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Tenants are responsible for paying rent and taking care of the accommodation. Your responsibilities vary depending the type of tenancy you have , or if you share accommodation with your landlord.
Paying rent
You have to pay rent to your landlord in return for living in your home. Rent is normally paid monthly or weekly but can be paid for other periods of time. The amount of rent you have to pay depends on your tenancy agreement. Most tenancy agreements state the day that rent has to be paid. Rent is usually paid in advance.
If you do not pay the rent, your landlord can get a court order to evict you and make you pay the rent you owe. An adviser can help you if you are having problems paying your rent. You may be able to avoid losing your home or get help paying the rent.
Housing benefit
If you are claiming housing benefit to help you pay your rent, it is important that your housing benefit claim is kept up to date. Housing benefit is paid in arrears. If your housing benefit stops being paid you could fall behind with the rent and face eviction.
You have to keep the housing benefit department informed of any changes in your circumstances.
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Paying bills
Most private tenants have to pay for:
- electricity
- gas
- telephone
- TV licence.
Your tenancy agreement should state whether you are responsible for paying bills or not. If you do not pay the bills you are responsible for, you could get into debt and the services could be cut off. You may have to pay to be reconnected.
You should check your tenancy agreement or tenancy statement as to provisions for the payment of rates for the property - whether this amount is included in the rent payable or exactly who is responsible (landlord or tenant) for this payment.
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Repairs
Who is responsible for carrying out repairs depends on:
- the sort of repairs required
- your tenancy agreement
Landlords are usually responsible for:
- the exterior of the property
- the structure of the property
- the plumbing
- the wiring
Tenants are usually responsible for keeping the inside of the property in reasonable condition.
If your tenancy began after 1st April 2007 and your agreement does not fully state who is responsible for repairs, certain repairing obligations may apply. Get specialist advice if you are unsure of your repairing obligations.
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Safety
Landlords have legal obligations for fire, gas and electrical safety. Tenants also have responsibilities for ensuring the safety of their accommodation. This includes:
- reporting any dangerous faults or appliances
- doing small day to day maintenance jobs such as changing light bulbs or replacing fuses.
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Allowing other people to live with you
Your tenancy agreement will probably tell you whether you are allowed to sublet your accommodation or take in lodgers. You will usually only be allowed to take in a lodger or sublet your accommodation if you ask your landlord. Any housing benefit you receive could be reduced if you take in a lodger.
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Passing your tenancy to someone else
Most private tenants can only pass their tenancy on to someone else in very specific circumstances. You usually need your landlord to agree to this.
Also, anyone succeeding to a protected tenancy after April 1st 2007 won't be able to pass that tenancy on again as succession may only occur once in this context.
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Leaving your accommodation
If you want to move out you usually have to give your landlord a minimum amount of four weeks' notice - this should be in writing. The amount on notice you are required to give depends on how long you've been living in the property and the terms of your tenancy agreement. Check your tenancy agreement for the amount of notice you have to give. If you are renting your accommodation for a fixed period of time, you might not be allowed to move out before the fixed period ends.
If you do leave, you may have to pay rent until the fixed period of time ends. You may have difficulty getting your deposit back if you move out before the end of the fixed period.
In the absence of a fixed term tenancy a default tenancy term applies (of 6 months). You should still give at least 4 weeks notice to quit to your landlord.
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