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Tenancy, deposits & your rights

Protect your deposit and know your rights as a tenant.

Hi, is my deposit protected? Which scheme is it in?

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All 15 phrases

Moving in6

  1. Is my deposit protected? Which scheme is it in?The landlord must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and give you the details.
  2. Could I have a copy of the inventory?The inventory (check-in report) records the condition of everything, with photos.
  3. I've noted a few things on the inventoryA polite way to flag existing damage.
  4. Is it fully managed, or do I deal with the landlord?'Managed' means the agent handles repairs.
  5. I'll send you a share codeFor Right to Rent checks in England, visa holders get a share code from GOV.UK instead of showing documents.
  6. They can't refuse me just because I'm on benefits'No DSS' (no tenants on housing benefit) was ruled unlawful in 2020 and is now banned outright in England.

Your landlord's duties3

  1. Can I get that in writing?Essential for any promise about repairs, rent or the deposit.
  2. Have you got a copy of the gas safety certificate?Landlords must have gas appliances checked every year and give you the certificate.
  3. They're meant to give 24 hours' noticeLandlords and agents should give at least 24 hours' written notice before visiting, except in emergencies.

Notice and rent4

  1. I'm writing to give two months' noticeThe formal way to end your tenancy.
  2. It's a rolling tenancy nowPeriodic: month to month, no fixed end date.
  3. Isn't that a no-fault eviction?Section 21 let landlords end a tenancy without a reason.
  4. The landlord's putting the rent upIn England rent can go up once a year with a formal Section 13 notice, and you can challenge it at a tribunal.

Getting your deposit back2

  1. That's fair wear and tearNormal ageing like faded paint or worn carpet.
  2. I'd like to dispute the deductionsIf you disagree with what's taken from your deposit, the protection scheme has a free dispute service.
Check yourself15 questions

Question 1 of 15

How long has the landlord got to protect it?

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Reviews
1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days later
Moments
0 of 15 phrases have a clip
Sources
Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
Phrases
Picked by Talk.
How Talk picked them
Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 15 phrases.
Licence
Talk shares this list under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Meanings and examples
Written by Talk in plain English.
Dictionary details
From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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