Private Rented Accommodation
Private renting offers you greater freedom to find the type of accommodation you require in the area you wish to live. We work with accredited landlord schemes to provide you with high quality, well managed homes to rent.
Private rented accommodation can include lodgings, renting your own flat or house or shared accommodation. Your landlord will be a private individual or company and you will have either a tenancy or licence agreement. They tend to offer properties on six monthly tenancies, which can be renewed if they are happy with the way you have managed your tenancy. You don't have the same security of tenure as you do with a council or housing association tenancy, but there are lots of examples in Ealing of tenants remaining in private accommodation for long periods of time, in a very settled way.
If you find a home you want to rent, you will usually need a deposit and one month's rent in advance.
We always recommend you take sensible precautions when you are meeting someone to view a property. See our safety tips page for useful advice.
More information about being a tenant - guide.
More information about renting privately
What type of tenancy is most common? If you are renting from a private landlord and he does not live with you, then you will probably be an assured shorthold tenant.
You will be an assured shorthold tenant if: .Your landlord is a private landlord; .The house or flat is your main home and your landlord does not live with you.
Statement of terms If your tenancy started after 28 February 1997, you have the right to ask your landlord to provide a statement of terms of your tenancy. The information that must be provided is: .the start date of the tenancy; .the amount of rent and when you have to pay it; .how and when the rent may be changed; .the length of any fixed term. If you ask for this information your landlord has to provide it within 28 days
From 6th April 2007 your landlord must place your deposit in a government authorised scheme. If he does not, then he may not obtain possession of the property if he applies through the Courts, and you could be entitled to compensation of up to three times the amount of your deposit .
Your tenancy will end in one of three ways; ·By mutual agreement; ·By you serving a notice on your landlord that you wish to leave. If you have a fixed term tenancy you can only terminate the tenancy if there is a break clause. Otherwise you are committed to stay in the property until the end of your tenancy. If the tenancy is periodic it is usual to serve one months notice; ·By your landlord serving a valid notice to quit asking you to leave.
What is a valid notice to quit and what happens after it has expired? A valid notice requires that the landlord gives you two months notice to leave. If your landlord has given you notice and you do not have a tenancy agreement, or your tenancy agreement has expired, this notice cannot take effect until at least six months after you move in. If you have a tenancy agreement, it cannot take effect until the end of the tenancy agreement, unless there is a break clause in the tenancy agreement. There are exceptions to this, for instance where the landlord seeks possession for a specific reason, such as rent arrears. A different notice, with a shorter notice period, could be served. You do not have to leave the property once a notice has expired, as you have a right to remain until the landlord applies to Court for a Possession Order and a Bailiffs Warrant. What other types of tenancies are there? ·If you have a resident landlord and share living accommodation, you are a licensee and you have very few rights against eviction. ·If you are an assured tenant or a Housing Association or Council tenant, your landlord can only evict you if you have broken a term of the tenancy If you moved into the property before 15 January 1989 you may be a regulated tenant and you have strong rights against eviction and you have strong rights against eviction and rent increases.
If your landlord tries to evict you without applying to Court, or does things which make it difficult for you to remain there, such as harasses you to leave, or withdraws essential services such as gas, water or electricity, he may be breaking the law. The council has a power to prosecute landlords who harass tenants. It is important that you contact us at the Housing Advisory Service if your landlord harasses you or threatens to illegally evict you.
Who do I contact if I need advice about my rights as a tenant? If you are would like further information about your tenancy rights, or your are being harassed or threatened with illegal eviction, there are various ways you can use our service: In person: Ealing Council Housing Reception Perceval House 14-16 Uxbridge Road Ealing W5 2HL Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 4.30pm By telephone: 020 8825 8888 By email: Housadv@ealing.gov.uk By visiting our website: www.ealing.gov.uk/housing In writing: Housing Advisory Service Ealing Council 4th Floor Perceval House 14-16 Uxbridge Road Ealing W5 2HL
If you are on a low income or if you receive benefits, you may be able to claim housing benefit to help with the cost of your rent. This may even cover all of your rent in some circumstances, making this a realistic option for people who are on a low income. To help work out how much housing benefit you will be entitled to, you can use this Housing Benefit Calculator.
The Seven West London Councils runs a Private Rented Scheme West London Letstart for which you may be eligible.
Advice on disrepair issues
What is a landlord responsible for?
You should check what your tenancy agreement says about the landlords repairing duties. However, the law places certain repairing duties on a landlord.
Help in accessing a home in the private rented sector
Private rented accommodation is housing, which is offered for rent to tenants by private landlords. Anyone can rent accommodation in this sector and there are many different kinds of home to choose from, including houses.