DIY InventoryLetting a property in Reading: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Reading.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Reading
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing in force yet. The council plans selective licensing of all privately rented homes in Battle ward first, then Redlands and Park wards in phases; its page says the formal designations have not yet been made.
- Additional HMO licensing: Borough-wide additional HMO licensing from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2031, covering HMOs of three or four people and other HMOs outside the mandatory scheme.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Reading Borough Council.
Reading Borough 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 Reading 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 Reading homes
- Shared houses in Redlands and near the university: note the HMO licence number and photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors, alarms and the shared kitchen separately.
- Victorian terraces off Oxford Road and in Katesgrove: record damp at the base of walls, rear extensions and small yards and bins.
- Apartment blocks and office conversions in the town centre: note fob counts, the intercom, parking and bike stores, and check windows and ventilation.
- Homes near the Thames and the Kennet in Caversham and the centre: photograph any tide marks, damp low on walls and air bricks.
- Post-war homes in Whitley and Southcote: photograph gardens, fences, sheds and older boilers.
Homes sold in Reading in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 558 | £352,947 |
| Flat or maisonette | 433 | £232,980 |
| Semi-detached | 331 | £454,845 |
| Detached | 147 | £653,877 |
| Other | 44 | £2,031,253 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Reading: questions
Is there selective licensing in Reading?
No selective licensing in force yet. The council plans selective licensing of all privately rented homes in Battle ward first, then Redlands and Park wards in phases; its page says the formal designations have not yet been made. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Reading?
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 Reading?
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.