Renting in the UK without the stress
Tenancies, deposits, the rights every renter actually has and how to give notice cleanly — 8 guides for first-time renters, seasoned movers and house-sharers.
£1,176
Average UK monthly rent 2026
5 weeks
Maximum deposit by law
2 months
Standard tenant notice period
4.4M
UK households renting privately
More than one in five UK households rents privately, and the rules around tenancies, deposits and notice change with almost every new Government. Knowing your rights — and where the landlord's obligations actually end — is what stops a small problem from becoming an expensive one.
This hub gathers every tenant-focused guide on Selectra UK: the official How to Rent checklist, what a tenancy agreement should and should not contain, what the Landlord and Tenant Act actually guarantees, and the clean way to give notice.
Four themes inside the renting hub
Where are you in your tenancy?
Pick the theme that matches where you are right now — every theme links to its guides.
Starting a tenancy
New-tenant checklist
The official How to Rent checklist, what landlords must give you on move-in day, and how to read a tenancy agreement before you sign it.
Open the themeTenant rights
What the law guarantees
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 in plain English — repairs, quiet enjoyment, deposit protection and how to push back when things go wrong.
Open the themeHouse shares & HMOs
Joint tenants & lodgers
Joint tenancies versus individual contracts, what makes a property an HMO, and how to split bills fairly with housemates.
Open the themeEnding a tenancy
Notice & moving out
How much notice to give, the right way to give it in writing, your deposit-return timeline and what to do if the landlord ignores you.
Open the themeThe full library
All 8 renting guides
Filter by topic to surface only the guides relevant to the stage of your tenancy.
The complete How to Rent guide
Official checklist
Read the guideWhat is a tenancy agreement?
Lease basics
Read the guideLandlord and Tenant Act 1985
Your legal rights
Read the guideBest UK rental websites
Where to look
Read the guideHow to apply for a council house
Social housing
Read the guideWhat is a house share?
HMOs & flatshares
Read the guideGiving notice to your landlord
How to move out
Read the guideWhat is Rent to Buy?
Save while renting
Read the guideTenant rights at a glance
Four things every UK landlord must give you
Non-negotiable, set in law — if any of these are missing on move-in, push back before you accept the keys.
A protected deposit
Within 30 days, in one of three government schemes — TDS, DPS or mydeposits.
A safe gas certificate
Up-to-date Gas Safety Record, dated within the last 12 months.
An EPC of at least E
Energy Performance Certificate, rated A to E — F and G are illegal to let.
The How to Rent guide
The official Government booklet (printed or digital). No booklet, no Section 21 eviction.
Thinking longer-term?
Saving to buy your first home?
Renting does not have to be forever. Our buying hub covers Shared Ownership, the Lifetime ISA's 25% bonus, the First Homes 30% discount and how much deposit you really need.
Renting FAQ
The Selectra expert answers your questions
Since the Tenant Fees Act 2019, deposits are capped at five weeks rent if annual rent is under £50,000, and six weeks above that. The landlord must place it in a Government-approved scheme (TDS, DPS or mydeposits) within 30 days and give you the prescribed information. If they miss that window, they cannot use a Section 21 to evict you, and you can claim up to three times the deposit back. Read our How to Rent guide for the full move-in checklist.
On an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, the minimum notice from a tenant is one month if you pay rent monthly, or whatever the contract says — whichever is longer. Notice must be in writing, end on the last day of a rental period, and be signed and dated. Step-by-step template in our giving notice guide.
In a joint tenancy, all housemates sign one contract and are jointly liable — if one stops paying, the rest cover the shortfall. With individual contracts, each tenant rents one room directly from the landlord and is only liable for their own rent. Joint tenancies are cheaper to administer; individual contracts protect you when housemates change. More in our house-share guide.
No. Even though the landlord owns the property, the tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Landlords must give at least 24 hours written notice and visit at a reasonable hour — except in genuine emergencies (gas leak, burst pipe, fire). Read our Landlord and Tenant Act guide.
Apply through your local council's housing register — every council has one. Most use a points or banding system based on your housing need, local connection and household size. Waiting times in major cities can be years; smaller authorities often move faster. Step-by-step process in our council house application guide.
The tenant pays the running costs: gas, electricity, water, council tax, broadband, TV licence. The landlord pays the building insurance, the property's ground rent and any service charge on a flat. Some "bills-included" rooms in HMOs roll utilities into the rent — always check exactly what is included. Compare tariffs to cut your bills with our energy comparator.
From day one of the new tenancy
Switch supplier the day you get the keys
You inherit the previous tenant's deemed-contract tariff on move-in day — usually the most expensive one the supplier offers. Switching is free, takes five working days and saves the average household £200 a year.