Local authority housing teams, landlord liaison officers and private rented sector professionals speak to landlords at important moments: when a property is first let, a licence is required, standards need improvement or a tenancy is at risk of failing.
Insurance is not normally their principal responsibility, but it can affect whether a landlord is prepared for fire, flood, tenant damage, prolonged repairs, rent loss or an allegation of liability. Signposting landlords towards reliable information can therefore support more resilient tenancies and better-informed property management.
NetRent’s insurance information is available as a practical resource for professionals working with landlords across the private rented sector.
Insurance awareness is not insurance advice
Council officers and housing professionals do not need to recommend insurers, compare policies or interpret individual claims. Those activities require appropriate expertise and, in some circumstances, regulatory permissions.
Awareness work can remain neutral. It can encourage landlords to:
- Check that the property is insured for its actual rental use
- Provide accurate information about tenants and occupancy
- Review rebuilding and landlord-contents values
- Understand unoccupancy conditions
- Check loss-of-rent and liability protection
- Read excesses, endorsements and important conditions
- Seek qualified assistance before renewal or after a material change
The purpose is not to tell a landlord which policy to buy. It is to help them recognise the questions they should ask.
Why this matters to housing teams
A serious incident can affect more than the building owner. Tenants may need temporary accommodation, repairs can disrupt occupation and lost rent may place pressure on the landlord’s finances.
Insurance cannot replace compliance, maintenance or good management. However, appropriate cover may help fund insured repairs, meet qualifying loss-of-rent or alternative-accommodation costs and respond to certain liability claims.
Where cover is missing, inadequate or based on incorrect information, the practical consequences can become harder for everyone involved. The landlord may struggle to finance reinstatement, the tenant may face a longer period of disruption and the housing team may need to manage additional enquiries or homelessness risks.
Sharing general insurance information can therefore complement—not replace—the council’s existing work on property condition, licensing, tenancy sustainment and landlord engagement.
Topics landlords frequently misunderstand
NetRent’s information centre addresses recurring questions that can be difficult to explain in a short conversation. These include:
- Why rebuilding cost is different from market value
- How underinsurance may affect a claim
- What changes in tenant type, occupancy or use should be reported
- How cover may change when a property is empty
- The difference between loss of rent and alternative accommodation
- The limits of accidental and malicious-damage cover
- Why flats, freeholders and management companies must establish who insures what
- What landlords should do immediately after fire, flood, storm or escape of water
- Why the cheapest premium may not provide equivalent protection
- How to read a schedule, statement of fact and policy endorsements
These resources use plain English and are written for landlords rather than insurance professionals. They help readers prepare for a more informed discussion with their broker or insurer.
When information can be shared
Councils and housing organisations may find insurance-awareness material useful within:
- Landlord newsletters and email updates
- Landlord forums, conferences and accreditation events
- Online landlord-information pages
- Licensing guidance and supporting resources
- New-landlord welcome packs
- Property-condition or fire-safety campaigns
- Homelessness-prevention and tenancy-sustainment work
- Conversations following severe weather or a major local incident
The information should be presented as general guidance, not as a council endorsement of a specific insurer or insurance product. Local procurement, communications and governance requirements should be followed.
Housing law and regulatory arrangements also differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. General insurance material should sit alongside the correct local legal and licensing information.
Useful questions at the right moment
A short prompt can encourage a landlord to check their position without requiring the officer to analyse the policy. Examples include:
- Does the insurer know how the property is occupied?
- Is the rebuilding value current and based on reinstatement rather than sale price?
- What happens to the rent if insured damage makes the property uninhabitable?
- How long can the property remain empty before restrictions apply?
- Are HMO, student, supported or company-let arrangements correctly described?
- Does the landlord know the claims contact and reporting requirements?
If the landlord cannot answer, they can be directed to their insurer, broker or an appropriate specialist.
Keep individual information with the landlord
Council and housing staff should not need to collect policy documents or personal insurance information simply to share awareness material. The landlord can contact NetRent directly and decide what documents to provide for review.
This keeps the roles clear. The council provides information or signposting; NetRent discusses the landlord’s circumstances; and Clear Insurance Management handles regulated insurance activity and access to insurers.
A resource for landlord-facing professionals
NetRent has worked with landlords and organisations supporting the private rented sector for more than 23 years. Its insurance articles cover single properties, portfolios, HMOs, flats, unoccupied buildings, claims preparation, rebuilding values, liability and renewal reviews.
Councils, housing teams and landlord liaison officers can contact NetRent to discuss general insurance-awareness material suitable for sharing with local landlords. This may include relevant articles, practical checklists, presentations or opportunities for landlords to ask general questions.
Individual landlords approaching renewal can send their existing insurance documents to NetRent so that the property information, cover, conditions, excesses and premium can be reviewed. Clear re-brokes policies arranged through Clear at renewal rather than assuming the existing insurer remains the most suitable option.
For landlord insurance information or to discuss awareness activity, telephone 01352 721300 or email insurance@netrent.co.uk.
NetRent does not provide legal advice. This article represents our general understanding of the landlord insurance and rental property market and is provided for information only.