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.
What are your rights if your landlord tries to increase your rent, keep your deposit, or evict you?
How often can my landlord increase my rent?
It depends on your rental agreement and where you live in the UK.
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 clausemust give at least one month’s noticeor, 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 year must give at least one month’s notice
How much can my landlord increase my rent?
In England, landlords can only increase your rent by what the government calls a “fair and realistic” amount.
That means in line with average local rents.
How much is a deposit for renting and how do I get it back?
Most landlords ask for a deposit before you move in.
This is to ensure you get your deposit back if you:
meet the terms of your tenancy agreementdo not damage the propertypay your rent and bills
At the end of your tenancy, the landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you’ll receive.
If there’s a dispute over the amount, the TDP offers a resolution service.
Can my landlord evict me and what is a no-fault eviction?
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 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”.
Can a landlord enter a rental property?
They must visit at a reasonable time of day, unless it’s an emergency.
The landlord might make an initial inspection after a tenant moves in.
After that, visits should be at least three months apart, the National Residential Landlords Associationsays.
What condition does a rental home have to be in?
Can a landlord refuse to rent to me if I have children, claim benefits, or have pets?
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.
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.
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The Renters (Reform) Bill is also looking to give tenants a legal right to request to keep a “well-behaved” pet.
However, landlords will be able to charge a higher rent to cover the risk of pet damage.
