Tenant Guide

Phase 1 · Find a home

Work out what you can afford

Rent is only part of the monthly cost. Work out the whole figure before you start viewing, so a property you like is one you can actually keep.

The advertised rent, and what it does and does not include.
Council tax, energy, water and broadband, unless the agreement says otherwise.
The deposit and any holding deposit you will need up front.

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What the advert must tell you: The rent, the deposit and the property's energy rating are all published with the listing. Ask what is included in the rent rather than assuming.
Money you need at the start: A holding deposit to reserve the property, then the tenancy deposit and the first rent payment once you sign. All three are capped or controlled by law, and each is explained at the stage it applies.
Costs through the year: Council tax, utilities and contents insurance are normally yours unless the tenancy agreement states otherwise. Contents insurance covers your belongings; the building is the landlord's responsibility.

Phase 1 · Find a home

View the property and ask questions

A viewing is where you find out how a home actually lives. Photographs are taken to show a property at its best, and they cannot tell you about light, noise or storage.

See it in daylight if you can, and look at every room.
Ask what is included, who manages repairs and how to report one.
Check the energy rating, the council tax band and any parking arrangement.

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Questions worth asking: Who manages the property day to day, how repairs are reported, whether the rent includes anything, what the parking arrangement is, and whether any works are planned.
The energy rating: The property's energy performance certificate is published with the listing and gives an A to G rating. It uses standard occupancy assumptions, so it indicates efficiency rather than predicting your bills.
Take your time: There is no advantage in rushing. A second viewing before you commit is normal and reasonable.

Understand the property's EPC

Phase 1 · Find a home

Make an offer and pay a holding deposit

If you want the property, you can offer to rent it. A holding deposit reserves it while the checks are carried out.

A holding deposit is capped at one week's rent for the proposed tenancy.
It is one deposit for the property, not one per applicant.
A landlord cannot accept or encourage offers above the advertised rent.

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What a holding deposit is for: It reserves the property while referencing and the Right to Rent check are completed. It is a deposit, not a fee, and it is normally put towards your first rent or your tenancy deposit.
The cap: One week's rent for the proposed tenancy is the statutory maximum, and it is per property rather than per applicant.
When it is returned: There are specific rules about when a holding deposit must be refunded and the limited circumstances in which it can be kept. Ask for the reason in writing if it is not returned.
Rent cannot be bid up: Since 1 May 2026 a landlord cannot accept or encourage an offer above the advertised rent, so there is nothing to be gained by offering more.

Phase 2 · Checks and signing

Referencing and Right to Rent

Before a tenancy starts, a landlord or their agent carries out checks. None of these can be charged to you.

Everyone aged 18 and over living at the property must have a Right to Rent check.
You cannot be charged for referencing or for the Right to Rent check.
Have identity, address and income documents ready to avoid delay.

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Right to Rent: The check confirms that an adult occupier can legally rent a home in England. It applies to everyone aged 18 or over living at the property, including people who are not named on the tenancy agreement, and it is carried out before the tenancy begins.
Who is responsible: The legal responsibility sits with the landlord. Where a landlord has instructed an agent to carry out the check, the agent may complete it on the landlord's behalf under that agreement.
Referencing: A landlord or agent may ask about your income, your employment and your renting history, and may ask for a guarantor. Neither referencing nor the Right to Rent check can be charged to a tenant.
Documents to have ready: Photographic identity, proof of your current address, and evidence of income such as payslips or accounts. Having them ready is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the process moving.

Phase 2 · Checks and signing

Sign the tenancy agreement

The tenancy agreement is the contract. Read it before you sign, because it sets out what you are agreeing to for as long as you live there.

No rent can be asked for, encouraged or accepted before you sign.
After signing, you can be asked for a maximum of one month's rent in advance.
New assured tenancies are periodic and run on a rolling basis.

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Rent in advance: A landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept a payment of rent before the tenancy agreement is signed. Once it is signed, the maximum that can be asked for in advance is one month's rent.
Periodic tenancies: Most existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026, and it is no longer possible to have an assured tenancy with a fixed end date. A periodic tenancy runs on a rolling basis, for example monthly.
Read before you sign: Check the rent and when it is due, what the agreement says about utilities and council tax, the rules on keeping pets and decorating, and how repairs are reported.
Keep a copy: Keep the signed agreement and every document you are given. They are what you refer back to if anything is disputed later.

Phase 2 · Checks and signing

Deposit protection and moving in

Your tenancy deposit is capped, and it must be protected in a government-approved scheme.

Five weeks' rent where annual rent is below £50,000; six weeks from £50,000 to £100,000.
The deposit must be protected within 30 days of being received.
You must be given the prescribed information about where it is protected.

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The cap: A tenancy deposit is capped at five weeks' rent where the annual rent is below £50,000, and six weeks' rent where the annual rent is between £50,000 and £100,000.
Protection: Your landlord or letting agent must put the deposit into an approved tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days of receiving it, and must give you the prescribed information about where it is held.
The inventory: Check the inventory carefully when you move in, photograph anything already damaged, and return your comments promptly. It is the record the deposit is measured against at the end. You cannot be charged for the inventory itself.
Getting it back: Once you and the landlord agree how much is returned, the deposit must be repaid within 10 days. If you cannot agree, the scheme holds the money and offers a free adjudication service.

Phase 3 · Living there and leaving

During the tenancy

Most of a tenancy is routine: rent on time, repairs reported promptly, and a written record of anything that matters.

Report repairs as soon as you notice them, in writing where you can.
Keep rent payments on time and keep the receipts or statements.
Contact the emergency services first if there is any risk to safety.

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Repairs: Report a repair through the repairs route in the Dukes Receptionist. If there is a fire, a gas leak, a serious electrical fault, a flood or any risk to safety, contact the emergency services first: this website is not monitored.
Rent: Pay as set out in the agreement and keep the record. A late-rent charge is only permitted where the agreement provides for it, only once rent is at least 14 days overdue, and only up to 3% above the Bank of England base rate on the amount overdue.
Changing the tenancy: If you ask to change the tenancy, for example to add or replace a tenant, a charge of up to £50 is permitted, or the reasonable costs actually incurred if those are higher and can be evidenced.
Put it in writing: Email or message rather than relying on a conversation. A written record is what settles a disagreement quickly.

Phase 3 · Living there and leaving

Ending the tenancy and getting your deposit back

You can end an assured periodic tenancy by giving notice in writing. The deposit is returned through the scheme that holds it.

Give two months' notice in writing to end an assured periodic tenancy.
The notice takes effect on, or the day before, a rent due date.
Deposit disputes are decided by the scheme's free adjudication service.

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Your notice: Since 1 May 2026 you can end an assured periodic tenancy by giving two months' notice in writing, for example by letter, email or text, on the day the rent is due or the day before.
Leaving early: If you leave without giving the required notice, what can be charged cannot exceed the rent the landlord would have received had proper notice been given.
Check-out: You cannot be charged for a check-out inspection or for an inventory comparison. Leave the property as the agreement requires and take dated photographs when you go.
The deposit: Once the amount is agreed it must be returned within 10 days. If it is not agreed, the scheme holds the money and its free adjudication service decides. You cannot be charged for mandatory professional cleaning.

Most existing assured shorthold tenancies became assured periodic tenancies, and it is no longer possible to have an assured tenancy with a fixed end date.
A landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed.
After signing, the maximum that can be asked for in advance is one month's rent.
A landlord cannot accept or encourage offers above the advertised rent.
A tenant can end an assured periodic tenancy by giving two months' notice in writing.

This is a summary of the rules that apply in England. It is general information, not legal advice, and it is not exhaustive.

Can I be charged for referencing or a Right to Rent check?

No. Referencing, Right to Rent checks, tenancy set-up, renewal, inventories, check-out, deposit registration and mandatory professional cleaning cannot be charged to a tenant in England.

How much can a holding deposit be?

At most one week's rent for the proposed tenancy. It is for the property, not per applicant, and there are specific rules about when it must be refunded.

How much can the tenancy deposit be?

At most five weeks' rent where annual rent is below £50,000, or six weeks between £50,000 and £100,000. It must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days.

Who do I contact about a repair?

Use the repairs route in the Dukes Receptionist. If there is a fire, gas leak, serious electrical fault, flood or any risk to safety, contact the emergency services first — this website does not monitor reports.

Who carries out the Right to Rent check?

Everyone aged 18 or over living at the property must be checked before the tenancy begins. The legal responsibility sits with the landlord, and where a landlord has instructed an agent, the agent may complete the check on the landlord's behalf.

Find a home

Work out what you can afford

View the property and ask questions

Make an offer and pay a holding deposit

Checks and signing

Referencing and Right to Rent

Sign the tenancy agreement

Deposit protection and moving in

Living there and leaving

During the tenancy

Ending the tenancy and getting your deposit back

What changed on 1 May 2026

Questions tenants ask

Looking for a home to rent?

Official guidance

Where these claims come from

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