I can't afford my rent
If you're struggling to pay the rent, it's usually because your landlord has put the price up or your situation has changed.
Your landlord must do certain things before increasing your rent. The rules depend on what sort of tenancy you have.
If your tenancy is on a week-by-week or month-by-month basis, your landlord can’t normally increase the rent more than once a year.
If your tenancy is fixed term, your landlord can only increase the rent if you agree. If you don't agree, they must wait until the term ends.
In all cases, the rent increase must be fair, which means it must be like other rates in the area.
You might be able to reach an agreement with your landlord. They might negotiate on price rather than lose you as a tenant.
Getting help with money
If your financial situation has changed and you're finding it hard to pay the rent, there are things you can do.
The first thing you should do is talk to your landlord or housing association.
Try to work out what the problem is. It might be obvious like if you've lost your job or a partner has moved out.
Citizens Advice has a free budgeting tool that can help you work out how much you’ll need for bills.
If your income has fallen, you might be able to claim benefits to help with the rent. There is a housing payment part of Universal Credit.
If you are worried about being evicted, you can find out more about your rights here.
My landlord won't give me my deposit back
When you first rent a property, your landlord must provide you with certain information (Prescribed Information) and put your deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDP).
The first stage of getting your deposit back is writing to your landlord. You can find out more, including a template email, on Shelter's website
Your landlord should return your deposit without delay after agreeing how much will be returned.
If it is not returned, or there is no agreement, within 10 days of you asking for the return of the deposit, then you can refer the matter to the TDP.
You have the most chance of getting some or all your deposit back if you leave the property in the same state as you found it. It can be a good idea to take photographs when you move in to show the state of the property when you moved in as well as when you leave to show how you left it. You can also get your landlord to sign a checkout inventory.
There are some things your landlord can deduct money for and some things they can’t.
Your landlord can deduct money if:
- the property has been damaged
- you haven't paid rent
- items are missing
- the property needs to be cleaned
- you left before the end of your tenancy.
Your landlord can't deduct money for reasonable wear and tear. This means things getting gradually worse over time. For example, carpets become worn or paintwork is scuffed. If you and your Landlord disagree over deductions to your deposit, the deposit will remain in the protected scheme until the issue is resolved. The TDP schemes include access to a free mediation service, and you can refer disputes to them for resolution.
- What are the key things tenants should think about when it comes to protecting their deposit? How can they get educated on their rights?
- In terms of protecting the deposit, it's the landlord's responsibility to do that, not the tenant's.
And so when the tenant is paying a deposit, there should be within the tenancy agreement, a specific clause that deals with what is going to happen with that, and the tenant should be given by the landlord, prescribed information which sets out exactly what's happening with the deposit, where the deposit's being kept and what they can do if there's a dispute in relation to the deposit.
And they have to be given that information within 30 days of the start of the tenancy or from the deposit being given.
So they should make sure that that happens in terms of getting educated about that. And if you're unsure about what your rights and obligations are in relation to tenancy deposits, whether from a landlord or a tenant's perspective, the best solution is always to seek the advice of someone that knows what they're talking about.
How much do I have to pay?
The biggest cost when renting a home is usually the rent itself. But there will be other things you have to pay for.
Your landlord might be paying some bills directly and charging you through rent. It’s important to know what you must pay for separately.
The main bills linked to the property are:
- water bills
- service charges (usually in flats)
- council tax
- gas and electricity bills.
You may also have other bills. These are usually things like:
- TV licence
- phone bills
- contents insurance
- entertainment subscriptions
- broadband.
There is legislation limiting the fees that a landlord can charge, and the amount of the deposit. For example, a landlord/agent cannot charge an administration fee, for references or for renewing your tenancy. If you are concerned that you are being asked to pay a banned fee then you should obtain advice.
Where to get help
If you are struggling to pay the rent, you might be able to get extra money to help. You can find out if you’re able to get Housing Benefit or apply for Universal Credit
There are charities that help people facing homelessness. Find out if you can get help on the Turn2us website.
Before you take legal action against a landlord, it’s usually best to write to them first. Together you may be able to fix the problem. If you do decide to take your landlord to court, you'll need to show that you've tried to sort the problem out.
You can find out more about acting against a landlord on GOV.UK.