Private Tenants
If you are a Private Rented tenant threatened with homelessness then you may wish to approach our Housing Solutions service. If you have been served a section 21 notice, our Housing Solutions officers will check the notice is valid, and can speak to your landlord on your behalf.
Rights and Responsibilities
As a tenant you have the right to:
- Live in a property that is safe and in a good state of repair
- Have your deposit protected and returned when the tenancy ends
- Live in the property undisturbed
- Know who your landlord is
- Challenge excessively high charges
- See the Energy Performance Certificate for the property
- See the Gas Safety Certificate for the property
- Be protected from unfair eviction
- Have a written agreement if you have a fixed-term tenancy of more than three years
Your responsibilities as a tenant mean that you must:
- Give your landlord access to the property to inspect it or carry out repairs, as long as they have given you 24 hours notice.
- Take good care of the property
- Pay the agreed rent, even if repairs are needed or if 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 your friends
- Only sublet a property if the tenancy agreement or your landlord allows it
You may be legally evicted by your landlord if you do not meet your responsibilities.
Protection from harassment and illegal eviction
The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 makes it an offence to:
- Do acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of a tenant or anyone living with them; or
- persistently withdraw or withhold services for which the tenant has a reasonable need to live in the premises as a home
If you are facing harassment or have been illegally evicted then you should approach the Housing Solutions service.