Rights and responsibilities
This content applies to England only.
Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland
Landlords and tenants have certain rights and responsibilities - even if they're not mentioned in the tenancy agreement. Some rights and responsibilities apply to all tenancies. Others are set out in the legislation that applies to the particular type of tenancy you have.
Any written or verbal agreement you have with your landlord can only add to your basic rights. Your tenancy agreement cannot take any of these rights away, regardless of what it says. If a landlord (or someone acting on their behalf) tries to take away your legal rights, they may be guilty of harassment or illegal eviction.
Try and get an agreement in writing if you can, as this should set out your rights and responsibilities. An inventory agreed by both the landlord and the tenant will also help to avoid any disputes at the end of the tenancy agreement. If possible take photos showing the state of the property on the moving-in date.
Landlords' responsibilities
Landlords have legal obligations too. These can't be avoided by leaving them out of the tenancy agreement, but they may be difficult to enforce.
Tenants' responsibilities
A tenancy doesn't just give you rights - it also brings responsibilities. It's important to stick to the rules and to get advice as soon as possible if you have problems.
