns to Lambeth's housing standards or private rented sector team via the council's own page (linked below). Tenants can also use GOV.UK's "Complain about a rented home" service for an overview of what to do first.

Sources: - GOV.UK — Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2451/contents - legislation.gov.uk — Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/312/contents/made - GOV.UK — Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance - legislation.gov.uk — Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/707/contents/made - GOV.UK — Landlord's guide to right to rent checks — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-rent-document-checks-a-user-guide - GOV.UK — Tenancy deposit protection — https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection - legislation.gov.uk — Housing Act 2004 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/contents - Lambeth — landlord licensing page — https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/housing/landlords-licensing/selective-licensing-scheme - Lambeth — HMO licensing page — https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/housing/landlords-licensing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmos/licence-other-service-fees

Last verified: 2026-06-28. Reference data only — always check the council's own page before applying.