19 Oct 26
Contributed article by Des Taylor
A tenant refusing access does not remove your legal responsibilities as a landlord.
If your gas safety inspection or other mandatory checks are overdue, you may still face scrutiny unless you can demonstrate that you took every reasonable step to comply.
The key is to act early.
Start arranging access well before the renewal date, keep contacting the tenant at reasonable intervals, explain the legal requirement, and retain copies of every email, letter and message.
A clear audit trail can be crucial if your actions are ever questioned.
For landlords, this is about reducing legal exposure.
Good records can help demonstrate that you did everything within your control.
In some cases, where access continues to be refused, legal action may be necessary to secure entry and protect your compliance position.
