Renting and Letting

• 01. Introduction

• If you rent a flat, house or bedsit (whether it s from a private landlord the local council or a housing association), this leaflet explains how to deal with any problems you may have and your legal rights. If you are a landlord, it explains your rights and...

• 02. Private tenancies

• On the following pages, there are explanations of the law, and how to deal with particular problems that can arise for tenants and landlords. First, you must establish what sort of agreement you are dealing with. Most people have one of four types: an...

• 03. Council tenancies

• If you live in a self-contained council house or flat and are the person named on the tenancy agreement or rent book, you are probably what's called a 'secure' tenant. The main exceptions to this are as follows: People who have introductory tenancies,...

• 04. Housing association tenancies

• In recent years, many council homes have been transferred to housing associations. As well as housing associations, there are other bodies providing 'social housing', such as housing trusts and co-operatives. Those that are registered with the Housing...

• 05. Other issues

• Bedsits and hostels Some types of rented accommodation are called 'houses in multiple occupation' (HMOs), including most: houses split into bedsits; houseshares where everyone has a separate tenancy or licence agreement; hostels; and bed and...

• 06. Neighbour disputes

• If you are constantly disturbed by noisy neighbours, you should contact the environmental health officer at your local council. They can serve an 'abatement' notice or, in some cases, take away equipment (such as a stereo system). Or you can go to the county...

• 07. Further Help

• Shelter and Shelter Cymru Has a network of local Housing Aid Centres around England which you can visit to get advice and information. To find your nearest one, phone: 020 7505 2000 The website for Shelter ...