If you rent your accommodation from a private landlord, you will be doing what's commonly known as "renting privately" and will become either a "tenant" or a "licensee".

It is important to know which of these you are as tenants have a range of legal rights, while licensees have very few.

Get advice from Housing Rights Service or another advice agency if you are not sure about your rights and obligations when renting privately.

Your rights and responsibilities

When you rent privately, you have certain rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Likewise, your landlord has responsibilities towards you. More

Tenancy agreements

A tenancy agreement is a legal contract and you should read it carefully before signing. More

Safety and living conditions

This section looks at safety in private rented housing. It covers fire safety, gas and electricity supplies. It explains the protection you may have if you are a private tenant. More

Ending a tenancy

Both you and your landlord have to give the correct notice in order to bring the tenancy to an end. If you don't end your tenancy properly, you may still have to pay rent. More

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