Moving into a new house can be a very exciting process, however, it’s crucial that students know their rights before agreeing to a property. This is our ultimate hand book to make sure you get your money's worth!
So what are your rights?
Tenancy Deposit Scheme:
Landlords are legally obliged to place your housing deposit within a government owned deposit scheme called Tenancy Deposit Protection. This enables both sides to be protected if there are any cases of dispute.
If the landlord fails to put your deposit into a tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receiving it from you, you could be due compensation.
Your landlord is in charge of major repairs:
If you discover any issues with the property, report them to your landlord as quickly as possible.
Your landlord is in charge of major repairs such as:
- Baths, sinks and toilets
- The walls, roofs, windows and doors
- Pipes and wiring
- Heating and hot water
- Gas and electrical appliances
It’s important to know that minor repairs such as changing light bulbs are usually down to the tenant.
Decorating a rented house:
Before starting a big redecoration or even just painting walls, you need to get written permission from your landlord. Some landlords can let you paint the walls as long as you paint them back to the original colour before your contract is finished.
Pest Control:
If you discover mice in your property, you need to contact your landlord as quickly as possible so that they can remove them immediately.
If you find rats, you will need to contact both your landlord and the local health authority. They will be able to bring in a team to deal with the rats. This is because they are a safety and health risk.
However, if you find pests from the moment you move in, it will be your landlords responsibility.
Appliance Checks:
All of the gas appliances in the property must be safely installed, maintained and checked annually by a Gas Safe engineer. There should also be a record of every check kept at the property to be able to prove it. You can ask to see this before signing a contract.
Your landlord is legally required to ensure any electrical equipment provided is safe.
Can the landlord visit the property?
When renting a house, the landlord cannot visit their property without warning. If they need to enter the house to carry out repairs, they legally need to give the tenant a 24 hour notice.
Fire Safety:
There should be at least one smoke alarm on each floor of the property that's used as living accommodation. Any room in the house that has an active fireplace or stove top also needs to have a carbon monoxide detector.
If the property does not have a carbon monoxide detector, it’s strongly advised to buy one and invoice your landlord.
It’s very important to know your tenancy rights before signing a contract, as it’s common for landlords to take advantage of students' lack of knowledge about tenancy rights. So overall, these are the most important tenancy rights you should know as a student, however, it doesn’t hurt to do more research!
Did you discover any new rights from this article? Let us know in the comments below!
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