Lots of landlords are going to be caught out by this. It's worth pointing out that currently landlords letting property in Scotland and Northern Ireland will NOT have to join such schemes - for now at least. Given the otherwise harsher regime on landlords (all HMOs of any size must have a licence) and in Scotland, registration; the lack of TDS in both places is one of the bright spots for those letting N of the border or accross the sea. David Lawrenson