Six things every new tenant should do as Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law
Tenant Rights Law became law. This new legislation aims to improve the private rental experience in England by providing tenants with greater security and stability. The measures include eliminating Chapter 21 “no-fault” evictions, allowing tenants to challenge bad practices and unfair rent increases without fear of eviction.
With private rentals accounting for 19% of households in England – double the share in the early 2000s – the pressures facing renters have never been greater.
Latest figures show 21 people are competing for every rental property, with average monthly private rents rising by 5.8% to £1,403 in August 2025. At the same time, private landlords are experiencing an exodus from the rental market; 31% of landlords report reducing the size of their rental portfolio by 2026, and 16% plan to sell their entire property. This intensifies the demand for rental properties.
In such a competitive market, tenants often rush into buying properties without fully understanding their rights or landlords’ responsibilities. However, the legal environment is complex due to the multitude of current and upcoming regulations. Some landlords are having difficulty meeting their obligations, posing a risk to tenants who need a place to live.
Here are the steps you need to take before signing a tenancy agreement in the UK:
1. Check if you can rent and rent
The government suggests that rent should be 30% or less of gross income or 35% of take-home pay. You should also make sure you have proof that you have the right to rent if necessary.
2. Make sure you know who your host is
These could be a rental agency, a private landlord or a company. All lessors should be part of a compensation scheme and you should check whether they are members of a customer money protection scheme. To prevent online rental scams, a private landlord or company should be asked to provide proof of ownership. You can check its ownership at the Land Registry.
3. Check the terms of the rental agreement
The most common form of tenancy is currently an assured shorthold tenancy lasting a fixed period of time (usually six or 12 months). You may also have a periodic or permanent tenancy. If you want to end your tenancy, the two will have different notice periods.
Check the tenancy start and end dates, landlord and tenant names, property address, rent level, rent assessments and any additional bills you are responsible for.
About the author
Jan Wilcox is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read original article.
4. Pay attention to fees
Don’t pay fees for credit checks or signing a lease. You may wish to pay a refundable deposit, which should not exceed one week’s rent. All other charges are prohibited. This is different from a security deposit, which will be held by a government-approved provider. The refundable deposit will normally be applied to the first month’s rent.
Ask for details of the rental deposit scheme before paying any money. Your deposits are only protected if they are held by a government-approved provider. The maximum deposit a landlord can ask for is limited to five weeks’ rent in most cases.
5. Request documentation
Ask for a copy of the How to Rent guide, gas safety certificate (if available) and energy performance certificate. The landlord is legally required to submit these documents. You should also be given a copy of the rental agreement you signed.
6. Check the condition of the property thoroughly
Request an inventory that records the contents and condition of the property. Arrange to inspect the property with the landlord to make sure you agree on the inventory and then both sign it. If there are areas of disagreement, take time-stamped photos.
Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working and that you are given an electrical installation condition report before moving in.
After entering the profession
Your landlord or their agent should always be your first point of contact. You should keep a detailed record of requests or complaints made and the responses received. If problems persist there are a number of organizations that can provide assistance, advice or resolution depending on the nature of the dispute. These include the Shelter, Citizens Advice, Common Law Advice, National Trading Standards, the property ombudsman, the Property Compensation Scheme, the first-tier property tribunal and your local authority’s environmental health departments.
These bodies will recommend or impose penalties that are wide-ranging and depend on the intent, seriousness and repetition of offences. Currently these can include ordering the landlord to carry out the business by way of an improvement or prohibition notice, fines of up to £30,000, imprisonment for up to two years and rent repayment orders of up to one year’s rent.
Whether you are a new or existing tenant, it has never been more important to stay fully informed and keep up to date with new developments in the law. Although we cannot predict the full impact of the new legislation, there is no doubt that penalties for landlords will increase. All tenants, no matter how long they have rented, can receive compensation for the poor performance of “thugs and opportunists” who undermine good landlords.
