General information about renting

Having a safe and secure place to live is so important but renting a property does take a bit of work. The advice on this page is designed to get you started into a tenancy with a private landlord. Please contact us if you have any queries by emailing privatesectorhousing@sunderland.gov.uk, we are here to help.

Choosing the right property

Firstly it's important to make sure that you find somewhere that's the right size in a location that suits you - is it close to family and friends, bus or Metro routes, are there shops close by? Is it near your children's school? You may find somewhere that's just what you want but it if it's nowhere near your support network or public transport then it may not be your best move.

Secondly what is your budget? If you can't afford the rent as well as bills and the general cost of living, then this could cause you serious problems. Don't just think that it will be okay, sit down and do a budget - and stick to it. Make sure you do this before you start looking for a new home.

The cost of renting isn't just the rent, think about how much it will cost you in bills. To help reduce bills, go for a home with as high an EPC rating as possible. In addition to gas, electricity and water, you should also budget for Council Tax, contents insurance, TV licence and phone/broadband. Also factor in things like moving costs and how much it's going to cost you to furnish the property if it's unfurnished.

You need to know that the property is safe. The landlord should supply safety certificates and have carbon monoxide and smoke alarms fitted. By renting a home that is accredited by us you will know that the property is safe and secure.

Please click on the questions below for more information about renting:

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Is my landlord a good landlord?
1. By renting an accredited property you know that the landlord will look after the property and will also conduct themselves properly.
How do I know that the property is safe?
1. By renting an accredited property you will know that the property is safe and secure. If not then make sure you see the certificates for gas and electrical safety. Have a look around the property when you view, are there 5 lever mortice locks on the front and rear doors, are the ground floor windows lockable, does the property look in good condition and does everything work?
  
  It's a good tip to view in the daytime and take a friend along if you are renting by yourself, they can often be a second pair of eyes and give you a second opinion.
Do you have any other tips on viewing properties?
1. It may seem a bit old fashioned but turn up on time, make the focus the landlord and the property (put down the phone and social media) and be honest with the landlord. This is the time that landlords make their minds up about tenants so even if you want to rent the property if you have made a bad impression then you may not get the home you want.
Will I have to pay a deposit?
1. The majority of landlords will ask for a deposit, the maximum that they are allowed by law is 5 times the weekly rent. The deposit must then be held in a Government approved scheme to protect it. There are alternatives to a deposit, please ask us for more details.
  
  You should get details of which company is protecting the deposit within 30 days of the start of the tenancy and it's vitally important that you keep hold of all of the paperwork relating to the deposit so it's easy to deal with if there is an issue at the end of the tenancy or to get your full deposit back.
What about other fees, like a holding deposit?
1. A holding deposit can be requested but just like deposits there are rules surrounding what can be charged. Landlords can also charge fees for things like late payment of rent or ending the tenancy early and these should be set out in the tenancy agreement.
Do I need a tenancy agreement?
1. There isn't a legal requirement for a written tenancy agreement, they can be verbal but it's always a good idea to have one in place at the start of the tenancy to help if there are any problems. Your landlord must give you a booklet called How to Rent; this is a legal requirement.
Moving in, what do I need to do?
1. Before you move in you need to make sure that the landlord supplies you with copies of a Gas Safety Certificate which is also called a CP12. They should also have an Electrical Safety Certificate as well as an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which must be less than 10 years old and be level E or above. If you will be claiming a housing element for Universal Credit (this used to be known as Housing Benefit) then you should also get the application in as soon as you have signed the tenancy agreement. As well as reading and signing the tenancy agreement if you are happy with it you should also read the How to Rent booklet that the landlord should give you.
  
  They will also ask you to prove your identity for a right to rent check. This is another legal requirement and shows that you have the right to live in the UK.
  
  When you move in you should complete an inventory with the landlord and take photographs to show the condition of the property. We know you will be excited to move in but it's really important to take your time at this stage and check everything works.
  
  You should also read the meters, ideally with the landlord and then set up a new account with energy suppliers. A website like Uswitch is a good place to start to compare deals on electricity, gas and broadband. You will also need to register for Council Tax and set up an account with Northumbrian Water as well as changing your address with your bank. This is also a good time to move to new doctor and dentist surgeries if you are now living in a different area.
  
  You should also think about contents insurance, it's often a requirement of a tenancy agreement and will protect your own property if something goes wrong. If you have a driving licence and a vehicle you should also inform the DVLA and your insurance company.
Paying my rent, can I get help with this?
1. You could get help with your rent if you are on a low income. For more advice and to make a claim please refer to Universal Credit - how to claim.
I've got a repair, what do I need to do?
1. All repairs should be reported to your landlord as soon as possible, you should always call your landlord with details of repairs, especially urgent ones like no heating or hot water, and then follow this up in writing - normally an email.
  
  If you don't report a repair then the landlord can't do anything about it and the worse it can often become so getting stuff reported early is essential. Minor repairs like decoration are unlikely to be completed quickly but it's good to agree a realistic timescale with the landlord and ensure that you make yourself available to let trades into your home on the agreed dates and times.
What can I do during my tenancy?
1. You have the right to live in the property for the length of the tenancy agreement as long as you keep to the terms of the agreement. This means that the landlord needs to give you notice if they want to visit the property, unless there is an emergency, and they can't just end the tenancy early without notice or a reason. You can normally decorate the property with your landlords consent but check this first, be clear about what you intend to do and ask them to confirm this in writing.
  
  There are a number of things that you can't do that could put your tenancy at risk.
  
  One of the things that often happens and puts tenancies at risk is letting friends live with you without the landlord's agreement - this is called sub-letting and is serious breach of your tenancy.
  
  Causing a nuisance to neighbours or in the wider local area, Anti-social behaviour, by you or the visitors or guests to your home is a serious issue and you are responsible for the behaviour of everyone that's associated with the property. This includes parties, loud music and voices, parking and other behaviour that causes a nuisance to others.
  
  You should also ensure that you manage the rubbish in the property. We get lots of complaints about furniture and household rubbish that's left in gardens, yards and back lanes and this sort of activity can mean that your tenancy may not be renewed and you may find you face enforcement action from us.
My landlord isn't doing repairs, what can I do?
1. If you have had problems getting repairs done, especially urgent repairs like having no heating or hot water or a health and safety issue then you should contact us and we can have a look at the problem and talk to the landlord. In serious cases we can force the landlord to complete repairs where these pose a risk to your health and safety. In serious cases we can force the landlord to complete repairs where these pose a risk to your health and safety. Please complete the housing conditions form.
  
  What you shouldn't do is stop paying the rent.
I'm having problems with paying my rent, what should I do?
1. If you are unable to pay some or all of your rent the first thing you should do is talk to your landlord. Your rent is their income so having honest conversations is the key to their understanding your situation and finding a practical solution. If you are short on rent then pay as much as you can as the larger the debt the longer it can take to repay.
  
  If the issue is short term then you may be able to agree a repayment plan with the landlord but if your income is reducing in the medium or long term then you should consider if you can claim for assistance through the housing element of Universal Credit but it's important that you do that as soon as possible.
  
  A key message here is to keep on talking to your landlord, we see so many cases that could be fixed if a tenant and landlord talked about problems, especially over money.
My landlord wants to end the tenancy, what can I do?
1. Coronavirus has meant that there have been changes to the rules around ending tenancies, for more information please see our page. The government is also proposing general changes to the rules surrounding the ending of tenancies and we will update the advice on this as and when changes are agreed and put into law.
  
  The following advice covers the time before Coronavirus and we expect to return to this at some point after the end of May 2021.
  
  If the landlord wants to end the tenancy before it's due to end then you have rights to stay in the property if you are within the fixed period of your assured shorthold tenancy which is normally a minimum of 6 months. The landlord can end the tenancy early if a certain number of things have happened, for example anti-social behaviour or serious rent arrears. To do this they must service you with a Section 8 notice.
  
  A fixed term assured shorthold tenancy agreement will continue on unless terminated by you or the landlord. It's always a good idea to get a new tenancy agreement at this point and the landlord can charge a fee for this renewal. Your existing deposit will remain in place.
  
  If the initial period of the tenancy has ended or the landlord serves you with a Section 21 notice after 4 months of being a tenant then you must leave the property by the end date or the landlord could take you to court and you could be evicted. If you have nowhere else to go, then contact the Housing Options Team by calling 0191 520 5551, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm, or out of hours from 5pm to 7am seven days a week.
  
  If the landlord does serve you with a notice to leave without a reason its worthwhile asking if the tenancy can be extended or renewed. Many landlords get into the habit of getting new tenants in every 6 or 12 months and if you have paid your rent on time and been a good tenant then it's probably worth asking the question, if you are happy with where you live.
  
  What your landlord can't do is just change the locks to the property without notice, this would be an illegal eviction and you should contact us straight away if this happens.
My landlord wants to put my rent up, can I say no?
1. If you are within a fixed term tenancy agreement then the rent can't be increased unless there is a calculation built into the tenancy agreement.
  
  Outside the fixed term then yes, the landlord can increase the rent but they must give you notice.
Do I have to pay by direct debit?
1. You don't have to pay by direct debit but this is normally a condition of the tenancy agreement. It's also a good idea to pay by direct debit so there is a record of your payments in the event of a dispute and it's also easier and adds to your credit score.
  
  If the rent is paid weekly in cash then the landlord must supply you with a rent book and whenever you make rent payments in cash you should always get a receipt.
If I get Universal Credit, can my landlord get paid directly?
1. Universal Credit will pay you unless there are serious arrears on your rent account or there is good evidence that you are unable to manage your finances without support.
Why do I have to prove my identity for the right to rent?
1. It is a legal requirement for landlords to prove the right to rent for all new tenancies. This covers all people living in the property who are over 18 even if they aren't on the tenancy agreement.
  
  This makes sure that only people who have the right to live and work in England are given a tenancy.
What do I have to do at the end of the tenancy?
1. You should return the property to the landlord in a good condition. This includes removing all of your personal property and making sure that the property is clean and in good decorative order inside and out. The property shouldn't be in a better condition than when you moved in but neither should it be worse except for fair wear and tear. An example of this would be making sure that carpets are in a similar condition and cleaning them if there are large stains.
  
  You should inspect the property with the landlord and use the initial inventory to compare the condition of the property. It's a good idea to take photos and film of the property when it's empty.
  
  Just like when you moved in you should give final meter readings to the utility suppliers and let Council Tax and other organisations like banks and your doctors know that you have moved.
  
  Your landlord can retain some or all of your deposit at the end of the tenancy if there are arrears or damage beyond fair wear and tear but you shouldn't see this is as a way to pay the final months' rent or as a reason to leave the property in poor condition as this will mean that you will get a poor reference in the future which will then limit your choice when you come to rent again.
My landlord won't give me my deposit back at the end of the tenancy, what can I do?
1. If the landlord wants to withhold some or all of your deposit at the end of your tenancy they should clearly state the reasons why they want to do this as soon as the tenancy ends. If you don't agree with this then you should let the company who are holding the deposit know straight away and let them know the reasons why and provide evidence when possible.
  
  It's really important to act quickly and respond to any issues as you only have a short length of time to disagree with the deposit being kept by the landlord and not sent to you.
I'm trying to rent a new home but I haven't got my deposit back from my previous landlord, what can I do?
1. This can often happen when you move into a new home that's in the private rented sector and we would recommend that you plan for this in advance and save when possible. We realise that this isn't always realistic so if you are getting your deposit back can your current and new landlords talk to each other about how the bond is handled? Would your new landlord accept a bond in stages?