On this page, we’ll look at:

  • what you can do if you can’t afford your rent
  • what to do if your landlord won’t return your deposit
  • how much you usually must pay
  • where to go for help.

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 you occupy your home under a periodic standard occupation contract, your landlord can give you notice to vary the rent. Your landlord must provide at least two months' notice in varying the rent. Your landlord cannot provide another notice to vary the rent within one year of the previous notice.

If you occupy your home under a fixed term occupation contract, it is unlikely that your landlord can vary the rent during the fixed term without your agreement. You should check the terms of your occupation contract to see if a term allowing the landlord to do so has been included.

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 ahousing payment part of Universal Credit.

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:

  • you have breached terms of your occupation contract
  • you haven't paid rent

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.

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.

Restrictions on fees for landlords in Wales

In Wales, landlords are restricted in fees they can recover from contract-holders under occupation contracts. Several fees, such as those for check-in/check-out fees, administration fees or guarantor fees are prohibited. You should check that all payments requested from your landlord are considered permitted payments. You can find further information at Shelter Cymru. 

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.

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