DIY InventoryLetting a property in Cotswold: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Cotswold.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Cotswold
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only mandatory licensing, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. New fees and a five-year licence period were proposed from September 2025.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Cotswold District Council.
Cotswold District 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 Cotswold 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 Cotswold homes
- Listed stone cottages: photograph solid walls for damp, window reveals, beams, flagstone floors and any wood burner or open fire.
- Off-grid homes: record the oil tank or LPG gauge reading, the boiler, and any septic tank or private water supply.
- Converted barns and farm cottages: note the condition of gravel drives, gates, outbuildings and garden walls.
- Student lets near the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester: photograph each bedroom's lock and furniture and the shared kitchen separately.
- Homes near the Thames and Coln at Lechlade and Fairford: check for signs of past flooding and the state of drains.
- New-build estates at Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh: record any open snagging, parking spaces and estate charges.
Homes sold in Cotswold in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 370 | £852,126 |
| Terraced | 273 | £387,154 |
| Semi-detached | 243 | £460,556 |
| Flat or maisonette | 106 | £255,022 |
| Other | 89 | £956,208 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Cotswold: questions
Is there selective licensing in Cotswold?
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 Cotswold?
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 Cotswold?
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.