Housing
6guides
Everything you need to rent safely and confidently in the UK.
How to find rental listings in the UKWhere to search (Rightmove, Zoopla, OpenRent, SpareRoom), how agencies work, and how to spot scams before you pay anything.
Tenancy agreements and deposit protectionWhat an Assured Shorthold Tenancy is, the 5-week deposit cap, and how deposit protection schemes keep your money safe.
Council tax, energy and other billsWhat council tax is, who pays it, typical energy/water/broadband costs, and the discounts newcomers often miss.
Viewings, referencing and holding depositsWhat happens between finding a place and signing: referencing checks, the one-week holding deposit cap, and what agents can legally charge.
Damp, disrepair and landlord problemsHow to report repairs properly, escalate to the council's environmental health team, and get free help from Shelter when the landlord won't act.
Giving notice and moving out properlyNotice rules for fixed-term vs rolling tenancies, break clauses, and the moving-out checklist that gets your full deposit back.