Thinking about letting a property in Cheltenham? Whether it’s a Regency apartment, a family house or the home you’re moving out of, letting it well comes down to a few things: getting the paperwork right, setting a fair rent, choosing your tenant carefully and keeping up with the rules.
Those rules changed a lot on 1 May 2026, when the Renters’ Rights Act came into force. So we’ve put together this plain-English guide from our office in Montpellier. As an independent lettings agency and ARLA Propertymark members, this is what we help Cheltenham landlords with every day. Pop the kettle on and we’ll go through it step by step.
Demand for good rental homes here is strong. The average private rent in Cheltenham was £1,269 a month in September 2026, up 6.1% on a year earlier and ahead of the 4.2% rise across the South West (ONS). Even so, the homes that let most smoothly are safe, well presented and sensibly priced.
If you have a mortgage, you must get your lender’s permission to let (GOV.UK). If the property is leasehold, check your lease too, as some restrict letting or need the freeholder’s consent. Standard home insurance doesn’t cover rental properties, so you’ll need landlord insurance (NRLA).
Rented homes currently need an EPC rating of E or above. The government has confirmed a higher standard, equivalent to EPC C, for all private tenancies by 1 October 2030, with a cost cap of £10,000 per property. It estimates the average spend will be around £5,400, and landlords whose homes already reach C on their current EPC can show compliance until that certificate expires or is replaced (GOV.UK).
If five or more people, forming two or more households, will share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, you’ll need a mandatory HMO licence from Cheltenham Borough Council. If you’re not sure whether your property counts, ask us or the council before you let.
The ONS figures are a useful starting point. Average Cheltenham rents in September 2026 (ONS):
| Property size | Average rent (pcm) |
|---|---|
| One bedroom | £875 |
| Two bedrooms | £1,103 |
| Three bedrooms | £1,364 |
| Four or more bedrooms | £1,920 |
Averages only tell part of the story. Condition, parking, outside space, the EPC rating and the exact street all make a difference. You can see the homes we’re marketing right now for a feel of the local market.
Pricing right first time matters more than ever. Your advert must show one fixed rent. It’s illegal to encourage bidding, and you can’t accept offers above the advertised rent (GOV.UK). That’s why we offer free rental valuations: give us a call and we’ll talk it through.
Referencing isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s well worth doing. It usually covers credit history, income, an employer reference and a previous landlord reference (NRLA).
All tenancies are now assured periodic tenancies. They roll on, usually month by month, and you can’t put an end date in the agreement. Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions have gone (GOV.UK). You must give your tenant a written statement of the tenancy terms, which most landlords build into the agreement (NRLA).
Under the Tenant Fees Act, the only payments you can ask tenants for are: rent, a refundable tenancy deposit, a refundable holding deposit, up to £50 to change the tenancy at the tenant’s request (more only if you can show it’s reasonable), a payment if the tenant doesn’t give the correct notice, utilities, communication services and council tax, a late rent fee (once rent is at least two weeks overdue, capped at 3% above the Bank of England base rate) and the cost of replacing lost keys. Anything else is a prohibited payment, with penalties of up to £5,000 for a first breach (GOV.UK).
Agent fees are paid by the landlord, not the tenant. They depend on the level of service: typically a set-up charge, plus either a monthly percentage of the rent for ongoing services, or a one-off fee if the agent just finds the tenant. Letting agents must publish their fees on their website (GOV.UK), so always ask for a full written breakdown, including VAT, before you sign.
You can put the rent up once a year, using Form 4A (the ‘section 13’ process) with at least two months’ notice. Tenants can challenge an increase that’s above the open market rent (GOV.UK).
If you need your property back, you must serve a section 8 notice using a legal reason, called a ground for possession. The notice period is often four months, and shorter for some grounds. You can’t use the grounds for selling or moving in during the first 12 months (GOV.UK). Tenants normally give two months’ notice (GOV.UK).
A new national ‘Register your rental property’ service launches on 15 December 2026, starting in the West Midlands and reaching other areas over 12 months. When your area is called forward, you’ll have three months to sign up, and every landlord who’s actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027. Registration numbers will need to appear on adverts (GOV.UK). We’ll keep our landlords posted on Gloucestershire’s date.
We offer three levels of service, so you can choose how involved you want to be (landlord services):
We market homes on Rightmove, OnTheMarket, Zoopla, Primelocation and NetHousePrices, and as ARLA Propertymark members we provide Client Money Protection, so your rent and deposits are in safe hands.
We offer free rental valuations. Call us on 01242 514285, email lettings@morgan-associates.co.uk, or pop into our Montpellier office at Rotunda Buildings, Montpellier Exchange, GL50 1SJ for a free rental valuation chat. You can also get in touch online. The kettle’s always on.
If five or more people from two or more households will share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, you’ll need a mandatory HMO licence from Cheltenham Borough Council. For anything else, check with the council or ask us before you let.
The ONS puts the average private rent in Cheltenham at £1,269 a month (September 2026), from £875 for one bedroom to £1,920 for four bedrooms or more. Your home’s condition, location and features make a big difference, so call us on 01242 514285 for a free rental valuation.
No. Since 1 May 2026, private tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies with no end date. Cheltenham Borough Council’s penalty policy lists attempting to let a property for a fixed term as a breach, with a maximum civil penalty of £7,000.
Up to five weeks’ rent if the annual rent is under £50,000, protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days. A holding deposit can be no more than one week’s rent.
Yes. The national register launches on 15 December 2026 and rolls out region by region. Everyone actively letting must be registered by 14 November 2027.
This guide is general information about letting in England, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the latest GOV.UK guidance or ask our team.
