Managing your property is easy with Inspire Estate Agents

Letting your property in Crawley has changed. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is now in force, and with it comes a whole new set of rules. Section 21 is gone. Deposits are capped. Miss a single compliance document and you lose the right to evict, even for serious rent arrears.

It is a lot to keep on top of. That is where we come in.

We are Inspire, a local independent lettings agent based in Crawley. We have been looking after landlords in this area for 20 years, and we understand that your property is likely one of your most important assets. We treat it that way.

What has changed for landlords

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduced some significant shifts:

• Section 21 no longer exists. You cannot simply ask a tenant to leave without reason. To recover your property, you now need to rely on Section 8 grounds — and those grounds need evidence, paperwork, and timing to be exactly right.
• Deposits are now capped at five weeks' rent for most properties. For a property at £1,200 a month, that is a maximum of £1,385. Damage can easily cost more than that, which is why the right tenant, the right documentation, and the right insurance matter more than ever.
• Before any tenancy starts, you are required to provide: a Gas Safety Certificate (CP12), an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), a valid Energy Performance Certificate (rating E or above), the current 'How to Rent' guide, a Government Information Sheet (new requirement from 2025), a Deposit Protection Certificate within 30 days, and Prescribed Information within 30 days.

Miss any of these and you cannot serve a valid Section 8 notice. Your case will fail, regardless of what the tenant has done.

How we look after you

We are not a national chain. You have a named property manager who knows your property, knows your tenant, and picks up the phone.

Finding the right tenant is the most important decision you will make. We reject more applicants than we accept. Every tenant goes through a full credit check, employment verification, previous landlord reference, and an affordability assessment. Rent should be no more than 30% of their income. We accompany every viewing, every time. You see our recommendation and make the final call.

If rent does not arrive, we do not wait and hope. An SMS and email go out on day one. A phone call on day three. A formal letter on day seven. You are informed throughout. At two months' arrears, we serve a Section 8 notice (Ground 8, mandatory possession). We also offer Rent Guarantee Insurance, so if a tenant stops paying, you still receive your rent while we handle the legal process.

We document everything. At check-in, every room, wall, fixture, and appliance is photographed and recorded. This is your evidence file. The first inspection happens at six weeks. After that, every six months with a full report and photos. If we spot damage or unauthorised changes, we act straight away — not at the end of the tenancy when it is too late.

Every property we manage has a compliance file. All certificates are tracked with expiry dates, renewal reminders go out 12 weeks in advance, and every document served to the tenant is on file. We never let a certificate lapse.

When a tenant gives notice, we act immediately. Marketing goes live the same day. Our target is a new tenant ready to move in the day after check-out, so you are not losing income to avoidable void periods.

Our letting services

We offer four levels of service, so you choose what suits you:

• Complete Protection – we handle everything and it comes with your rent guarantee and legal cover up to the value of £100,00
• Fully managed - we handle everything, from marketing and referencing to rent collection, inspections, maintenance, and compliance. You are kept informed without being burdened.
• Rent collection - we find your tenant, set up the tenancy, and collect rent each month on your behalf.
• Tenant introduction - we find and fully reference a tenant and set up the tenancy agreement. Day-to-day management stays with you.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025. What It Means for Landlords

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to landlord law in 30 years. If you let a property in England, these rules already apply to you. This page explains what has changed, what you need to do, and what happens if you get it wrong.

If you would like us to walk you through it, give us a call on 01293 582335. We are happy to help.

• Section 21 is gone

Until 2025, if a tenancy was not working out, you could serve a Section 21 notice and ask your tenant to leave — no reason needed. That option no longer exists.

Every eviction now requires a legal ground under Section 8. You need evidence. You need the paperwork to be correct. And you need to have served every required document at the start of the tenancy. If you missed anything, your case fails, even if the tenant owes months of rent.

• All tenancies are now periodic from day one

Fixed-term tenancies of 6 or 12 months no longer exist. Every new tenancy rolls indefinitely from day one. A tenant can leave with 2 months' notice at any time. There is no minimum term for them to serve.

For landlords, this means you need to plan for shorter tenancies and manage void periods proactively.

• The Section 8 grounds you need to know

To recover your property, you must rely on one of the legal grounds. The most common ones are:

Ground 8 — 2 or more months' rent arrears. This is mandatory, meaning the court must grant possession if the ground is proved. But the tenant can pay down their debt to defeat it.

Ground 1 — You or a close family member wants to move in. Requires 4 months' notice and cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.

Ground 1A — You are selling the property. Requires 4 months' notice and cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.

Ground 12 — The tenant has breached the tenancy. Discretionary — you need to prove it.

Ground 14 — Anti-social behaviour. Discretionary — you need evidence.

• Documents you must provide — before the tenancy starts

Missing a single document does not just create a fine. It means you cannot serve a valid Section 8 notice. Here is what you are required to provide:

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — renewed every year. The penalty for non-compliance is up to £6,000 and a criminal record.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — every 5 years. The penalty is up to £30,000.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — your property must be rated E or above. The penalty is up to £5,000.

How to Rent Guide — you must provide the current government version, not an old one.

Government Information Sheet — a new requirement introduced in 2025.

Deposit Protection Certificate — must be registered and issued to the tenant within 30 days.

Prescribed Information — must be provided to the tenant within 30 days.

• Safety requirements

Smoke alarms must be fitted on every floor used as living accommodation and confirmed as working at the start of each tenancy. Tenants must sign to confirm this.

Carbon monoxide alarms are required in any room with a fixed combustion appliance  a boiler, gas fire, or log burner. Tenants must sign to confirm this too.

If your property is furnished, all upholstered furniture must meet fire safety regulations.

A Legionella risk assessment is required. Most landlords do this themselves, but we do it for the properties we manage.

A Right to Rent check must be completed and documented before the tenancy begins.

• Deposit caps

The maximum deposit you can take is 5 weeks' rent for properties with an annual rent under £50,000. For properties above that threshold, the cap is 6 weeks.

On a property renting at £1,200 a month, that means a maximum deposit of £1,385. A professional clean alone cost £200 to £400. Carpet replacement in a 3-bed house runs to £1,500 to £3,000. A bad tenant can easily cost more than your deposit covers, which is why thorough referencing and a detailed inventory matter so much.

• Pet requests

Tenants now have the right to request a pet. You have 42 days to respond in writing. If you do not respond, consent is treated as given. You cannot refuse unreasonably  "I just do not like pets" is not a valid reason. You are entitled to require the tenant to take out pet damage insurance.

• Rent increases

You are limited to one rent increase every 12 months. You must use a formal Section 13 notice and give 2 months' notice. Tenants have the right to challenge any increase they believe is above market rate at the First-tier Tribunal.

• Rental bidding is banned

You cannot invite or accept offers above the advertised rent. The rent you advertise is the rent.

• Discrimination is now explicitly unlawful

Blanket bans on DSS, benefits claimants, or families with children are illegal and enforceable. You cannot include these conditions in your listings or tenancy requirements.

What this means in practice

The margin for error is smaller than it has ever been. A wrong document, a missed deadline, or the wrong tenant choice can leave you unable to act for months. The landlord who used to manage things on their own is taking a much bigger risk today.

We manage compliance for every property we let. Every certificate is tracked, every document is on file, and every renewal is chased before the deadline. If you are not sure your current setup is watertight, we are happy to take a look.

Call us on 01293 582335 or visit inspireestates.co.uk.

Your peace of mind matters

We are members of The Property Ombudsman and hold client money protection insurance. Every penny of your rent and deposit is protected.

If you are wondering whether your current agent is really looking after you, give us a call. We are happy to talk it through — no pressure, no obligation.

01293 582335 inspireestates.co.uk