DIY InventoryLetting a property in Basildon: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Basildon.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Basildon
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme in force. The council’s cabinet has approved further work on whether a selective licensing scheme is feasible; any scheme would need a full public consultation first.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme; only national mandatory HMO licensing applies (five or more people from two or more households).
- Fees: £202 per letting room for an HMO licence (up to six rooms; £101 per room after that)
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Basildon Council.
Basildon Council: private renting and licensing
Safety certificates
- Gas Safety (CP12): every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- EICR: at least every 5 years, by a qualified electrician.
- EPC: rated E or above, valid for 10 years.
- Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).
Book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC in Basildon at a fixed price, and keep track of expiry dates in the free landlord dashboard.
Deposits and the inventory
Protect the deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days. At the end, the scheme decides any dispute on the evidence, above all the check-in compared with the check-out, so the inventory is what protects you.
What to record in Basildon homes
- New town terraces and maisonettes: photograph flat roofs visible from windows, communal walkways and the condition of shared stair and bin areas.
- Ex-council homes: photograph uPVC windows and doors, their locks and key counts, and any garden fences, sheds and rear gates onto footpaths.
- Flats in newer blocks near the town centre and Pitsea station: note fob, key and parking permit counts and photograph the meter cupboard.
- Former plotland bungalows in Laindon and Langdon Hills: photograph the roof edges, outbuildings and any older extensions.
- Clay soils across south Essex: photograph any cracks in walls and around door frames so later movement can be compared.
Homes sold in Basildon in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 665 | £330,904 |
| Semi-detached | 468 | £417,340 |
| Detached | 369 | £615,153 |
| Flat or maisonette | 280 | £193,279 |
| Other | 52 | £655,184 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Basildon: questions
Is there selective licensing in Basildon?
No selective licensing scheme in force. The council’s cabinet has approved further work on whether a selective licensing scheme is feasible; any scheme would need a full public consultation first. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Basildon?
A Gas Safety certificate every 12 months (where there is gas), an electrical safety report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and a valid EPC rated E or above, plus working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms by fixed combustion appliances.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from receiving it, in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits, with the prescribed information given to the tenant in the same 30 days.
Do I need an inventory as a landlord in Basildon?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but without a signed check-in record it is very hard to claim anything from the deposit at the end. With DIY Inventory you can do it yourself for £30, or send your tenant a link to do it.