DIY InventoryLetting a property in Exeter: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Exeter.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Exeter
We couldn’t confirm the current scheme. Check with Exeter City Council.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England.
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 Exeter 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 Exeter homes
- Student shared houses near the university: photograph each bedroom's lock, furniture and fire door separately, and note smoke alarms and fire blankets.
- Georgian and Regency conversions in St Leonard's: check sash windows, cornices and ceilings for cracks, and photograph shared hallways and meter cupboards.
- Victorian terraces in Heavitree and Newtown: look for damp at the base of walls and in rear kitchens, and photograph back yards and rear access lanes.
- Hillside homes in Pennsylvania and Exwick: photograph steps, retaining walls and sloping gardens, and note any guttering or drainage problems.
- New-build flats around Newcourt: record fob and key counts, parking permits, bin stores and any snagging still outstanding.
- Homes near the river and the Exeter Canal in St Thomas and Alphington: note any signs of past flooding or damp in ground-floor rooms.
Homes sold in Exeter in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 448 | £321,962 |
| Semi-detached | 260 | £362,499 |
| Flat or maisonette | 209 | £210,213 |
| Detached | 187 | £541,000 |
| Other | 49 | £849,521 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Exeter: questions
What certificates does a landlord need in Exeter?
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 Exeter?
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.