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Renting: What are your rights as a tenant? How much can my landlord increase my rent and can they keep my deposit or evict me?
(30 days later)
Rents are rising at their fastest rate since records began in 2016. The average cost of renting in the UK rose by 9% in the year to February - the highest annual increase since records began in 2015.
But with a quarter of tenants struggling to pay, what are your rights? What are your rights if your landlord tries to increase your rent, keep your deposit, or evict you?
How much can my landlord increase my rent? How often can my landlord increase my rent?
Most tenants have a rental agreement called an assured shorthold tenancy. It depends on your rental agreement and where you live in the UK.
Some of these are "rolling" - which means tenants pay rent weekly or monthly, with no fixed end date. Most tenants in England's 4.6m privately rented homes - about one in five households - have an assured shorthold tenancy.
In England, the landlord: These are usually for a fixed term of six or 12 months, or rolling - which means there's no end date.
If you are on a fixed term, the landlord:
normally can't put the rent up until the term ends - unless the contract has a rent review clause
must give at least one month's notice
or, if the fixed term is a year, landlords must give six months' notice
If you are on a rolling agreement, the landlord:
can usually only put up the rent once a yearcan usually only put up the rent once a year
must give at least one month's noticemust give at least one month's notice
Any rent rise must be fair and realistic, in line with local properties. Renting rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Other renters have a "fixed" agreement, which typically runs for six or 12 months. How much can my landlord increase my rent?
The landlord: In England, landlords can only increase your rent by what the government calls a "fair and realistic" amount.
normally can't put the rent up until the fixed term ends - unless the contract has a rent review clause That means in line with average local rents.
must give at least one month's notice UK rent prices up 9% in record yearly rise, says ONS
If the fixed term is a year, landlords must give six months' notice. How much is a deposit for renting and how do I get it back?
There are some other tenancy agreements with different rules. Most landlords ask for a deposit before you move in.
The housing charity Shelter's online tool can help people in England find out what kind of tenancy they have. The most they can charge is five or six weeks' rent, depending on your annual rent.
Housing law and renting rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you have an assured shorthold tenancy in England or Wales, landlords must put your deposit in a government approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDP).
What can you do about rent increases? Watch the BBC's Lora Jones tell you, in a minute. This is to ensure you get your deposit back if you:
What can you do about rent increases? Watch the BBC's Lora Jones tell you, in a minute. meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
What is a holding deposit and how much will it be? do not damage the property
In England a holding deposit is paid to a landlord to reserve a property. pay your rent and bills
It can't be more than one week's rent. At the end of your tenancy, the landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you'll receive.
You should get the money back within seven days of signing your tenancy agreement - or it can go towards your rent. If there's a dispute over the amount, the TDP offers a resolution service.
But if you decide not to move in, you could lose it. There are different TDP schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
If the landlord doesn't give it back, and you think they should, write to them. Can my landlord evict me and what is a no-fault eviction?
If you still don't get a refund, contact one of the letting agent redress schemes. Landlords need to follow strict rules if they want a tenant to leave.
You can also complain in England to Trading Standards through the Citizen's Advice consumer helpline. If not, the eviction could be illegal, or the landlord could be guilty of harassment.
Such deposits are not legal in Scotland, and rules are different in Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, there are two types of eviction notice, which the landlord must provide in writing:
Can my landlord evict me? section 8 - where they provide a reason for wanting you to leave, such as late rent payments
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. section 21 - where they don't provide a reason (a "no fault" eviction). New laws have been proposed to ban no fault evictions, but they have not yet been approved by Parliament
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 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.
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. It is illegal for landlords to change the locks or use force to evict a tenant.
What condition do rental properties have to be in? Other tenancy contracts have different rules and eviction rules also differs 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. Can a landlord enter a rental property?
Landlords are not expected to do small jobs like changing light bulbs. In England, the landlord must give you at least 24 hours' notice to enter.
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. They must visit at a reasonable time of day, unless it's an emergency.
If so, you can complain to your landlord, or - if that doesn't work - your local council. The landlord might make an initial inspection after a tenant moves in.
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. After that, visits should be at least three months apart, the National Residential Landlords Associationsays.
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 condition does a rental home 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 apply in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
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.
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 Can a landlord refuse to rent to me if I have children, claim benefits, or have pets?
Exhausting, costly, miserable: My search to rent a one-bed flat There are no laws that explicitly stop landlords from refusing to rent to people with children.
Can my landlord refuse to rent to me if I have pets or children? But since women are more likely to live with children, any such refusal in England, Wales and Scotland is likely to be indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, says Shelter.
There are no laws explicitly stopping this, but MPs are considering more protections for renters in England. The charity has a guide on how to challenge a ban on children. Those in Northern Ireland can get help from Housing Rights.
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. A draft of the Renters (Reform) Bill in July 2022 had sought to make it illegal for a landlord to refuse tenancies to families with children, or those on benefits. However, when the bill was presented in May 2023, the measures were not included.
The government said it remained committed to bringing forward legislation to make it illegal for landlords and agents to impose blanket bans on those with children and benefit claimants.
'No DSS' letting bans 'ruled unlawful' by court
The Renters (Reform) Bill is also looking to give tenants a legal right to request to keep a "well-behaved" pet.
If passed, 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 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.
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.
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.
Are bills included when I rent?
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.
What is happening to energy bills?
Who pays council tax, and how much is it going up?
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