As a landlord you must ensure that all of your property is safe and
in no way poses a danger to anyone entering the premises.
You must ensure that all glass doors have safety glass fitted,
that the garden poses no danger to anyone, i.e. an old iron fence may
cut a child’s hand, the guttering may not be held up properly or the
kitchen cupboard door that you have been meaning to fix may fall of
it’s hinges and injure another party.
You have a duty of care to ensure that your property poses no
danger to your tenant, a visitor or even someone trespassing on your
property. Check your
property thoroughly to ensure that there are no hidden dangers.
What may be seen as an everyday inconvenience to you and
something that you will get around to fixing one day can end up as major
incident to someone else and cost you a fortune.
Legal update: 16 October 2026
The duty to manage hazards remains important. For rented homes in England, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System guidance was updated in 2026 and explains how councils assess risks to residents and visitors. Safety checks should reflect those current standards.
Read current housing hazard guidance. Update by Simon Burrage.
