Housing & Renting questions
30 direct answers, each with the short version first and a link to the full guide. For the whole topic, see Housing & Renting.
Can my landlord evict me without a reason?
No — not any more in England. Section 21 “no-fault” eviction was abolished on 1 May 2026 by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Your landlord must now serve a Section 8 notice citing a specific statutory ground — such as selling, moving in, or rent arrears — and prove it in court.
How quickly can a landlord evict me?
Not overnight. Even with a valid notice, a landlord must wait out the notice period, apply to court for a possession order, and then obtain a bailiff’s warrant — a process that typically takes three to six months or more in total. A notice alone never means you must leave immediately.
How long does my landlord have to return my deposit?
Ten days, under most deposit scheme rules, from the point you and your landlord agree the amount to be returned. If you cannot agree deductions, either of you can refer the dispute to the scheme’s free ADR service, where an adjudicator usually decides within 28 days — and the landlord must prove every deduction.
What can I claim if my landlord never protected my deposit?
A county court penalty of between one and three times the deposit. Landlords must protect your deposit in an approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it and give you the prescribed information in the same window — miss either duty and the penalty applies, even if the deposit was protected late.
Can I withhold rent if my landlord won't do repairs?
It is legal to stop paying rent only in the sense that nothing physically prevents you — but it is high-risk and not recommended. Arrears give your landlord grounds to seek possession even when they are in breach. Safer routes: written complaints, the council’s environmental health team, and a disrepair claim.
Is mould my fault for not ventilating, or my landlord's responsibility?
Usually the landlord’s responsibility, at least in part. Rising and penetrating damp are structural and always theirs to fix. Even condensation mould — the type landlords blame on “lifestyle” — is their problem if the property lacks adequate heating, ventilation or insulation, such as a broken extractor fan.
How much can my landlord increase my rent by?
There is no fixed cap in England — a landlord can propose any amount. But increases are limited to once a year, must follow the Section 13 procedure with at least one month’s notice, and you can challenge an above-market increase at the First-tier Tribunal before it takes effect.
Can my landlord enter my home without my permission?
No — outside a genuine emergency, your landlord must give at least 24 hours’ written notice and come at a reasonable time, even for repairs or inspections. Having a key changes nothing. Repeated unannounced entry can amount to harassment, which is a criminal offence.
Can I stop an eviction by paying off my rent arrears?
Often, yes. If your landlord relies on the mandatory arrears ground (Ground 8), clearing the arrears before the court hearing means the ground cannot be proved and the claim should fail. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 raised that mandatory threshold to three months’ arrears, giving you more time.
Does sofa surfing count as being homeless?
Yes. You are legally homeless if you have no accommodation you are entitled to occupy — staying on a friend’s sofa or floor counts. Tell the council when you apply: it owes you help under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 even though you have a roof over your head tonight.
When was Section 21 abolished?
On 1 May 2026, in England, by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. From that day no new Section 21 notice can be served; notices served earlier could only be used if a court claim was issued by 31 July 2026. All fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies also converted to rolling periodic tenancies on the same day.
What can I do if my landlord changed the locks while I was out?
That is illegal eviction — a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. Call the police on 101 (999 if threatened), citing Section 1 of the Act, contact your council’s Tenancy Relations Officer, and call Shelter on 0808 800 4444 — a solicitor can seek a same-day injunction to get you back in.
How much notice do I have to give my landlord?
At least one month if you rent monthly on a periodic tenancy, or longer if your agreement requires it. Always give notice in writing — verbal notice is generally unenforceable. During a fixed term you usually cannot leave early unless there is a break clause or your landlord agrees a surrender.
What fees can a letting agent charge me?
Very few. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 bans administration, set-up and renewal fees. The permitted payments are rent, a refundable deposit capped at five weeks’ rent, a holding deposit of one week’s rent, and limited default charges. Anything else is reclaimable — report persistent charging to Trading Standards.
How much can I claim in a rent repayment order?
Up to 12 months’ rent — and up to 24 months where the landlord is a repeat offender under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. You apply to the First-tier Tribunal within 12 months of the offence, you do not need a solicitor, and no criminal conviction against the landlord is required.
How much Right to Buy discount can I get?
35% on a house after three years, rising 1% a year to a 70% maximum; 50% on a flat, rising 2% a year to the same 70% ceiling. Since 21 November 2024 the cash cap is regional and far lower than it used to be — £16,000 in London — and the cost floor rule can cut the discount further.
How much does it cost to extend a lease?
There is no fixed price. You pay a premium calculated from the remaining term, the ground rent, capitalisation rates and — while the lease is under 80 years — marriage value, plus professional costs on both sides. Below 80 years the premium rises sharply, so act before that threshold.
Can I challenge my service charge?
Yes. Service charges must be reasonable under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and the First-tier Tribunal decides what is reasonable under section 27A — free or low-cost, with no solicitor needed. Demands made more than 18 months after the costs were incurred are unenforceable.
How do we take over the management of our block of flats?
Through Right to Manage: set up an RTM company and serve a claim notice. The block needs at least two flats, two-thirds held on long leases and no more than 25% non-residential floor space, and at least half the qualifying leaseholders must join. No premium is paid to the freeholder.
Can I stop my home being repossessed?
Often, yes. The court has wide discretion under section 36 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 to suspend or postpone possession where you can clear the arrears within a reasonable time. Lenders must also follow the FCA’s MCOB rules and the pre-action protocol before issuing a claim.
How long can the council keep me in temporary accommodation?
There is no fixed limit, though the council must move you into settled housing as soon as reasonably practicable and review your case regularly. One hard rule does apply: families with dependent children cannot be kept in bed and breakfast for more than six weeks.
How long is the council housing waiting list?
It varies enormously by area and household size — in high-demand areas even priority applicants wait years, and lower-priority applicants may never receive an offer. Banding, not time on the list, drives most offers. Ask your council for an estimate based on recent lettings.
Does my house share need an HMO licence?
A mandatory licence is needed where five or more people from two or more households share facilities. Smaller shares can still require one under a council’s additional or selective licensing scheme. Check your council’s public register — letting a licensable HMO without a licence is a criminal offence.
How much compensation can I get for housing disrepair?
Typically a rent reduction of 25–50% for the period serious disrepair affected your home, plus damages for ruined belongings, extra costs and any harm to your health. Awards commonly run from a few hundred to several thousand pounds. You must have reported the problem to the landlord.
Can I take in a lodger or sublet my rented home?
Only if your tenancy agreement allows it or your landlord consents in writing. Most private agreements prohibit subletting without prior written consent, and doing it anyway is a breach giving grounds for possession. In social housing, unlawful subletting can also be a criminal offence.
Can a landlord refuse to rent to me because I do not have a British passport?
No. A landlord may only refuse where a Right to Rent check shows you have no right to be in the UK. Turning you down because of your nationality, or because you hold a different type of document, is likely unlawful discrimination — and landlords must check every adult equally.
What can I do about antisocial neighbours?
Log every incident with dates and times, report it in writing to your landlord and to the council’s antisocial behaviour team, and call the police for anything criminal. If three or more reports in six months bring no adequate response, you can activate an ASB Case Review — the Community Trigger.
Can I take over a council tenancy when the tenant dies?
Often yes, if you are the spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner living there as your only or principal home. Other family members usually need 12 months’ residence before the death. Succession is normally allowed only once, and private tenancies have no equivalent statutory right.
Do landlords have to register on a database?
They will. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 creates a mandatory national Private Rented Sector Database for England, and landlords must register before letting. Failure will carry civil penalties and block certain possession grounds. The provisions need commencement regulations, so check GOV.UK for the current timetable.
How does staircasing work in shared ownership?
You buy additional shares in your home over time — in increments as small as 1% under the post-2021 model — until you own 100%. Each purchase is priced on a current market valuation, and the rent you pay the housing association on the unsold share falls as your ownership rises.