Preparing to rent from a private landlord
This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland, See advice for Wales
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Check if this advice applies to you
This advice will usually apply to you if both the following are true:
you’re going to rent from a private landlord
you won’t be living with your landlord
In most cases this means you’ll get an ‘assured tenancy’.
This advice applies to people starting assured tenancies. It’s worth checking your tenancy agreement to make sure.
If you’re not sure, or you’re going to have a different kind of agreement with a private landlord, check your tenancy type if you rent from a private landlord.
You’ll need to consider a number of things when you’re looking for a home to rent. For example whether to rent from a landlord or letting agent and the best way to search for a property.
You also need to think about what questions to ask your landlord or letting agent so you don’t lose money.
It can be difficult to get the money needed to rent a property. If you’re on a low income you might be able to get help with renting costs.
Deciding whether to rent from a landlord or letting agent
Whether it's better for you to rent from a landlord or letting agent will depend on your budget and needs. Each option has pros and cons.
If you rent directly from a landlord:
you might have less to pay before moving in
you might not have to give so many references
your landlord might not insist on doing a credit check
If you rent from a letting agent you can:
get advice about the local area
see a wider range of properties in the area
tell the letting agent if repairs need doing (if they manage the property) - they'll speak to the landlord and arrange the repairs for you
Searching for a property
The quickest way to find a property is online, on property search websites. You can easily search for the exact area you want and arrange viewings on websites.
If it’s hard for you to look for a property online you could visit local estate agents. It’s also worth asking friends and family and checking local noticeboards and newspapers.
When you’re looking for a home don’t pay any money without seeing the property first.
Don't rent a property directly from an existing tenant. This is called ‘subletting’ - the tenant might not have the landlord’s permission to rent to you.
If a tenant is just showing you the property on behalf of the landlord they should give you the landlord's details.
Read our advice on subletting to help you avoid problems.
Take someone with you when visiting properties, if you can. It’s safer and they can help you make a decision.
If you have children or get benefits
Landlords and letting agents can’t refuse to rent to you because you have children or get welfare benefits. They also can’t refuse to:
give you information about the property
allow you to view the property
Check what to do if someone refuses to rent to you because you have children or get benefits.
Questions to ask your landlord or letting agent
To make sure the property you're going to rent is safe and affordable you should ask:
how much rent you'll have to pay and how it should be paid
if your rent includes any bills
if you need to pay anything before you move in, for example rent in advance or fees - check what landlords and letting agents are allowed to charge before you start to rent
if and how your tenancy deposit will be protected - check if your landlord has to protect your tenancy deposit
if the landlord has any plans to sell the property
You might have to agree to meet certain conditions or rules when you rent a property. For example you might not be allowed to smoke in the property. Make sure you ask about any conditions before you agree to take a property.
The landlord or letting agent has to give you written information about your tenancy. This will usually be in a tenancy agreement. This will include things like your landlord’s details and your rent amount.
Don’t agree to pay more rent than the advert asked for
Landlords and letting agents have to say how much rent they’ll charge in adverts for their properties. They aren’t allowed to accept an offer higher than the amount in the adverts.
If the landlord or letting agent asks you to offer more than the amount in the advert, they're breaking the law. You should report them to your local council - the council can give them a fine. Find your local council on GOV.UK.
Check the Energy Performance Certificate
You should ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the property. The EPC tells you how energy efficient the property is. The most energy efficient properties get an A rating - the least efficient get a G.
You can read more about energy performance certificates on the Energy Saving Trust website.
When you rent a new home it must have an energy efficiency rating of E or above unless it’s classed as ‘exempt’, which means the rule doesn’t apply. You can search the PRS exemptions register on GOV.UK to check if a property is exempt.
The landlord will break the law if they rent you a property that’s rated F or G and it isn’t exempt - they could be fined by your local council.
You want to rent a property that has an F or G rating
As long as the property isn’t exempt the landlord must make improvements so it’s more energy efficient. The EPC will say what improvements could be made - for example, replacing an old boiler. The improvements must be made before your tenancy agreement starts.
The landlord should get a new EPC when the improvements have been made. You should make sure they show you a copy and check that the rating is E or above.
Don’t sign a tenancy agreement until you’re sure the rating has changed to E or above. Contact your local council if the landlord refuses to make any improvements - you can find your local council on GOV.UK.
The property is exempt
If the exemption is for 5 years, the landlord doesn’t have to do anything to make the property more energy efficient. In some cases, for example if the property is listed, they might not be allowed to make some kinds of improvements.
If the exemption is for 6 months the landlord will have to make improvements, but not until after the exemption has ended.
What checks will be made
You should ask your landlord or letting agent what documents you'II have to show when you agree to rent the property.
Ask what documents you’II need to show to prove you're allowed to rent in the UK.
Ask who they will want to contact for references, for example your current landlord or employer.
Read more about documents your landlord or letting agent can ask to see.
If your landlord has treated you unfairly
It’s against the law for a landlord or letting agent to treat you differently for example because of your nationality, race or sex - this is called discrimination.
Discrimination can include things like:
asking to see photos of you before deciding whether to rent to you
refusing to rent to you because of who you are - for example, because of your disability, sexuality or religion
asking you to pay higher rent than other tenants
You can check if your housing problem is discrimination.
If you've experienced discrimination, check how to make a complaint.
If you want to rent in a shared house
Before renting in a shared house or flat check if the property is licensed with your local council.
Most shared houses or flats with several tenants have to be licensed. This is to make sure they meet extra safety conditions - for example, they mustn't be overcrowded.
Find out more about your rights if you rent in a shared house.
If you’re a full-time student
When you get a written statement, check if it says your landlord can evict you between academic years. Your landlord can only do this if they’ve included it in the written statement.
Help us improve our website
Take 5 minutes to tell us if you found what you needed on our website. Your feedback will help us give millions of people the information they need.