Preparing to let a property in Bath

Start with a description of the proposed letting: who will occupy the home, how it will be shared, what type of agreement is intended and who will manage it. That description determines which official checks to make and prevents a previous use of the property being mistaken for permission for a new one.

England and B&NES guidance checked on 3 November 2026. The checklist organises preparation; it does not certify that a particular property is ready to let.

Define the property and occupation

Record the full address, whether it is a house or flat, the building layout, proposed occupier count and relationships between occupiers. Note any resident landlord, shared facilities, changes to rooms and planned works. Check the terms of any lease, mortgage and insurance with the relevant parties rather than assuming residential occupation is unrestricted.

For an ordinary private letting, use GOV.UK's assured-tenancy guide to identify the appropriate framework. Student houses, qualifying halls and resident-landlord arrangements need their correct scope. Reusing an old fixed-term AST template without checking the May 2026 reforms is not an adequate preparation step.

Resolve licensing and planning independently

Work through HMO licensing using the proposed occupation, not just the marketing description. Separately, check planning and Article 4 for the address and proposed change.

B&NES's application guidance makes clear that an HMO licence does not confirm the correct planning permission. Keep the evidence and correspondence for each process in distinct parts of the property file.

Assemble property and safety evidence

List the equipment, facilities and responsibilities that apply to the home. Use property safety and records to organise gas, electrical, alarm, energy-performance and any HMO-specific evidence. Record required remedial work and confirm completion; filing a report without reading its findings leaves the task unfinished.

Decide how tenants will receive the applicable documents and how you will retain evidence of delivery. The government written-information guidance sets out the information for assured periodic tenants. Different arrangements can need different documents.

Assign management responsibilities

Decide who will receive repair reports, arrange inspections, authorise spending, manage access and hold the records. If you appoint an agent, obtain a written service schedule and use the agent-comparison worksheet.

Make the out-of-hours route clear to occupiers. A process should cover what happens when the normal contact is unavailable and who follows up work after an emergency attendance. For your own reference, set a routine to check outstanding issues rather than assuming an invoice means a problem is resolved.

Check advertising, applications and payments

The current government overview requires an asking rent for covered advertising and prohibits accepting or encouraging higher bids. Record accurately which bills, furniture and services are included, and ensure the advert matches the agreement.

Use the official right-to-rent process where applicable, checking scope and exemptions. Apply the relevant process consistently; do not make assumptions from a person's nationality or appearance.

Prepare an itemised payment schedule and check it against current rent, deposit and fee rules. Identify the actual protection process for any deposit and who will complete it. If an agent handles the money, ask how you will receive evidence rather than relying on a verbal assurance.

Your readiness record

Treat an unanswered row as work to resolve, not as a failed or passed legal test. Obtain property-specific advice where the source cannot answer the facts.

Keep future registration on a separate timetable

The 29 October 2026 registration guidance schedules the South West window for 15 August–14 November 2027. As checked, mandatory registration-number advertising and public access are later features. Keep the official guidance under review and prepare records, without presenting the future system as already open for Bath applications.

Use the rental-law status page to keep that milestone separate from the duties that already apply.