DIY InventoryLetting a property in Bath: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Bath.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Bath
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme in force: the council says the Bath additional licensing scheme (2019–2023) ended on 31 December 2023, and any new scheme would need a consultation first. National mandatory HMO licensing covers the whole area.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Bath & North East Somerset Council.
Bath & North East Somerset 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 Bath 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 Bath homes
- Georgian sash windows in Bath’s terraces: photograph cords, catches, glass and any rot on sills and frames.
- Student shared houses in Oldfield Park and Widcombe: photograph each bedroom door lock and key, fire doors, alarms and the shared kitchen and its appliances.
- Basement and lower-ground flats in stone houses: photograph walls, vaults and window wells for damp and mould.
- Listed buildings: photograph original features such as shutters, fireplaces and plasterwork, and do not treat repairs needing listed building consent as tenant faults.
- Stone terraces in Midsomer Norton and Radstock: photograph back yards, rear walls and chimney breasts for damp.
Homes sold in Bath in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 582 | £412,953 |
| Semi-detached | 448 | £459,755 |
| Flat or maisonette | 380 | £313,932 |
| Detached | 375 | £685,519 |
| Other | 58 | £1,457,043 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Bath: questions
Is there selective licensing in Bath?
No selective licensing scheme. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Bath?
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 Bath?
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.
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