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The fixed fee we quote is the fee you pay. There will be no nasty surprises.

Some Key Things You Need To Know

When you’ve got a problem with your landlord or your home, your rights and your landlord’s responsibilities depend on your rental agreement type. Understanding your agreement helps you know what rights you have for:

• Getting repairs done
• Paying rent
• Dealing with rent increases
• Checking your home’s energy efficiency status
• Handling eviction notices
• Ending your rental agreement
• Recovering your deposit

If you’re unsure about your rental agreement type, check it out. Your rights might differ if you rent from the council or a housing association. Always keep copies of important documents to check your rights in such cases.

Getting Repairs Done

If your landlord is responsible for repairs, they should be done in a ‘reasonable’ amount of time. What counts as reasonable depends on the problem – for instance, a broken boiler should be fixed sooner than a leaking tap.

Struggling to Pay Rent?

If you have an assured shorthold tenancy, check our advice on getting help with rent costs. Your rental agreement usually specifies how much and when to pay. If there’s no written agreement, the rent is what you verbally agreed with your landlord. Remember, your landlord might evict you if you don’t pay rent on time. If you think you’ll miss a payment:

• Talk to your landlord – ask for extra time but be realistic.
• Check if you can get any state benefits.

If you fall behind on rent, you’ll be in ‘rent arrears’.

Home’s Energy Efficiency

Your landlord is responsible for your home’s energy efficiency if you have:

• Assured tenancy
• Assured shorthold tenancy
• Protected tenancy

If your home has an F or G energy rating, your landlord must improve it to E or better. They can’t rent it out with an F or G rating. Ask your landlord for an energy performance certificate (EPC) if you don’t know your home’s rating.

Rent Increases

Your landlord can’t increase rent whenever they like. They must follow certain rules based on your rental agreement. If they don’t, you can challenge the increase. Remember, you can’t challenge it if you’ve already started paying the new amount.

Keeping Your Home Safe

Your landlord is responsible for:

• Electrical safety checks
• Gas safety checks

They must provide you with safety check reports. Electrical checks should be done every 5 years and gas checks every 12 months. Always ensure you get copies of these reports and check the expiry dates.

Missing Safety Checks

If your landlord hasn’t done the required safety checks or provided reports, speak to them first. If that doesn’t work, contact your local council’s housing services. Be aware, your landlord might try to evict you if you complain.

Tenancy End Dates

If your tenancy has a fixed end date, you don’t automatically have to leave when it ends. You can renew the tenancy or switch to a rolling basis, which runs month to month or week to week.

Eviction Notices

The notice period and process your landlord must follow depend on your rental agreement type. If they don’t follow the rules, you can challenge them. If you need help, talk to one of our advisers.

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If you’re still confused or need support from one of our expert solicitors, feel free to book a call. We’ll support you as soon as possible.