Help for landlords – Click any term to see its meaning.

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Accelerated Possession Procedure
A court process allowing landlords to regain possession without a hearing, based solely on written evidence. Used where there is a written tenancy agreement and proper notice has been served. Cannot be used to claim rent arrears. Note: This procedure will change significantly once Section 21 is fully abolished under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
A standardised measure of borrowing costs including interest and fees, required on all UK loan advertisements to help consumers compare products.

ARLA Propertymark
The professional body for letting and management agents, formed from the merger of ARLA and NAEA. Members must meet professional standards, hold client money protection, and follow a code of practice. Website: propertymark.co.uk

Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST)
The standard form of private tenancy in England since 1997. ASTs give landlords a guaranteed right to recover possession at the end of the fixed term by serving a Section 21 notice. Important: The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 abolishes ASTs for new tenancies. All new tenancies will be periodic (rolling) tenancies, and existing ASTs will convert to periodic tenancies once the Act is fully implemented.

Assured Tenancy
A tenancy where the tenant has stronger security of tenure than an AST. The landlord can only recover possession using specific grounds. Rarely used in the private sector but common in housing association lets.

Awaab’s Law
Legislation introduced following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from mould exposure in social housing. Requires landlords to investigate hazards within 14 days, provide a written response within a further 7 days, and begin repairs within a further 7 days. Extended to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Bank Base Rate
The interest rate set by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, used as a benchmark for mortgages, savings accounts, and other financial products.

Buy to Let Mortgage
A mortgage specifically designed for purchasing property to rent out. Typically requires a larger deposit (usually 25%+) and is assessed primarily on potential rental income rather than the borrower’s salary. Interest rates are usually higher than residential mortgages.

County Court Judgement (CCJ)
A court order for unpaid debt that remains on a person’s credit record for six years. Landlords often check for CCJs when referencing prospective tenants.

Decent Homes Standard
A government standard setting minimum requirements for housing conditions. Originally applied to social housing, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 extends a new Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, requiring all rental properties to meet defined quality criteria.

Deposit Protection
A legal requirement since 2007 for landlords to protect tenancy deposits in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt. The three approved schemes are: Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, and Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). Failure to protect a deposit can result in penalties of 1-3 times the deposit amount and prevents landlords from using Section 21.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
A rating of a property’s energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). All rental properties must have a valid EPC (lasting 10 years). Under current MEES regulations, properties must achieve at least an E rating to be let legally, with exemptions available in limited circumstances.

Eviction
The legal process of removing a tenant from a property. Landlords must follow proper legal procedures and obtain a court order – illegal eviction is a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. Following the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, all evictions must be on specified grounds.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
The UK’s financial services regulator, responsible for consumer protection in financial markets. Regulates residential mortgages but not buy-to-let mortgages (which are largely unregulated). Website: fca.org.uk

Freehold
Outright ownership of property and the land it stands on, with no time limit. Compare with leasehold, where ownership is for a fixed term.

Grounds for Possession
The legal reasons a landlord can cite to recover possession of a property through the courts. Under the Housing Act 1988, there are mandatory grounds (where the court must grant possession if proved) and discretionary grounds (where the court decides). The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 reforms these grounds, removing no-fault eviction and strengthening tenant protections.

Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
A risk-based assessment system used by local councils to evaluate housing conditions. Covers 29 hazard categories including damp, excess cold, falls, fire, and electrical safety. Category 1 hazards (most serious) require mandatory action by the local authority. Landlords can face fines or prosecution for properties with serious hazards.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
A property occupied by three or more people from two or more separate households who share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. HMOs are subject to additional regulations including mandatory licensing for larger properties and enhanced safety requirements.

HMO Licensing
Mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with five or more occupants from two or more households. Additional licensing schemes may be introduced by local councils for smaller HMOs. Penalties for operating without a licence can be unlimited fines and rent repayment orders. Licences typically last five years and require landlords to meet safety and management standards.

HMRC
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs – the UK tax authority. Landlords must declare rental income and may need to register for the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme if living abroad. From April 2026, most landlords must use Making Tax Digital for income tax reporting.

Leasehold
Ownership of a property for a fixed term (the ‘lease’), typically applying to flats. Leaseholders pay ground rent and service charges to the freeholder. Recent reforms have aimed to make lease extensions cheaper and ban ground rents on new leases.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA)
The system used to calculate housing benefit for private tenants. LHA rates are set for each local area based on the 30th percentile of local rents. Rates are frozen periodically and often fall below actual market rents, creating affordability challenges for benefit-dependent tenants.

Loan to Value (LTV)
The ratio of a mortgage loan to the property value, expressed as a percentage. For example, a £150,000 mortgage on a £200,000 property is 75% LTV. Lower LTV typically means better interest rates. Most buy-to-let lenders require maximum 75% LTV.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
Regulations requiring rental properties to achieve a minimum EPC rating. Currently set at E, with properties rated F or G unlawful to let unless an exemption is registered. Landlords can register exemptions where improvements are not cost-effective or require third-party consent that has been refused.

NRLA (National Residential Landlords Association)
The UK’s largest landlord membership organisation, formed in 2020 from the merger of the National Landlords Association (NLA) and Residential Landlords Association (RLA). Provides advice, resources, and lobbying for private landlords. Website: nrla.org.uk

Ombudsman
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 requires all private landlords in England to join a government-approved ombudsman scheme. The ombudsman will handle tenant complaints and can award compensation. Previously, ombudsman membership was only compulsory for letting agents, not landlords directly.

Periodic Tenancy
A tenancy that rolls on a weekly or monthly basis without a fixed end date. Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, all private tenancies will become periodic, giving tenants more flexibility to leave with two months’ notice while landlords must use specified grounds to end tenancies.

Possession
The legal process of recovering a rental property from a tenant. Requires proper notice and usually a court order. Bailiff enforcement may be needed if tenants do not leave voluntarily after a possession order.

Property Portal
A new digital database introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 where landlords must register themselves and their properties. The portal will hold information on property standards, compliance, and landlord conduct, helping tenants make informed choices and enabling enforcement.

Renters’ Rights Act 2025
Major reform legislation that abolishes Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, ends fixed-term tenancies in favour of periodic tenancies, introduces a Decent Homes Standard for the private sector, extends Awaab’s Law to private rentals, creates a landlord ombudsman, and establishes a Property Portal. Implementation is phased from 2025-2026.

Section 8 Notice
A notice served under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 when seeking possession on specific grounds (such as rent arrears or antisocial behaviour). Unlike Section 21, landlords must prove their case in court. Notice periods vary depending on the ground cited. Section 8 remains the primary route for possession after Section 21 abolition.

Section 21 Notice
A ‘no-fault’ eviction notice that allowed landlords to recover possession without giving a reason, provided proper procedures were followed. Abolished under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Once fully implemented, landlords must use Section 8 grounds to seek possession. Existing Section 21 notices served before abolition may still be valid for a transitional period.

Selective Licensing
A scheme allowing local councils to require all private landlords in designated areas to obtain a licence, regardless of property type. Used to address problems like antisocial behaviour or poor housing conditions. Councils must apply to the Secretary of State for schemes covering more than 20% of their area. Fines for non-compliance can be unlimited.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Tax paid on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Buy-to-let investors and those purchasing additional properties pay a 5% surcharge on top of standard rates (increased from 3% in October 2024). Different rules apply in Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT).

Universal Credit
A benefit that replaces several legacy benefits including Housing Benefit for working-age claimants. The housing element is paid directly to the claimant (not the landlord) unless certain conditions apply. Landlords can request direct payment if a tenant is in arrears of two months or more.

Rental Yields
A measure of return on investment, calculated as annual rent divided by property value. Gross yield uses the headline figures; net yield deducts costs such as maintenance, management fees, insurance, and void periods. Typical gross yields range from 3-5% in southern England to 7-10% in northern regions.

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Last updated: February 2026