Renting and letting guides
Renting and letting, made clearer.
Plain-English guides for renters and landlords in England. No jargon, no legal-speak, just what you need to know to rent or let with confidence.
How can I check if a landlord is the real owner of a property?
Anyone may inspect the register of title. The free GOV.UK property summary, the £7 title register that names the owner, what the search cannot tell you, and what the law says before any money changes hands.
Read the guide → Your rightsDo I need a guarantor to rent in England?
No law requires one, and none stops a landlord asking. What a guarantee actually covers, why a guarantor cannot be charged a fee, why months of rent up front is no longer an alternative, and what to do if you have nobody to ask.
Read the guide → Moving to EnglandWhat do I need to rent a home in England if I am moving from abroad?
No British citizenship needed, and a UK credit history is not a legal requirement. The right to rent, the documents to prepare, the up-front costs and the one month cap on rent in advance.
Read the guide → Renters' Rights ActWhat is the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and what does it change?
The end of Section 21, periodic tenancies and once-a-year rent rules have been in force since 1 May 2026, with a database and Ombudsman still to come. A plain-English map of the whole Act.
Read the guide → For landlordsWhat is the Private Rented Sector Database?
A national register of private landlords and let properties, created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and still to be commenced. What is known so far, and what is still to be confirmed.
Read the guide → Renters' Rights ActWhen was Section 21 abolished in England?
On 1 May 2026, for new notices. What replaced it, the Section 8 grounds for possession, and how the transitional rules work.
Read the guide → Renters' Rights ActHow can a landlord increase rent under the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
Once a year, through the statutory process, with the right to challenge at the First-tier Tribunal. How increases work now, and the rent-in-advance cap.
Read the guide → For landlordsWhat EPC rating do you need to rent out a property?
You need a valid EPC of at least band E to let most homes in England. The current rule, when exemptions apply, and the proposed future move to band C.
Read the guide → DepositsHow does deposit protection work in England?
Your deposit must go into a government-approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information in writing. The three schemes, the deposit cap, and what to do if yours was not protected.
Read the guide → Renters' Rights ActWhat is a periodic tenancy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
It rolls on month to month with no fixed end date. Since 1 May 2026 it is the standard tenancy for most private lets in England. How it works, and how each side can end it.
Read the guide → Your rightsCan a landlord charge me for referencing in England?
No. Referencing and credit-check fees are banned under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. The payments that are still allowed, and how to get a banned fee back.
Read the guide → For landlordsWhat documents do landlords need before letting a property?
Proof you can let, the safety certificates, the Right to Rent check, deposit protection and the tenancy agreement with the How to Rent guide. The full checklist for England.
Read the guide → For rentersHow Right to Rent works for tenants in England
What the check is, which documents you need, and how to get through it without stress.
Read the guide → Your rightsWhat landlords can (and can't) ask for when you rent
What a landlord can ask for, what they cannot charge you for, and how to spot a request that crosses the line.
Read the guide → Renter checklistYour renter document checklist for England
The documents usually asked for when you apply for a home in England, and where each one comes from.
Read the guide → For landlordsRenters' Rights Act 2025: what landlords need to do
The end of Section 21, periodic tenancies, the new database and Ombudsman, and why your records matter more than ever.
Read the guide → For landlordsThe 2026 landlord compliance checklist for England
EPC, gas, electrical, Right to Rent, deposit protection and alarms, before you let and during the tenancy.
Read the guide → For landlordsLandlord gas safety certificate (CP12): the dates and renewals
What the CP12 is, the annual deadline, the renewal window that keeps your date stable, and what to give tenants.
Read the guide → For landlordsEICR for landlords: how often, and what happens if you miss it
What an electrical safety report is, the five-year rule, the codes that need remedial work, and the penalties for letting it lapse.
Read the guide → For rentersWhat is a Right to Rent share code and how do you get one?
The free GOV.UK code that shows your right to rent online: who needs one, how to get it in minutes, and how long it lasts.
Read the guide → For rentersHow long does tenant referencing take in England?
Usually one to five working days, most within 48 to 72 hours. What changes the timeline, and how to be ready before you enquire.
Read the guide →