DIY InventoryLetting a property in East Devon: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in East Devon.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in East Devon
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only national mandatory HMO licensing applies (five or more people forming two or more households).
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: East Devon District Council.
East Devon 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 East Devon 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 East Devon homes
- Seafront flats in Exmouth, Sidmouth and Seaton: photograph window frames, metal fittings and external doors for salt corrosion, and any damp on outside walls.
- Cob and stone cottages: photograph walls inside for damp patches, flaking limewash and cracks, and note what the tenant is told about breathable finishes.
- Homes off the gas grid: photograph the oil tank, its gauge and the oil level, or the LPG tank, and the boiler service label.
- Thatched properties: photograph the thatch from the ground, the chimney and any smoke alarms and fire safety notes left for the tenant.
- New-build homes in Cranbrook: photograph snagging marks, the meter cupboards and any district heating meter reading.
- Flats in converted Regency and Victorian houses: photograph the sash windows, the communal hall and the bin and bike stores, and note key and fob counts.
Homes sold in East Devon in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 612 | £529,782 |
| Terraced | 452 | £272,916 |
| Semi-detached | 357 | £326,320 |
| Flat or maisonette | 264 | £217,085 |
| Other | 89 | £522,797 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in East Devon: questions
Is there selective licensing in East Devon?
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 East Devon?
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 East Devon?
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.