Your rights as a tenant
As a tenant in England and Wales, you have significant legal protections. Your landlord must:
- Protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits or TDS) within 30 days.
- Provide a valid Gas Safety Certificate every year.
- Ensure the property has working smoke alarms on every floor and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with solid fuel appliances.
- Give you an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated E or above.
- Provide the government “How to Rent” guide before the tenancy starts.
- Keep the property in a habitable condition and carry out repairs in a reasonable time.
Deposits
Since the Tenant Fees Act 2019, deposits are capped at 5 weeks’ rent (for annual rent under £50,000) or 6 weeks’ rent (above £50,000). Your deposit must be placed in a protection scheme and you must receive prescribed information about which scheme it is in.
If your landlord does not protect your deposit, they cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice to evict you, and you can claim up to 3x the deposit amount through the courts.
EPC ratings
EPC ratings go from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Since April 2020, landlords cannot let a property with an EPC rating below E. Proposed legislation may raise this to C by 2028. A higher rating means lower energy bills for you.
Tip: Check the EPC rating before viewing. You can look up any property for free at epcregister.com. If the rating is D or E, expect higher energy bills. If it is F or G, the landlord is breaking the law by renting it out.
Reference checks
Most landlords or letting agents will run reference checks. Expect them to verify:
- Employment — your employer confirms your salary and contract type.
- Previous landlord — were you a good tenant? Did you pay on time?
- Credit check — looking for CCJs, bankruptcy or significant debt, not your credit score per se.
- Right to rent — you must prove you have the legal right to live in the UK.
Fees you should NOT be paying
Since June 2019, lettings agents and landlords in England cannot charge tenants for:
- Viewing fees
- Administration fees
- Credit check fees
- Referencing fees
- Inventory fees
The only permitted payments are: rent, a refundable tenancy deposit (capped), a refundable holding deposit (capped at one week’s rent), and payments for utilities, council tax or communication services if agreed in the contract.
Moving in checklist
- Take dated photos of every room, every mark, every scratch. Email them to yourself and the agent on day one.
- Read your tenancy agreement completely. Check the break clause, notice period and any restrictive clauses.
- Set up council tax, utilities and broadband in your name (or check if included in rent).
- Get contents insurance. Your landlord’s buildings insurance does not cover your belongings.
- Note meter readings on the day you move in. Photograph them.