Affordable Housing - Rented Homes from Private Landlords
Rented Homes from Private Landlords
Information about renting a home from a private landlord
Renting a home from a private landlord is an important option to consider if you are looking for new accommodation.
To find information on properties that are available for private rent you can look in the local newspapers, contact a lettings agent or use web sites.
Some common questions about renting a privately owned property are set out below. A comprehensive guide to renting private property, ‘Read This First’ is available here. Helpful information is also available on the web sites of the Midland Landlord Accreditation Scheme, HOMESTAMP or the National Landlords Association .
Which lettings agents can I trust?
Look for an agent that is a member of the Midland Landlord Accreditation Scheme, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, the National Approved Lettings Scheme or the Property Ombudsman - by belonging to one of these professional bodies or schemes, agents have to sign up to certain standards of practice and you will have access to an independent complaints procedure.
Who can I go to for local knowledge?
Solihull Community Housing can advise on renting in the private sector. They may be able to provide assistance with a Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme aimed at those who are homeless or faced with homelessness in the Solihull area.
The scheme works by offering private landlords a written bond, underwritten by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, which replaces the usual cash deposit.
The aim being to make private rented accommodation more easily accessible to it's customers.
Tenancy terms:
Make sure you ask for a written tenancy agreement, and make sure that you understand it. The agreement should make it clear who is paying what utility bills, arrangements for rent reviews, how long the tenancy is for and arrangements for paying the rent. You can find out more about this in ‘Read This First’. If you're not sure what you are signing you can obtain free advice in the first instance from your local Citizens' Advice Bureau or you might like to get your own legal advice.
Retrieving deposits:
Make sure that your deposit has been protected. Landlords are required to protect your deposit with one of three Government-sponsored schemes, established in 2007. ‘Read This First’ has more information on this.
Safety:
Check that your landlord has an up to date Gas Safety Certificate on the property and ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before you decide to take the property this will give you an idea of the cost of heating the property. Both are legal requirements for landlords. In addition it is recommended that landlords should get an electrical safety certificate every five years, and you are advised to see this before entering into any agreement.
Handling disagreements:
If something goes wrong don't stop paying the rent as this will put you at risk of eviction. Talk to your landlord as soon as possible - the majority of landlords are responsible and professional.
Who can help?
If you are struggling to resolve a problem with your landlord you can get independent advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau or for a referral to the Council’s Environmental Protection Team contact Solihull Connect in person or by ‘phoning 0121 704 8000. If your landlord is a member of the Midlands Landlords Accreditation Scheme he should be working to the code of conduct and if he isn’t you can ask the scheme to arbitrate in your dispute.
- The Council’s Environmental Protection Team will be helpful if there are problems with the quality or safety of the property you are renting. Before doing this, you should always contact your landlord in the first instance to try and sort out the problem .
- If you are at risk of homelessness, contact Solihull Community Housing who provide the housing advice and homelessness service on the Council’s behalf
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- If you are experiencing financial difficulties, help and advice is available. Please see the Money Counts webpages
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