Todays litigious society demands a lot and has a low tolerance for shoddiness. If you are an existing landlord, or intend to become one soon, it is vitally important that you are aware of at least the basic regulations.

The Property Business is like any other business where you need to comply with several requirements in order to operate in the business.

Fortunately, the red tape is not that onerous, and with a bit of knowledge and experience will not damage your business.

As a landlord, you have a duty to

-take safety measures including:

oensuring means of escape are kept clear, maintained in good order and repair, clearly displayed and signposted to all occupants.

oensuring fire fighting equipment is kept in good order and is well maintained.

otaking all measures reasonably required to protect the occupants from injury, for example, preventing access to unsafe areas, such as roofs.

-supply and maintain water supply and drainage, gas and electricity.

-maintain common parts and installations.

-maintain living accommodation including any furniture or appliance provided by you, the landlord.

-provide waste disposal facilities.

You also need to be aware of The Furniture and Furnishings Regulation 1988, Gas Safety and Electrical Requirements. For example, you need to ensure that all your soft furniture contains the appropriate regulatory labels, you have all your gas appliances checked by a CORGI registered engineer every year and any electrical installation needs to be certified safe to use.

If you are unsure of any specific requirements, you could always contact your local authority and ask them for their advice. They have recently proven to be quite accommodating when responding to landlords questions. However, they are quick to take action if they feel that any laws have been flouted - non-compliance could result in hefty fines or imprisonment in the most severe of cases.

A quick 30 minute search on the internet can also provide you with several answers to any popular questions you may have.

Once youve bought your first property and have ensured it meets all minimum requirements, all you need to do is to replicate the processes, thus any additional property will be much easier for you to prepare for letting.