You could find a private rented home by:
- renting direct from a landlord
- using a letting agent
- searching online
Landlords and agents carry out checks on tenants who want to rent from them, for example:
- checking the immigration status of any adult occupiers before they rent out a property. This is called a right to rent check.
- income checks to ensure that you can pay the rent
- run a credit check with your permission.
- ask for references from a current or previous landlord, your employer
If you fail an income, credit or reference check, you could:
- offer more rent in advance if you can
- ask if you can provide a guarantor
A guarantor is usually a relative or friend who agrees to pay the rent or cover damage to the property if you do not pay it.
Renting directly from a landlord
An advantage of renting directly is that you can speak to the landlord yourself. You do not have to rely on going through a letting agent.
This can make it easier to agree a tenancy and raise or explain any issues. Private landlords who rent directly sometimes advertise properties on:
- social media or online forums
- local noticeboards or newspapers
You can also post your own ads in these places. Say how many rooms you need and how much rent you can pay. Private landlords are not regulated, but in some areas they need a licence.
You can check with Ashford Borough Council to see if the landlord needs a licence. View the Register
Using a letting agent
The service you get from letting agents can vary.
Take these steps to protect yourself:
- check the agent is a member of a redress scheme
- choose an agent with a good reputation if you can
- search forums and social media to see what other people say about them
Letting agent redress schemes look into customer complaints about agents. All agents must be a member of a redress scheme.
Look out online for reports of letting agents who encourage rent bidding wars, or who say they can help landlords to evict tenants for people who will pay more.
Most letting agents fees are banned. Find out what to do if a letting agent tries to charge you banned fees (opens page on Gov.UK website). Never pay any money without seeing the property. Try to take someone with you when you’re viewing.
Online searches
Landlords and letting agents post places for rent on sites like:
- Rightmove
- Zoopla
- Spareroom
Social media
Landlords and agents advertise in facebook and whatsapp groups.
Make sure you check that ads are legitimate before you pay any money. Check the landlord out online and ask for a viewing in person.
Do not fall for online rental scams. Fraudsters sometimes advertise properties that do not exist or have already been rented. They ask for an upfront fee and then disappear with your money. Do not be pressured into sending or transferring money without viewing the property.
If you get benefits
Letting agents must not discriminate if you claim benefits. DSS discrimination is when a letting agent refuses to rent to people who get universal credit, housing benefit or disability benefits.
Letting agents cannot say it’s the landlord’s choice to refuse tenants on benefits. It’s against equality law for them to take instructions to discriminate from a landlord.
If you’re dealing directly with the landlord, you cannot always challenge DSS discrimination. This is because private landlords are not regulated in the same way as agents.
The courts have ruled that ‘no DSS’ policies are unlawful because they indirectly discriminate against women and disabled people. Join the Shelter campaign to end income discrimination