Being a tenant in private rentals

As a tenant in a privately rented property in the UK, you have certain rights and responsibilities.

 

You have the right to:

• live in a safe property and in a good state of repair
• live in a property that has a property licence (Selective or HMO), if required
• have your deposit protected at the start of your tenancy and returned when the tenancy ends
• challenge excessively high charges
• know who your landlord is
• live in the property undisturbed
• be protected from unlawful eviction and unfair rent
• have a written agreement if you have a fixed-term tenancy of more than three years

 

Your landlord must provide at the start of your tenancy

• A copy of the guide‘How to rent: the checklist for renting in England'
• A gas safety certificate
• Deposit paperwork. The landlord must protect it in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and give you prescribed information about it
• The energy performance certificate (EPC)
• An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) that shows the condition of the property’s electrical installations
• Evidence that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are in working order at the start of the tenancy. Tenants should always regularly check they are working.

 

You have the responsibility to:

• Allow a landlord/agent to check if you have the ‘right to rent’ the property
• Give your landlord access to the property to inspect it or carry out repairs. Your landlord has to give you at least 24 hours' notice and visit at a reasonable time of day unless it’s an emergency and they need immediate access
• Take good care of the property, for example keeping front and rear gardens tidy and free from rubbish and refuse
• Pay the agreed rent, even if repairs are needed or you’re in dispute with your landlord
• Pay other charges as agreed with the landlord, for example, Council Tax or utility bills
• Repair or pay for any damage caused by you, your family or friends
• Only sublet a property if the tenancy agreement or your landlord allows it

 

Legal action

Your landlord has the right to take legal action to evict you if you do not meet your responsibilities.

You have the right to take civil action against your landlord if they have not met their responsibilities, such as Rent Repayment Orders (RRO) or take court action against them for breach of contract, under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.