Home » Housing and council tax » Renting privately and deposit protection
Renting privately and deposit protection
Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. In England and Wales the landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme. Since 1 May 2026 most private tenancies in England are rolling assured periodic tenancies with no end date.
Official links
Show links for:
| Official source | Applies to |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK: private renting www.gov.uk/private-renting | England |
| GOV.UK: tenancy deposit protection www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection | England, Wales |
| GOV.WALES: renting homes for tenants www.gov.wales/renting-homes-tenants | Wales |
| mygov.scot: renting from a private landlord www.mygov.scot/browse/housing/rented-housing/private | Scotland |
| nidirect: renting a home privately www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/renting-home-privately | Northern Ireland |
Step by step
- Check what type of tenancy you have and read the agreement (if it is oral, the landlord must give you the key terms in writing).
- Do not pay rent before you both sign the tenancy agreement.
- Within 30 days of paying a deposit, check that it is protected and that you got the scheme's details.
- Report repairs to your landlord and keep paying the rent while you sort them out.
What you need
- Your tenancy agreement.
- The deposit protection details from your landlord.
- Proof of your right to rent, if the home is in England.
Common mistakes
- Not checking that your deposit is protected.
- Stopping rent because of a dispute or repairs. You must keep paying.
- Offering more than the advertised rent. In England landlords cannot ask for or accept bids above it.