Renting Process

Contact local letting agents, register your details and explain your budget, preferred location and move-in date. Registration does not guarantee a property.

Consider your budget, property requirements and additional costs, including bills and council tax. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, most administration and referencing fees are prohibited.

You may pay a holding deposit while checks are completed. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, this is capped at one week's rent, and rules govern when it can be retained or must be refunded.

Agents may check your identity, income, credit history and affordability. Landlords must also complete the required Right to Rent checks in England before the tenancy begins.

You may need a guarantor if your income or credit history does not meet the landlord's criteria. Guarantors should understand their legal and financial obligations before signing.

Read the agreement carefully, checking rent, bills, repairs and how the tenancy can end. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025, effective from 1 May 2026, introduced periodic tenancies for most private renters in England.

Deposits are generally capped at five weeks' rent, or six weeks where annual rent is £50,000 or more. Under tenancy deposit protection rules, landlords must generally protect the deposit in an approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it.