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| Renting: What are your rights as a tenant? | Renting: What are your rights as a tenant? |
| (7 months later) | |
| Rents are rising at their fastest rate since records began in 2016. | Rents are rising at their fastest rate since records began in 2016. |
| But with a quarter of tenants struggling to pay, what are your rights? | But with a quarter of tenants struggling to pay, what are your rights? |
| How much can my landlord increase my rent? | How much can my landlord increase my rent? |
| Most tenants have a rental agreement called an assured shorthold tenancy. | Most tenants have a rental agreement called an assured shorthold tenancy. |
| Some of these are "rolling" - which means tenants pay rent weekly or monthly, with no fixed end date. | Some of these are "rolling" - which means tenants pay rent weekly or monthly, with no fixed end date. |
| In England, the landlord: | In England, the landlord: |
| can usually only put up the rent once a year | can usually only put up the rent once a year |
| must give at least one month's notice | must give at least one month's notice |
| Any rent rise must be fair and realistic, in line with local properties. | Any rent rise must be fair and realistic, in line with local properties. |
| Other renters have a "fixed" agreement, which typically runs for six or 12 months. | Other renters have a "fixed" agreement, which typically runs for six or 12 months. |
| The landlord: | The landlord: |
| normally can't put the rent up until the fixed term ends - unless the contract has a rent review clause | normally can't put the rent up until the fixed term ends - unless the contract has a rent review clause |
| must give at least one month's notice | must give at least one month's notice |
| If the fixed term is a year, landlords must give six months' notice. | If the fixed term is a year, landlords must give six months' notice. |
| There are some other tenancy agreements with different rules. | There are some other tenancy agreements with different rules. |
| The housing charity Shelter's online tool can help people in England find out what kind of tenancy they have. | The housing charity Shelter's online tool can help people in England find out what kind of tenancy they have. |
| Housing law and renting rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | Housing law and renting rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| What can you do about rent increases? Watch the BBC's Lora Jones tell you, in a minute. | What can you do about rent increases? Watch the BBC's Lora Jones tell you, in a minute. |
| What can you do about rent increases? Watch the BBC's Lora Jones tell you, in a minute. | What can you do about rent increases? Watch the BBC's Lora Jones tell you, in a minute. |
| What is a holding deposit and how much will it be? | What is a holding deposit and how much will it be? |
| In England a holding deposit is paid to a landlord to reserve a property. | In England a holding deposit is paid to a landlord to reserve a property. |
| It can't be more than one week's rent. | It can't be more than one week's rent. |
| You should get the money back within seven days of signing your tenancy agreement - or it can go towards your rent. | You should get the money back within seven days of signing your tenancy agreement - or it can go towards your rent. |
| But if you decide not to move in, you could lose it. | But if you decide not to move in, you could lose it. |
| If the landlord doesn't give it back, and you think they should, write to them. | If the landlord doesn't give it back, and you think they should, write to them. |
| If you still don't get a refund, contact one of the letting agent redress schemes. | If you still don't get a refund, contact one of the letting agent redress schemes. |
| You can also complain in England to Trading Standards through the Citizen's Advice consumer helpline. | You can also complain in England to Trading Standards through the Citizen's Advice consumer helpline. |
| Such deposits are not legal in Scotland, and rules are different in Wales and Northern Ireland. | Such deposits are not legal in Scotland, and rules are different in Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| Can my landlord evict me? | Can my landlord evict me? |
| Landlords need to follow strict rules if they want a tenant to leave - if not, the eviction could be illegal, or the landlord could be guilty of harassment. | Landlords need to follow strict rules if they want a tenant to leave - if not, the eviction could be illegal, or the landlord could be guilty of harassment. |
| In England the landlord has to give written notice to the tenant, which could be: | In England the landlord has to give written notice to the tenant, which could be: |
| a "section 8" notice if they have a reason for wanting you to leave, such as late rent payments | a "section 8" notice if they have a reason for wanting you to leave, such as late rent payments |
| a "section 21" notice without providing a reason - although the government has tabled a law that would ban no-fault evictions | a "section 21" notice without providing a reason - although the government has tabled a law that would ban no-fault evictions |
| Other tenancy contracts have different rules. | Other tenancy contracts have different rules. |
| Once the notice period ends, the landlord can start eviction proceedings through court. | Once the notice period ends, the landlord can start eviction proceedings through court. |
| Landlords can apply for a so-called "possession order". If that is granted and you don't leave, landlords can apply for a "warrant for possession". | Landlords can apply for a so-called "possession order". If that is granted and you don't leave, landlords can apply for a "warrant for possession". |
| Eviction rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | Eviction rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| What condition do rental properties have to be in? | What condition do rental properties have to be in? |
| Tenants in England have the right to "live in a property that's safe and in a good state of repair". Similar rules are in place in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. | Tenants in England have the right to "live in a property that's safe and in a good state of repair". Similar rules are in place in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. |
| Landlords are not expected to do small jobs like changing light bulbs. | Landlords are not expected to do small jobs like changing light bulbs. |
| However, a rented home could be unfit if, for example, the electrics are unsafe, it's damp, or there's a problem with rats or mice. | However, a rented home could be unfit if, for example, the electrics are unsafe, it's damp, or there's a problem with rats or mice. |
| If so, you can complain to your landlord, or - if that doesn't work - your local council. | If so, you can complain to your landlord, or - if that doesn't work - your local council. |
| Your landlord may try to evict you rather than make repairs, but you might have more protection if you've already complained to the council. | Your landlord may try to evict you rather than make repairs, but you might have more protection if you've already complained to the council. |
| Tenants need to pay rent on time, cover the bills they are responsible for, and look after the property. This includes disposing of rubbish, and keeping the property reasonably clean. | Tenants need to pay rent on time, cover the bills they are responsible for, and look after the property. This includes disposing of rubbish, and keeping the property reasonably clean. |
| What can you do if your landlord won't fix something? | What can you do if your landlord won't fix something? |
| Call to extend safety checks to social housing | Call to extend safety checks to social housing |
| Exhausting, costly, miserable: My search to rent a one-bed flat | Exhausting, costly, miserable: My search to rent a one-bed flat |
| Can my landlord refuse to rent to me if I have pets or children? | Can my landlord refuse to rent to me if I have pets or children? |
| There are no laws explicitly stopping this, but MPs are considering more protections for renters in England. | There are no laws explicitly stopping this, but MPs are considering more protections for renters in England. |
| Under a new law tabled in Parliament, tenants will be given a legal right to request to keep a "well-behaved" pet, which the landlord can only refuse on reasonable grounds - such as the size of the property. | Under a new law tabled in Parliament, tenants will be given a legal right to request to keep a "well-behaved" pet, which the landlord can only refuse on reasonable grounds - such as the size of the property. |
| However, landlords will be able to charge a higher rent to cover the risk of pet damage. | However, landlords will be able to charge a higher rent to cover the risk of pet damage. |
| The government's new model tenancy agreement assumes pets are allowed - unless landlords object with good reason | The government's new model tenancy agreement assumes pets are allowed - unless landlords object with good reason |
| The law is also set to make it illegal for a landlord to refuse tenancies to families with children, or those on benefits. | The law is also set to make it illegal for a landlord to refuse tenancies to families with children, or those on benefits. |
| At present it could be discrimination under equality law in England if a landlord refuses to rent a property to a woman because she has children. | At present it could be discrimination under equality law in England if a landlord refuses to rent a property to a woman because she has children. |
| However, BBC News foundalmost a quarter of some 8,000 adverts examined on the property website OpenRent indicated that families were not eligible. | However, BBC News foundalmost a quarter of some 8,000 adverts examined on the property website OpenRent indicated that families were not eligible. |
| More than 300 listings on another property portal, Zoopla, explicitly said children were not wanted, although this was less than 1% of those we looked at. | More than 300 listings on another property portal, Zoopla, explicitly said children were not wanted, although this was less than 1% of those we looked at. |
| Some 73% of sampled OpenRent listings said tenants with pets were not welcome, compared with 6% on Zoopla. | Some 73% of sampled OpenRent listings said tenants with pets were not welcome, compared with 6% on Zoopla. |
| Shelter warned the problem would be even more widespread as sometimes prospective tenants were only told they were not welcome when they applied. | Shelter warned the problem would be even more widespread as sometimes prospective tenants were only told they were not welcome when they applied. |
| Are bills included when I rent? | Are bills included when I rent? |
| Landlords can choose to include bills such as council tax, but don't have to. | Landlords can choose to include bills such as council tax, but don't have to. |
| If a landlord includes utility bills, they cannot charge a tenant more than the amount they pay. | If a landlord includes utility bills, they cannot charge a tenant more than the amount they pay. |
| What is happening to energy bills? | What is happening to energy bills? |
| Who pays council tax, and how much is it going up? | Who pays council tax, and how much is it going up? |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Renting | Renting |
| Cost of Living |