What Makes a Good Landlord in 2026?
Being a good landlord has never simply meant collecting the rent and fixing the boiler when it breaks. But in 2026, the job arguably requires more attention, communication and professionalism than ever before.
The rental market has changed. The Renters’ Rights Act has introduced significant changes to the way tenancies work in England, while rents across South Devon have continued to rise. Tenants understandably have high expectations of the homes they rent, while landlords need to protect what is often one of their biggest financial assets.
So, what actually separates a good landlord from one who simply owns a rental property?
Here are some of the most important landlord tips I would give anyone letting a property in Torbay, Teignbridge or the South Hams today.
Know your tenant – without being intrusive
I have said this before, but it is worth repeating: how well do you actually know your tenant?
That doesn’t mean knowing what they had for dinner last night or becoming overly involved in their personal life. It means maintaining enough communication to understand what is happening within the tenancy.
Are they happy in the property? Are there maintenance problems they haven’t mentioned? Have their plans changed? Are they thinking about moving? Has something changed which could affect how the property is being used?
One of the mistakes landlords can make is assuming that a tenant who never contacts them must be the perfect tenant.
Sometimes they are.
But silence can also mean that small maintenance problems aren’t being reported, communication has broken down or the condition of the property hasn’t been checked for a long time.
A successful tenancy shouldn’t rely on everyone crossing their fingers and hoping nothing goes wrong.
Carry out regular property inspections
This leads naturally to one of the most important habits of a good landlord: regular property checks.
Inspections aren’t about trying to catch tenants doing something wrong. Done properly, they protect both landlord and tenant.
They give you an opportunity to spot issues such as leaks, damp, condensation, damaged seals, ventilation problems or general deterioration before a relatively small problem becomes an expensive one.
They also allow you to check that the property is broadly being cared for and used as expected.
At Bright Star, we encourage landlords to think about inspections before the tenancy even starts. Decide how you are going to manage them, create a sensible routine and communicate that clearly to the tenant.
Landlords must respect a tenant’s right to live in their home without unnecessary disturbance, and visits should be properly arranged. In most circumstances at least 24 hours’ notice should be given and the visit should take place at a reasonable time.
If a tenant is reluctant to allow an inspection, good communication becomes particularly important. Explain why you want to visit, what you will be checking and roughly how long it will take.
An inspection should feel like part of responsible property management rather than an ambush.
Communicate before there is a problem
Some of the easiest landlord problems to solve are the ones that haven’t become problems yet.
Good communication means tenants know how to report repairs, who to contact and what you expect from them. Equally, they should know that when they raise a genuine problem, somebody will listen and respond.
That doesn’t mean a landlord has to be available around the clock or agree to every request.
Good landlords can still have clear professional boundaries.
In fact, those boundaries often make the relationship easier. Everybody understands their responsibilities and there is less room for confusion.
The Renters’ Rights reforms make this increasingly important. Since May 2026, most private tenancies have moved onto an assured periodic basis and Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions have ended. Landlords now need to use the appropriate possession grounds where they have a legitimate reason to regain possession.
That makes good records, clear communication and managing issues properly as they arise even more important.
Understand the rules – and accept that they change
You don’t need to enjoy reading housing legislation to be a good landlord.
But you do need to understand the rules that apply to your property.
The Renters’ Rights Act has changed more than possession. There are new rules around areas including rent increases, rental bidding, rent in advance and requests to keep pets.
For example, rent increases now need to follow the statutory process, can generally only happen once a year and require at least two months’ notice.
This is one of the biggest changes I have seen during my time working in lettings, and the wider reform programme is continuing.
The important point isn’t that every landlord needs to become a housing-law expert. It is recognising when you need advice rather than relying on something you remember doing five or ten years ago.
“I’ve always done it this way” is becoming an increasingly risky approach to property management.
Know your local rental market
A good landlord also needs to understand what is happening outside their own property.
South Devon isn’t one single rental market.
According to ONS figures for July 2026, average monthly private rents were around £917 in Torbay, £958 in Teignbridge and £1,009 in the South Hams. All three had increased compared with a year earlier.
Those averages are useful context, but they don’t tell you exactly what an individual property is worth. Location, condition, energy efficiency, number of bedrooms, outside space, parking and the type of tenant likely to want the property all matter.
A good landlord therefore doesn’t automatically chase the highest possible rent.
The aim should be a sensible market rent that reflects the property while helping to create a sustainable tenancy.
Keeping a good tenant who looks after your property and pays reliably can be worth considerably more than squeezing every last pound from the monthly rent.
Deal with maintenance before it becomes expensive
There is an old principle we use regularly at Bright Star: prevention over treatment.
If you spot a small repair during an inspection, deal with it.
If a tenant reports something, don’t ignore it for six months.
If part of the property is beginning to deteriorate, plan for it rather than waiting until it fails completely.
Good maintenance helps tenants enjoy their home, but it also makes commercial sense for landlords.
Your rental property is an asset. Looking after it protects its value.
Be fair, but run your property like a business
The best landlords tend to find the balance between the two.
They recognise that the property is somebody’s home, while also remembering that it is an investment which needs to be managed properly.
Being fair doesn’t mean being a pushover.
Being professional doesn’t mean being cold or impersonal.
It means having clear agreements, keeping records, carrying out inspections, responding appropriately when something needs attention and making decisions based on facts rather than frustration.
And occasionally it means asking for help.
Some landlords enjoy managing almost everything themselves but want support with tenant referencing, an inventory or a mid-term property check. Others reach a point where they would rather somebody else manage the tenancy altogether.
There isn’t one correct way to be a landlord.
There is, however, a big difference between actively managing a tenancy and simply hoping it looks after itself.
Good landlording is often about the basics
After years of working with landlords and tenants across Torbay, Teignbridge and the South Hams, I don’t think the qualities of a good landlord are particularly complicated.
Know your property.
Know your tenant.
Inspect regularly.
Communicate clearly.
Deal with problems while they are still small.
Keep up with the rules.
And when you aren’t sure, ask someone who does this every day.
The legislation may have changed significantly in 2026, but those fundamentals haven’t.
Want support to become a better landlord? Start with a quick chat with Sue at Bright Star Lettings. We can help with everything from individual property checks and tenant support to fully managed lettings across Torbay, Teignbridge and the South Hams.