A kit explaining how homes to let can be made more secure and legally-compliant has been launched by the Residential Landlords Association.

Its ‘Safe and Secure’ tool kit provides users with a single website featuring an interactive picture of a house which, when clicked on, provides easy to understand information on how landlords or agents can meet the legal standards required of them. 

Advice includes how best to ensure gas, electrical and fire safety as well as information on how to prevent damp and mould; improving the energy efficiency of a property and how to prevent trips and falls around the house.

Each part of the house, when clicked on, provides details of the legal requirements for a landlord and information on the likely cost of fitting safety features such as window safety locks; carbon monoxide detectors; and fire alarms. 

It also includes a simple, easy to understand check list about features a landlord should check regularly to ensure that the homes they rent out are safe, legal and secure.

According to the most recent English Housing Survey, 16 per cent of private rented sector properties have at least one hazard that means the home fails the minimum safety standards expected of them.

“The reality is that there a large number of legal requirements expected of rented homes. The problem is not a lack of law but of enforcing these requirements and ensuring landlords understand the complexities of renting homes out” explains Alan Ward, chairman of the RLA.