02.06 / Topic 06 of 11
Housing & Renting
Tenants, landlords, deposits and an Englishman's castle.
Renting law is now very different in England and Wales. England's Renters' Rights Act 2025 ended 'no-fault' evictions; Wales overhauled renting in 2022.
- 17
- Essential laws
- 04
- Chapters
- 02
- Weird ones
- 02
- Busted myths
AT A GLANCE · 06 KEY NUMBERS
- 6MONTHSminimum no-fault notice in WalesRenting Homes (Wales) Act →
- £20kMAXIMUM FINEper occupier without checksRight to rent →
- £7,500TAX-FREEa year from renting a roomLodgers →
- 24HOURSto investigate emergency hazardsRepairs & 'Awaab's Law' →
- 56DAYSthe council must help before you lose your homeHomelessness help →
- 6MONTHSmaximum prison for squatting a homeSquatting →
CHAPTER A · 05 LAWS
Renting
Tenancies, deposits and the checks before you move in.
Renters' Rights Act
Abolishes 'section 21' no-fault evictions. Since 1 May 2026, private tenancies are rolling (periodic) tenancies.
What it means for youYour landlord can't evict you without a legal reason, and you can end your tenancy with 2 months' notice.
In practice
- Landlords need a legal ground (e.g. selling, moving in, rent arrears) to evict.
- Rent can only be increased once a year, by formal notice, and can be challenged at a tribunal.
- Bans rental bidding wars and blanket 'No DSS / no children' bans; tenants can ask to keep a pet.
Renting Homes (Wales) Act
In force since 1 December 2022. Tenants became 'contract-holders' with written 'occupation contracts'.
What it means for youAsk your landlord for your written occupation contract. They must give you one within 14 days.
In practice
- No-fault notice periods extended to six months.
- Homes must be 'fit for human habitation', including working smoke alarms and electrical safety checks.
- Contracts are easier to pass to a partner or family member.
Deposits & fees
Deposits must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days. Most letting fees are banned.
What it means for youCheck your deposit is registered with a scheme. If it isn't, you can claim up to 3 times the deposit back.
In practice
- Deposits capped at 5 weeks' rent (where annual rent is under £50,000).
- If your deposit isn't protected you can claim up to 3x its value.
- Wales has similar rules under the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019.
Right to rent
Landlords in England must check that every adult tenant has the right to rent in the UK before the tenancy starts.
What it means for youShare your right to rent through a GOV.UK share code if you're not a British or Irish citizen.
In practice
- This applies only in England, not Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
- Landlords can be fined up to £20,000 per occupier for failing to check.
- Checks must be done equally for all tenants, British citizens included.
Lodgers
If you rent a room in your landlord's own home, you're a lodger and have far fewer rights than a tenant.
What it means for youAs a lodger, your landlord only has to give 'reasonable notice', often the same as your rent period.
In practice
- Live-in landlords only need to give 'reasonable notice', usually the rent period.
- No court order is needed to end the arrangement.
- Homeowners can earn up to £7,500 a year tax-free from a lodger (Rent a Room scheme).
CHAPTER B · 04 LAWS
Safety & repairs
What a rented home must have, and how fast problems must be fixed.
Repairs & 'Awaab's Law'
Landlords must keep the structure, heating, water and electrics in repair. Social landlords now face strict deadlines for damp and mould.
What it means for youReport repairs in writing and keep a copy. If nothing happens, contact the council's environmental health team.
In practice
- Named after Awaab Ishak, a 2-year-old who died from mould exposure in 2020.
- From October 2025 social landlords must investigate emergency hazards within 24 hours.
- Homes must be fit for human habitation (2018 Act).
Gas & electrical safety
Landlords must get gas appliances checked every year and the electrics inspected at least every 5 years.
What it means for youAsk for the gas safety certificate and electrical report. Your landlord must give you copies.
In practice
- Gas checks must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer; tenants get a copy within 28 days.
- An electrical report (EICR) is needed at least every 5 years in private rentals.
- Wales has similar rules for gas and electrical safety under its own law.
Smoke & CO alarms
Rented homes need a smoke alarm on every storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed fuel-burning appliance.
What it means for youTest alarms monthly. If one is missing or broken, tell your landlord, who must fix it.
In practice
- That includes gas boilers and wood burners, but not gas cookers.
- Landlords must check alarms work on the first day of a new tenancy.
- Social landlords have had the same duty since 2022.
Energy performance (EPC)
Most private rented homes must have an energy rating of at least E before they can be let.
What it means for youLook up any home's energy rating for free on the GOV.UK EPC register before you rent or buy.
In practice
- An Energy Performance Certificate must be shown to tenants and buyers.
- Certificates last 10 years.
- The government plans to raise the minimum to C by 2030.
CHAPTER C · 03 LAWS
Eviction & homelessness
Your protection from being forced out, and the help councils must give.
Protection from Eviction Act
Landlords need a court order to evict. Changing the locks or harassing tenants out is a crime.
What it means for youIf you're locked out or threatened, call the council's housing team and the police. It's a crime.
In practice
- Only court bailiffs or enforcement officers can carry out an eviction.
- Landlords should give at least 24 hours' notice before visiting, at reasonable times, except in emergencies.
Homelessness help
Councils must help anyone who is homeless or likely to become homeless within 56 days.
What it means for youContact the council as soon as you get an eviction notice. Don't wait until you're out.
In practice
- The council must assess your case and agree a personal housing plan.
- Some people, such as families with children, are in 'priority need' and must be given temporary housing.
- Contact the council as soon as you get an eviction notice: don't wait until you're on the street.
Squatting
Squatting in a residential building is a criminal offence: up to 6 months in prison.
What it means for youSquatting in a home is a crime, but squatting in empty commercial buildings is mostly a civil matter.
In practice
- Squatting in commercial buildings isn't automatically a crime, but damage and refusing to leave can be.
- 'Adverse possession' can still let someone claim land after 10+ years in limited cases.
CHAPTER D · 05 LAWS
Owning & neighbours
Buying, building, paying for and living next to a home.
Stamp Duty
Buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay Stamp Duty Land Tax on homes above £125,000.
What it means for youFirst-time buyers in England pay no Stamp Duty on homes up to £300,000.
In practice
- First-time buyers pay none on the first £300,000, for homes up to £500,000.
- Buying an additional home, like a second home or buy-to-let, costs extra.
- Wales has Land Transaction Tax and Scotland has LBTT instead.
Council tax
Each home pays council tax based on its valuation band. Some people get discounts or don't pay at all.
What it means for youLive alone? Claim the 25% single-person discount. Full-time students usually pay nothing.
In practice
- Living alone (as the only adult) gets you a 25% discount.
- Full-time students are disregarded, so all-student households pay nothing.
- Councils can charge up to double (or more) on second homes and long-term empty homes.
Planning permission
Many small extensions and changes count as 'permitted development' and don't need planning permission. Bigger works do.
What it means for youCheck with your council before building. Unauthorised work can lead to an order to take it down.
In practice
- Flats, listed buildings and conservation areas have tighter rules.
- Building regulations approval is separate and often still needed.
- Building without permission can lead to an enforcement notice.
Party walls
Before doing work on a shared wall or digging foundations near a neighbour, you must give them written notice.
What it means for youGive your neighbour written notice 2 months before work on a shared wall, or 1 month before digging nearby.
In practice
- Give at least 2 months' notice for party wall work, 1 month for excavations.
- If your neighbour disagrees, surveyors settle it through a 'party wall award'.
- It doesn't replace planning permission or building regulations.
Hedges & trees
You can complain to the council about a neighbour's evergreen hedge over 2 metres high that blocks light.
What it means for youTalk to your neighbour first. The council charges a fee for a high hedge complaint.
In practice
- You can trim overhanging branches back to your boundary, but they belong to your neighbour.
- Trees with a Tree Preservation Order, or in a conservation area, need consent to cut.
- Try talking to your neighbour first: councils expect it.
NOTES
Did you know?
NOTE 01'An Englishman's home is his castle' comes from Semayne's Case in 1604 and still shapes the law on entry by officials.
NOTE 02Your landlord needs your permission to enter for routine visits: the right to 'quiet enjoyment' is implied in every tenancy.
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