If you're a tenant, there are certain responsibilities you or your landlord may have which vary depending on the type of tenancy you have. However, the basic rules are always the same.
For further information on the rights and responsibilities of private renting and how to deal with landlords and letting agents, you can visit:
Please note: If you have a licence rather than a tenancy, you may not have all of these rights. Get advice if you're not sure whether you're a tenant or a licensee.
Tenant responsibilities
- Providing documents for a right to rent check - Your landlord has to check you have the right to rent a home (external link).
- Paying rent on time
- Looking after your home
- Asking permission when needed - If you want to get a lodger or make improvements
- Taking responsibility for behaviour - You should not behave in an antisocial or aggressive way towards neighbours, your landlord or letting agency
- Keep to the rules of your tenancy - If your tenancy agreement states no pets allowed, you cannot have a pet
- Follow rules on smoking
- End your tenancy properly - You may still be liable for rent if you don't.
See landlord duties and support for the key responsibilities of a landlord.
Who is responsible for repairs?
Tenants
- Keeping it clean
- Not damaging the property and making sure your guests don’t either
- Carrying out minor maintenance such as replacing smoke alarm batteries
- Using the heating properly
- Not blocking flues or ventilation
- Carrying out minor repairs relating to internal decorations, gardens and furniture.
Landlords
- The structure and exterior of the building, including the walls, stairs and bannisters, roof and chimney, external doors and windows and guttering
- Sinks, baths, toilets and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains
- Heating and hot water - Equipment supplying water must be in safe working order
- Chimneys and ventilation
- Gas checks and electrical wiring - Equipment provided must be safe
- Significant damp or mould problems – See how to deal with damp and mould in rented homes (external link)
- Meeting safety standards - Landlords have legal obligations to ensure the safety of tenants.
Tenants can also ask landlords to fit and maintain carbon monoxide detectors. Although these are not legal requirements, it is in the landlord's best interest as well as the tenants.
My landlord won't do the repairs
If you have reported repairs to the landlord but they have failed to carry these out, and you feel that this is having a detrimental effect on you, you can ask us to carry out an inspection of the property.