DIY InventoryLetting a property in Somerset: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Somerset.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Somerset
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: HMOs let to five or more people from two or more households need a mandatory licence, run by the council's Private Sector Housing and Enforcement Service across Somerset.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Somerset Council.
Somerset 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 Somerset 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 Somerset homes
- Homes on or near the Somerset Levels: check ground floors, skirting boards, outbuildings and gardens for signs of past flooding.
- Stone cottages in the Mendips, Frome and south Somerset: photograph walls inside for damp, chimney breasts, beams and the condition of any wood burner.
- Rural homes off the gas grid: record the oil tank and gauge level or LPG tank, and any septic tank or treatment plant cover.
- Shared houses and rooms let to Hinkley Point workers around Bridgwater: photograph each room's lock, fire doors, smoke alarms and the shared kitchen.
- Seaside homes in Burnham-on-Sea and Minehead: check window frames, outside paint and metal fittings for salt and wind damage.
Homes sold in Somerset in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 1,801 | £466,522 |
| Terraced | 1,778 | £245,904 |
| Semi-detached | 1,729 | £287,666 |
| Flat or maisonette | 644 | £147,786 |
| Other | 268 | £672,085 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Somerset: questions
Is there selective licensing in Somerset?
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 Somerset?
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 Somerset?
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
North SomersetBathWiltshireDorsetEast DevonMid DevonNorth DevonAll areas