DIY InventoryLetting a property in North Devon: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in North Devon.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in North Devon
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme. The council's Housing Strategy 2025 mentions a feasibility project looking at selective licensing.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only the national mandatory licence for HMOs with five or more people in 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: North Devon Council.
North Devon 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 North 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 North Devon homes
- Coastal homes in Ilfracombe, Woolacombe and Croyde: photograph salt-pitted metal, window seals and any damp on seaward walls.
- Converted guest houses and HMOs in Ilfracombe: photograph every bedroom lock, fire doors, alarms and communal stairs.
- Cob and stone cottages in rural villages: record damp patches, flaking render, any wood burner and flue, and the condition of the thatch where visible.
- Rural homes off mains gas: photograph the oil tank, its gauge level and the boiler service label.
- Low-lying homes near the Taw estuary in Barnstaple and Braunton: note any signs of past flooding on floors and lower walls.
Homes sold in North Devon in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 417 | £405,010 |
| Terraced | 328 | £231,887 |
| Semi-detached | 213 | £288,102 |
| Flat or maisonette | 89 | £180,877 |
| Other | 62 | £548,434 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in North Devon: questions
Is there selective licensing in North Devon?
No selective licensing scheme. The council's Housing Strategy 2025 mentions a feasibility project looking at selective licensing. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in North 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 North 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.
Ready when you have the keys
Do your North Devon check-in yourself, on your phone, for £30.
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