If you rent out your home, your normal home insurance usually stops covering it once a tenant moves in, because home policies are written for owner-occupied properties. You need landlord insurance instead, and you need your mortgage lender's consent to let. Tell your current insurer before the tenancy starts, so you aren't left with a property that's uninsured.
Plenty of people become landlords without planning to: they move abroad for work, move in with a partner, can't sell, or inherit a property. This guide is for them. It covers why home insurance stops, what landlord cover replaces it, and the steps to take before your first tenant arrives in England.
Why home insurance doesn't cover a let property
Home insurance is priced on the basis that you live there. Once the property is let:
you're no longer the occupier, so the insurer's view of risk changes,
your tenant's activities and belongings aren't what the policy expected,
you take on legal duties as a landlord, including liability to the tenant,
many home policies exclude or restrict cover when the property is let or unoccupied.
If you don't tell your insurer and a claim arises, it could be refused. Some home insurers allow a lodger or short absence, but a full let usually needs a landlord policy.
What landlord insurance replaces it with
A landlord policy for a single property usually includes:
Buildings cover for the rebuild cost, if you own the freehold (see our landlord buildings insurance guide),
Landlord's contents if you leave furniture or appliances,
Property owners' liability for injury or damage caused by the property,
Loss of rent if the property becomes uninhabitable after an insured event,
optional legal expenses and rent guarantee (see our rent guarantee insurance guide).
If it's a leasehold flat, the freeholder usually insures the building, so you need contents, fixtures and liability. See our leasehold flat guide.
Get consent before you let
Mortgage lender. A residential mortgage usually doesn't allow letting without the lender's consent. Ask for "consent to let" or switch to a buy-to-let mortgage. Letting without consent can breach your mortgage.
Freeholder. If it's a leasehold flat, check the lease for consent or notice requirements.
Your insurer. Tell them the date the tenancy starts, and arrange landlord cover from that date.
What to do with your own belongings
If you're storing personal belongings in the property (a locked room or loft), tell your insurer. Landlord contents cover is usually for items you provide to tenants, not your personal possessions in storage. You may need separate storage or contents cover for those.
Your first-tenancy checklist (England)
Before the tenant moves in:
Gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a copy for the tenant before they move in. See our gas safety certificate guide.
Electrical installation condition report (EICR), renewed at least every five years, with a copy for the tenant. See our EICR guide.
Valid EPC rated E or above. The government plans to raise this to band C by 1 October 2030. See our EPC C 2030 guide.
Smoke alarms on each storey and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with fixed combustion appliances (excluding gas cookers), tested on the first day of the tenancy.
Right to Rent checks on adult occupiers.
Deposit protection in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information. The deposit is capped at five weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000.
Licensing. Check whether your council requires a licence for your area. See our selective licensing guide.
Written tenancy terms, reflecting the Renters' Rights Act: tenancies are assured periodic, rent in advance is capped at one month, and you can't refuse tenants because they have children or receive benefits. See our Renters' Rights Act guide.
Inventory and photos of the property's condition at check-in.
Register on the private rented sector database when your region opens. See our PRS database guide.
Our landlord safety certificates checklist explains each of these in more detail.
If you're moving abroad
Appoint someone in the UK to deal with emergencies and access, or use a letting agent.
Tell the insurer you live abroad. Some insurers have conditions for non-resident landlords.
HMRC's Non-Resident Landlord Scheme may apply to your rental income. Take tax advice; this guide isn't tax advice.
If you might move back
Because tenancies are now periodic, you can't rely on a fixed end date. If you want to move back in, you would need to use the section 8 ground for the landlord or family moving in, which requires four months' notice and can't be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy. Plan with that in mind, and check that your legal expenses cover includes possession claims.
If the property is empty before the first tenant
Many policies restrict cover after the property has been empty for a set period. If there's a gap between moving out and the tenant moving in, tell your insurer and ask about unoccupied cover. See our void and unoccupied property page.
Accidental landlords and the Renters' Rights Act
If you're letting your own home in England, you'll be on the same rules as every other private landlord. Since 1 May 2026, tenancies are periodic, and section 21 no longer exists. That has two consequences for accidental landlords:
Getting the property back. If you want to move back in, you'll need to use the possession ground for the landlord or a close family member moving in, with the notice period and protections that apply. You can't rely on a fixed-term ending.
Selling. If you decide to sell, there's a separate possession ground for selling. It also has notice requirements and restrictions.
Both are court-based routes. Your legal expenses cover may help, but check it covers these grounds. See our Renters' Rights Act guide and our guide on what to do if a tenant isn't paying rent.
You'll also need to register on the new private rented sector database when your region opens. See our PRS database guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my home insurance if I rent out my house?
Usually not. Home insurance normally excludes or restricts cover once the property is let. Tell your insurer and switch to landlord insurance from the tenancy start date.
Is landlord insurance a legal requirement?
No law requires it, but your mortgage lender will usually require buildings cover, and liability cover protects you from claims by tenants and visitors.
Do I need consent to let from my mortgage lender?
Yes, if you have a residential mortgage. Letting without consent can breach your mortgage terms.
Does landlord insurance cover my tenant's belongings?
No. Your tenant should have their own contents insurance.
What if I rent out a room and still live there?
That's a lodger arrangement, which is usually handled under your home insurance with the insurer's agreement, not landlord insurance. Tell your home insurer.
Can I let my home on a short-term basis instead?
Short lets and holiday lets need specialist cover.
Make the switch without a gap
Send us your current home or landlord policy, or your renewal, and we'll review it and come back with quotes from the insurers on our panel. Start with your buy-to-let details.
Meshed is a trading name of Mesh'd Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 1033248). We charge a flat 10% broker fee. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Vincent Liu
Co-founder & CTO
