Take the quiz
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Q1 of 10 your score: 0/10
Tenants are allowed to withhold their final month’s rent if they’ve paid a deposit.
If you are thinking of doing this, bear in mind that your landlord could take you to court to recover it, along with any arrears. They may also give you a bad reference which may make it difficult for you to find somewhere else to live.
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Q2 of 10 your score: /10
Making an inventory before you move in is just a formality.
An inventory can help avoid a dispute over your deposit when you move out because it proves what state the property was in when you moved in. Make sure any existing damage is agreed and noted in the inventory. You may want to take photos.
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Q3 of 10 your score: /10
Landlords are allowed to use part of the deposit to pay for cleaning after you leave.
Although they can only do this if the tenancy agreement says that it’s allowed. Even then, it does not mean that they have to be as clean as or cleaner than when you moved in.
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Q4 of 10 your score: /10
If you have an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007, your landlord has to protect your deposit in an authorised scheme. If they don’t then it may be harder for them to evict you.
Landlords don’t normally need to prove a specific legal reason if they want to evict an assured shorthold tenant, but they do if they’ve failed to protect your deposit when they should have.
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Q6 of 10 your score: /10
If you don’t have a written tenancy agreement, you don’t have any rights.
All tenants have certain basic rights under the law, even if they don't have a written agreement. The rights and responsibilities you have in a verbal agreement can be harder to prove, however.
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Q7 of 10 your score: /10
If you don’t end your tenancy properly, you may still be liable for the rent after you’ve moved out.
Walking away or posting the keys through the letterbox will not end your agreement. Your tenancy will continue and the landlord can continue to charge you rent, so you're likely to build up rent arrears.
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Q8 of 10 your score: /10
Landlords must get a gas safety certificate for every appliance in the property.
These must be issued by a registered gas engineer and be renewed every year.
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Q9 of 10 your score: /10
Your landlord can come round whenever they like.
Check your tenancy agreement to see if it mentions anything. Landlords may need access to the accommodation to inspect it and do repairs but they must let you live in your home without unnecessary interference. They should give reasonable notice and arrange a suitable time if they need to visit.
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Q10 of 10 your score: /10
If you have been illegally evicted, you may have the right to re-enter your home, even if your landlord has changed the locks.
But this is a complicated area of law, so it’s essential to check your rights before taking any action. Otherwise, you might be committing a criminal offence. A housing lawyer or specialist adviser can also help if you want to go to court to get an injunction and/or compensation.
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Page last updated March 9, 2012
© Shelter 2012
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