DIY InventoryLetting a property in Brentwood: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Brentwood.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Brentwood
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme; mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with five or more people forming more than one household.
- Fees: £890 for a new HMO licence and £603 for a renewal, each for five years (council's HMO page).
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Brentwood Borough Council.
Brentwood Borough 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 Brentwood 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 Brentwood homes
- Purpose-built and converted flats near Brentwood and Shenfield stations: photograph communal doors, entry phones and bike and bin stores, and count every key and fob.
- Large detached houses in Shenfield and the villages: photograph driveways, gates, garages and garden lighting as well as the rooms.
- Flats in converted older buildings such as the Warley Hospital site: note shared areas, parking permits and any service-charge rules on decoration.
- Chalet bungalows in Doddinghurst and Pilgrims Hatch: photograph the eaves storage and sloping ceilings for damp or condensation.
- Period cottages in Ingatestone: photograph open fireplaces, timber windows and uneven floors so their existing condition is on record.
- Gardens backing onto Green Belt fields: photograph fences, hedges and gates, which often need repair after winter.
Homes sold in Brentwood in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 245 | £931,641 |
| Semi-detached | 240 | £552,525 |
| Flat or maisonette | 191 | £288,443 |
| Terraced | 154 | £461,382 |
| Other | 28 | £824,328 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Brentwood: questions
Is there selective licensing in Brentwood?
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 Brentwood?
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 Brentwood?
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.