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Find a home in the private rented sector

Private rented homes are available in lots of types and sizes. It can be quicker to get a home which is rented privately as there are no waiting lists.

You can find a private rented home by looking online for 'private landlords' or 'letting agents', or by searching for properties available to rent on the following websites:

You could also visit a local letting agent for more information and details of homes available to rent.  

Your rent

It's important to make sure you can afford to pay your rent before signing a tenancy agreement. You can use the government benefit calculator to check which benefits you may be able to get.

Deposits

For a private rented property you'll usually have to pay a tenancy deposit, also known as a bond. This can by used by the landlord to cover rent arrears or damage to the property.

The maximum deposit the landlord can ask for is equal to five weeks' rent. You can work this out by multiplying the monthly rent by 12 (for the 12 months of the year), dividing this by 52 (to work out the weekly rent), then multiplying the result by five:

Monthly rent x 12 รท 52 x 5 = maximum deposit

Your landlord must protect your deposit with an approved scheme such as the Deposit Protection Service, Tenancy Deposit Scheme or mydeposits.

Help with your deposit

If you're homeless or threatened with homelessness, we may be able to help you with a deposit by giving you a low interest loan. You can ask about this by filling in our online form or calling us on 01226 773870.

Letting agents

Private letting agents must be registered with an approved redress scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to deal with any complaints made by tenants or landlords about letting agents. There are two government approved schemes: