Tenlord Journal
Straight talk for UK landlords, old hands and first timers
Renting law, safety checks, licences, and the admin that goes missing in group chats. Written like we have sat at the kitchen table with the folder open.
Stop running repairs on WhatsApp. You will need that trail later
Why informal chat threads fail landlords when a dispute, a possession claim, or a damp complaint arrives, and a calmer way to log maintenance with tenants.
15 August 2026 · 7 min read
Selective licensing: the council scheme that exists even if your house is not an HMO
What selective and additional licensing mean for ordinary single-family lets, how to check if your postcode is in a designated area, and the cost of letting without a licence.
13 August 2026 · 7 min read
Right to Rent checks without turning the viewing into an interrogation
How to run Home Office Right to Rent checks in England properly, including follow-up dates, what you can copy, and the mistakes that look like discrimination.
11 August 2026 · 7 min read
Damp and mould: treat the complaint as a clock, not a lifestyle debate
How private landlords in England should handle damp and mould after Awaab's Law started reaching the sector, including what to record and why 'just open a window' is a bad reply.
5 August 2026 · 8 min read
A first-year checklist if you have just become a UK landlord
The order of jobs for new landlords in England: safety kit, certificates, Right to Rent, deposit, how you take rent, and how you talk to the tenant from day one.
29 July 2026 · 9 min read
Deposit protection after Section 21: the paperwork still decides possession
Why protecting a deposit within 30 days, serving prescribed information, and keeping the scheme details still matter now that no-fault eviction has gone in England.
16 July 2026 · 8 min read
EICR electrical checks: what the report is really telling you
How often UK rental properties need an Electrical Installation Condition Report, what C1, C2 and C3 mean, and how to plan the work without a last-minute scramble.
2 July 2026 · 8 min read
Gas safety certificates: the annual job that still trips experienced landlords
When a CP12 is due, who can issue it, what you must give tenants, and why a missed gas safety check can wreck a possession claim.
19 June 2026 · 7 min read
HMO licensing: how to tell if your house needs one, and what happens if you guess wrong
A practical guide to Houses in Multiple Occupation in England: mandatory licensing, extra council schemes, room standards, and why 'it is just a shared house' is not a defence.
4 June 2026 · 10 min read
Legionella risk assessments: the quiet duty that still catches landlords out
What UK landlords actually need to do about Legionnaires' disease risk, how a simple assessment works, and when you should review it.
22 May 2026 · 8 min read
The Renters' Rights Act is in force. Here is what actually changed
A plain English briefing for England landlords after 1 May 2026: Section 21 gone, periodic tenancies, Section 8 possession, and the paperwork you still need.
8 May 2026 · 9 min read
Guides are general information for England unless we say otherwise. They are not legal advice. For a live case, use a solicitor or a housing adviser, and read why we write this.