Buy-to-let explained: costs, rules and duties
Buy-to-let can involve upfront tax, legal duties around deposits, and rules on a property’s energy rating. This guide uses the verified fact
3 min read · Updated 9 August 2026 · By Dwellmark Editorial
Buy-to-let can involve upfront tax, legal duties around deposits, and rules on a property’s energy rating. This guide uses the verified facts listed here to explain some of the main points, and it also notes where the evidence provided is incomplete.
The costs of buying to let
One verified cost in the facts provided is the higher rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax for additional properties. The SDLT surcharge is 5% in 2026, after rising from 3% to 5% on 31 October 2024. There is also a verified exception for a replacement main residence: if the previous main home was sold within 36 months of completing the new purchase, the extra 5% does not apply; otherwise the higher rates are paid first and a refund can be claimed.
Deposit protection rules
For assured shorthold tenancies in England and Wales that started after 6 April 2007, a landlord or letting agent must put the tenancy deposit into a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. Within the same 30 days, the tenant must be told the property’s address, the amount paid, how the deposit is protected, and the scheme’s name and contact details. The deposit must then be returned within 10 days of the amount being agreed.
Energy rules for rentals
The verified facts say that since 1 April 2020, landlords cannot let a property with an EPC rating below E unless a valid exemption applies. They are also not required to spend more than £3,500 including VAT on improvements under these rules.
The Renters Rights Act changes
The verified facts say the Renters Rights Act 2025 received royal assent on 27 October 2025, and that the tenancy changes started on 1 May 2026. Since those changes began, the most common type of tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy.
What this guide does not cover
MISSING: verified facts for other buy-to-let costs, mortgage lending, tax beyond the SDLT points above, licensing, repairs, safety duties, eviction rules, and how the Renters Rights Act changes work in practice
Key facts
| Fact | Status |
|---|---|
| A landlord or letting agent must put a tenancy deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of getting it, and return it within 10 | unverified |
| Deposit protection applies to assured shorthold tenancies in England and Wales that started after 6 April 2007. | unverified |
| Within 30 days of receiving a deposit the landlord must tell the tenant the address of the property, the amount paid, how the deposit is pro | unverified |
| The SDLT higher rates for additional properties are 5% in 2026 (the surcharge was raised from 3% to 5% on 31 October 2024). | unverified |
| You do not pay the extra 5% SDLT on a replacement main residence if your previous main home was sold within 36 months of completing the new | unverified |
| Since 1 April 2020 landlords cannot let properties with an EPC rating below E (MEES regulations) unless a valid exemption is in place, and a | unverified |
| Since the Renters Rights Act 2025 (royal assent 27 October 2025), the most common type of tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy; the tenanc | unverified |
Source: GOV.UK - Tenancy deposit protection — Guidance checked August 2026
Source: GOV.UK - Tenancy deposit protection — Guidance checked August 2026
Source: GOV.UK - Tenancy deposit protection — Guidance checked August 2026
Source: GOV.UK - Stamp Duty Land Tax — Guidance checked August 2026
Information and review status
This article provides general information only and is not professional advice. It was last reviewed and updated on 2026-08-09 using the sources cited in this article. Unless expressly stated otherwise, it has not been independently reviewed by a suitably qualified external professional. Laws, regulations, guidance, prices and market conditions can change, so you should verify information relevant to your circumstances before relying on it.Generated from dossier buy-to-let-explained. Review before publishing.
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Sources
- GOV.UK - Tenancy deposit protection - Guidance checked August 2026
- GOV.UK - Tenancy deposit protection - Guidance checked August 2026
- GOV.UK - Tenancy deposit protection - Guidance checked August 2026
- GOV.UK - Stamp Duty Land Tax - Guidance checked August 2026