Your rights as a private renter in England

You did not need to do anything for this change to take effect. If your agreement still shows an end date, that date no longer applies.

Your tenancy has no end date

Assured periodic tenancies must run on a rolling basis, for example, weekly or monthly. They cannot be for longer than a month at a time.

An assured periodic tenancy cannot have an end date. If your landlord tries to create an assured periodic tenancy with an end date, the end date will not apply. You can complain to the council and your landlord could be fined.

Rent rises

If you have an assured periodic tenancy, your landlord can only increase your rent once a year. They cannot increase your rent in the first year of your tenancy.

The landlord must give you at least 2 months’ notice if they want to increase your rent. They’ll need to do this by giving you a completed form 4A: Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent.

The First-tier Tribunal may be able to help you if you think the rent increase is higher than the ‘open market rent’.

No bidding wars

A landlord or letting agent cannot ask or encourage you to pay higher than the advertised rent. They also cannot accept a bid above the advertised rent.

You can report a landlord or letting agent to your local council if they take part in or encourage rental bidding.

Deposits and rent in advance

Before the tenancy agreement is signed, a landlord can ask for a holding deposit of up to one week’s rent.

The maximum tenancy or security deposit they can ask for is:

• up to 5 weeks’ rent if the rent for the year is less than £50,000
• up to 6 weeks’ rent if the rent for the year is £50,000 or more

The landlord or letting agent must keep your deposit safe using a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme.

If you’ll be paying rent monthly, the maximum amount the landlord can usually ask for is one month’s rent.

Pets

If you want to keep a pet, you’ll need to ask your landlord in writing. Your landlord cannot refuse without a fair reason.

Once you have asked to keep a pet, your landlord has 28 days to respond in writing.

Ending the tenancy

The maximum notice a landlord can ask you for is 2 months. If your tenancy agreement does not say how much notice you must give, you need to give at least 2 months’ notice.

Your landlord can only end your tenancy if they have a valid reason, such as wanting to live in or sell the property, rent arrears, or breaking the tenancy. Your landlord cannot evict you to move in or sell the property within the first 12 months of your tenancy.

Landlords must give at least the minimum notice for the grounds they’re using. This is usually at least 2 months, but can be up to 4 months.

If you are told to leave

If your landlord gives written notice that they need you to leave your home, you can get free legal advice from the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service. If you get Universal Credit or Housing Benefit and owe rent, see help with rent and help if you are at risk of homelessness.

Common questions

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