Client Money Protection (CMP)
A government-mandated scheme that reimburses landlords and tenants if a letting or managing agent in England misappropriates rent, deposits or other client money. Since April 2019 every agent that holds client money must belong to an approved CMP scheme (Propertymark, RICS, UKALA or Client Money Protect), display its membership, and keep client money in a separate, regularly reconciled client account. Trading without cover is an offence with a civil penalty of up to £30,000.
At a glance
- Mandatory since
- April 2019 (England)
- Who needs it
- Agents holding client money
- Schemes
- Propertymark · RICS · UKALA · Client Money Protect
- Max penalty
- Up to £30,000 for trading without cover
Full guide
Read the complete landlord guide on Client Money Protection (CMP)
Deadlines, fines and step-by-step compliance in our in-depth resource.
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Related terms
Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
Tax on the profit from selling a rental property. From April 2024 the CGT annual exempt amount was reduced to £3,000 and residential property gains are taxed at 18% (basic rate) or 24% (higher rate). A CGT return must be filed and tax paid within 60 days of completion.
Check-in / Check-out Report
The dated, photographed inventory record taken at the start (check-in) and end (check-out) of a tenancy, signed by tenant and landlord/agent. It is the primary evidence base for any deposit deduction claim through the DPS, TDS or mydeposits adjudication process — without it, the scheme will almost always award the deposit back to the tenant. Best practice: third-party inventory clerk, time-stamped photographs of every room and meter reading, and tenant sign-off within 7 days.
Civil Penalty Notice
A financial penalty up to £30,000 a local housing authority can impose as an alternative to criminal prosecution under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, the Housing Act 2004 (HMO offences) and various tenancy offences. Common triggers: failure to comply with an Improvement Notice, breach of HMO licensing, unlawful eviction, breach of selective licensing or letting an unsafe property. The landlord can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal within 28 days; unpaid penalties are recoverable in the County Court.
CO Alarm (Carbon Monoxide Alarm)
Required from 1 October 2022 in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers) in private rented homes in England. The landlord must ensure an alarm is present and in working order at the start of each tenancy. Maximum civil penalty: £5,000 per property.
Compliance Score
A 0-100 score LetCompliance assigns to each property based on how up-to-date its safety certificates and tenancy documents are. 100 means Gas Safety, EICR, EPC, deposit protection and Right to Rent are all current; the score drops as deadlines approach and is recalculated daily.
Council Tax
The tax charged on residential property by the local authority. Tenants are usually liable while the property is let as their main residence. Landlords become liable during void periods and for most HMOs (where each tenant has their own AST).