COVID-19 advice
Non-statutory guidance providing advice to landlords and tenants on the provisions in the Coronavirus Act 2020, and further advice for landlords, tenants and local authorities more broadly about their rights and responsibilities during the coronavirus outbreak is available on the government website Gov.uk.
Residential landlord forum
The Landlord Forum is an informal gathering of landlords and a chance to meet, network and pose questions to staff from Environmental Health and Housing Benefit Services.
We have joined up with other nearby Councils to hold a bigger and better event centrally between several areas to enable more opportunities for networking with other landlords and to share best practice and news across a wider audience.
All residential landlords are encouraged to attend the forum, which is intended to inform private sector landlords of relevant changes to legislation, good practice and guidance, and to give an opportunity to ask questions of Environmental Health, Planning, Housing Advice and Housing Benefit Officers.
For more information, please call 01277 312500 or email envhealth@brentwood.gov.uk
Report a change of tenant
If you are a landlord reporting a change of tenant please complete the online form below:
Right to rent checks
All private landlords in England need to make Right to Rent checks.
This means checking that your new adult tenants have the right to be in the UK.
What you need to do:
- Check your property will be the tenant's main home.
- Ask your tenant for the original document or documents that show they can live in the UK. This might be a passport or a birth certificate - there's a full list of documents on GOV.UK.
- Check the documents while the tenant is with you. Check the name, photo, and expiry date.
- Make clear copies of the documents, record the date you made the check, and put the copies somewhere safe, keep them for 12 months after the tenant/lodger has left the property.
For more information on the requirements visit Right to rent checks
For a quick guide on how to complete the checks go to: How to make a right to rent check a 3 step guide
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Landlords are required to fit smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to property that is rented to tenants.
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 are aimed at increasing the safety of private sector tenants.
Landlords must ensure that a smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of the premises and that a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room where there is a solid fuel burning appliance.
The Council can issue a notice to require the alarms to be fitted; a penalty can be imposed if this is not complied with.
Further information is available on the Gov.uk website.