DIY InventoryLetting a property in Coventry: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Coventry.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Coventry
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: Citywide additional HMO licensing from 4 May 2025 to 3 May 2030, for HMOs of three or four people and some converted blocks of flats (section 257 HMOs); larger HMOs need a mandatory licence.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Coventry City Council.
Coventry City 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 Coventry 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 Coventry homes
- Student HMOs near Coventry University and the University of Warwick: photograph each bedroom's lock, furniture and fire door, and every shared appliance separately.
- Victorian terraces in Earlsdon and Foleshill: check damp on party walls and chimney breasts, sash or replacement windows and the back yard.
- Flats in city-centre blocks: note fob and key counts, intercom, bin store and bike store access, and any balcony condition.
- Post-war council-built houses in Tile Hill and Canley: record gardens, fences, sheds, the boiler and consumer unit.
- Shared houses: record the meter readings and who holds which room keys, as several tenants may share one supply.
Homes sold in Coventry in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 1,415 | £210,753 |
| Semi-detached | 665 | £266,520 |
| Flat or maisonette | 285 | £122,648 |
| Detached | 233 | £418,633 |
| Other | 51 | £812,229 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Coventry: questions
Is there selective licensing in Coventry?
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 Coventry?
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 Coventry?
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.
Nearby areas
WarwickRugbyNuneaton and BedworthNorth WarwickshireSolihullAll areas