How to rent: a step-by-step guide for England

By Sam Kane · Last checked 5 October 2026 · Covers England only

Looking for the government’s How to Rent guide? It was withdrawn on 1 May 2026, when the Renters’ Rights Act changes started. This how to rent guide covers the same steps under the new rules, from your first search to the day you get the keys.

In short, you work out your budget, find and view a home, pass the landlord’s checks, pay a holding deposit, sign the tenancy agreement, then pay your deposit and first month’s rent and move in.

The short version

• Know your total cost before you search. Up front, expect up to 1 week’s rent as a holding deposit, up to 5 weeks’ rent as a deposit, and up to 1 month’s rent in advance.
• Agents and landlords cannot charge you fees for viewings, references, admin or inventories.
• The advertised rent is the rent. Nobody can ask you to bid more.
• Never pay anything before you have seen the home and know who the landlord is.
• Expect checks. Most landlords check your references, your credit and, in England, your right to rent.
• Read the written terms before you sign. Your landlord must give them to you before the tenancy starts.
• Your deposit must go into a government-approved scheme within 30 days.
• On move-in day, take dated photos of every room and every meter.

What happened to the government’s How to Rent guide?

For years, landlords in England had to give every new tenant a government booklet called “How to rent: the checklist for renting in England”. The government withdrew it on 1 May 2026 and keeps it only for tenancies where a landlord served a section 21 notice before that date.

Now, new tenants get a written statement of the main terms of their tenancy before it starts, usually in the tenancy agreement. Tenants who already had a written agreement should have received the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.

Step 1: Work out what you can afford

Before you look at a single advert, work out two numbers: what you can pay each month, and what you need up front.

What you pay before you move in

Here is the most a landlord or agent can ask for, using a rent of £1,000 a month as an example. A week’s rent is worked out as the monthly rent × 12 ÷ 52, which is about £230.76 here.

The holding deposit usually goes towards your deposit or your first rent, if you agree. So in this example, the most you would hand over before moving in is about £2,150.

Fees for viewings, references, credit checks, admin or check-in are banned under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. If someone asks for one, you can refuse.

What you pay each month

Rent is only part of the cost. Add up:

• Council tax. You usually pay it if you are 18 or over. You get 25% off if you live alone. Full-time students may not have to pay.
• Energy and water, unless the rent includes bills
• Broadband and phone
• Contents insurance, if you want it. A landlord cannot make you buy insurance as a condition of the tenancy.
• A TV licence, if you need one
• Travel from the new home to work or college

Our guide to how much rent you can afford helps you set a budget. If adverts show rent per week rather than per month, see what pcm means and how to convert weekly rent.

Step 2: Search for a home

Most people search on property websites and with local letting agents. You can also rent straight from a private landlord.

Rules that protect you while you search

• No bidding. A written advert must show one rent, not a range. A landlord or agent cannot ask you to offer more, hint that others have offered more, or accept an offer above the advertised rent. Your council can fine them up to £7,000.
• No “No DSS” and no “No children”. A landlord or agent cannot refuse you because you get benefits or have children. They can still check that you can afford the rent, but they must use the same check for everyone.
• No rent before you sign. A landlord cannot ask for, or accept, rent before you both sign the tenancy agreement.

How to avoid rental scams

• Do not pay any money before you have viewed the home, in person or by a live video call.
• Do not rent from someone who is already a tenant there. They may not have the right to let it to you.
• If someone other than the landlord shows you round, ask for the landlord’s name and contact details.
• Be wary of a rent far below similar homes, or pressure to pay quickly.

Step 3: View the home

Take someone with you if you can. It is safer, and a second person notices different things. Use this list at every viewing.

Inside the home

• Signs of damp or mould: black spots, a musty smell, peeling paint, wet window frames
• Does the heating work? Does the hot water run hot?
• Water pressure in the shower and taps
• Smoke alarms on each floor
• Mobile signal and broadband speed
• Enough storage, and space for your furniture

Questions to ask

• What is the rent, and what does it include?
• What do I need to pay before I move in?
• Which deposit scheme will protect my deposit?
• Who handles repairs, the landlord or an agent?
• What is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating? An EPC shows how energy efficient a home is, from A (best) to G. A home you rent must usually be rated E or above.
• Is it a shared house? If so, does it have a licence from the council? Many shared houses need one.
• Are pets allowed? Under the new rules you can ask, and the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse. See renting with pets.

Step 4: Apply and pass the checks

When you choose a home, the landlord or agent usually asks you to fill in an application and does some checks. You cannot be charged for any of them.

1. References. They may contact your employer, your current landlord, or both. Our guide to tenant referencing explains what they look at.
2. A credit check. This looks at how you have handled credit and bills. See credit checks for renting and what credit score you need to rent.
3. An affordability check. Many agents look for a yearly income of about 30 times the monthly rent. This is a rule of thumb, not a law.
4. A right to rent check. In England, your landlord must check that every adult tenant has the legal right to rent in the UK. Our right to rent guide explains which documents to use and how to get a share code.
5. A guarantor, if needed. If your income or credit history is thin, the landlord may ask for someone to promise to pay your rent if you do not. See rent guarantors.

Have these ready to speed things up: photo ID, proof of address, payslips or a job offer letter, and your current landlord’s contact details.

Step 5: Pay a holding deposit

A holding deposit reserves the home while the checks run. The rules:

• It can be no more than 1 week’s rent.
• The landlord has 15 days to agree the tenancy with you, unless you both agree a different date in writing.
• You get it back within 7 days if the tenancy goes ahead or the landlord pulls out. With your agreement, it can go towards your deposit or first rent instead.
• The landlord can keep it if you give false information, fail the right to rent check, pull out, or do not take reasonable steps to agree the tenancy in time. They must tell you why in writing within 7 days.

Ask for a copy of the tenancy agreement before you pay. Our holding deposit guide has the full rules.

Step 6: Read the tenancy agreement before you sign

Your landlord must give you a written statement of the main terms of your tenancy before it starts. Most landlords do this in the tenancy agreement. It must include:

• your name and the landlord’s name, and an address where you can send the landlord notices
• the address of the home and the date you can move in
• the rent and when it is due
• any bills you pay to the landlord, and whether they are part of the rent
• the deposit amount
• how much notice you must give to leave
• the landlord’s duties on repairs, gas safety and electrical safety
• your right to ask to keep a pet

Read every page. Check that the rent matches the advert. Ask about anything you do not understand before you sign.

Some agreements still use old wording. A fixed end date, a section 21 clause or an automatic rent rise clause no longer applies to a private tenancy in England. Our tenancy agreement guide explains what to look for.

If more than one of you signs, it is usually a joint tenancy. Each of you is responsible for the whole rent, not just your share.

Step 7: Pay your deposit and first rent

Once you sign, you can be asked for up to 1 month’s rent in advance and the tenancy deposit.

Within 30 days of getting your deposit, your landlord or agent must:

1. Protect it in one of three government-approved schemes: the Deposit Protection Service, mydeposits or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
2. Give you written details of the scheme and how to get your deposit back.

You can check that your deposit is protected on each scheme’s website. Our tenancy deposit guide covers protection, deductions and disputes.

Pay by bank transfer or card, not cash, so you have a record. Keep every receipt.

Step 8: Move in

Before or on the day you move in, your landlord should give you:

• the gas safety record, if the home has gas
• the Energy Performance Certificate
• the latest electrical safety report
• the keys, and instructions for the boiler, alarms and appliances

On move-in day:

1. Go through the inventory, if there is one. An inventory is a list of the contents and the condition of each room. Add anything it misses, sign it and keep a copy.
2. Take dated photos and videos of every room, including marks, stains and damage.
3. Take photos of the gas, electricity and water meter readings.
4. Test the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
5. Find the stopcock (the tap that turns off the water) and the fuse box.

In your first week:

1. Tell the council you have moved in, for council tax.
2. Set up or switch energy, water and broadband accounts, if you pay them.
3. Register to vote at your new address. Being on the electoral register helps lenders confirm your name and address.
4. Update your address with your bank, employer, GP and the DVLA.
5. Set up your rent payment for the date in your agreement. Your rent can also count on your credit file.

Your renting checklist

Use this list to keep track. It covers everything above in order.

Before you search

• I know my monthly budget, including bills and council tax
• I have the money for a holding deposit, a 5-week deposit and 1 month’s rent
• I have photo ID, proof of income and a reference ready
• If I am not a British or Irish citizen, I know how I will prove my right to rent

At each viewing

• I have seen the home, in person or on a live video call
• I have checked for damp, mould, heating, hot water and smoke alarms
• I know the rent, what it includes, and what I pay up front
• I have seen the EPC rating

Before you pay a holding deposit

• I know the landlord’s name and contact details
• I have a copy of the tenancy agreement or written terms
• I know the deadline for agreeing the tenancy

Before you sign

• The rent matches the advert
• I understand every term, and I know how much notice I must give to leave
• I know which deposit scheme will protect my deposit

On move-in day

• I have the gas safety record, EPC and electrical safety report
• I have checked and signed the inventory
• I have dated photos of every room and every meter

In the first month

• I have details of my deposit protection, within 30 days of paying
• I have told the council and set up my bills
• I am on the electoral register at my new address

Your rights once you live there

The Renters’ Rights Act gives private tenants in England strong rights. In short:

• Your tenancy rolls on with no end date until you or your landlord end it properly. You can leave with 2 months’ notice in writing.
• Your landlord needs a legal reason, now that section 21 has ended, and a court order if you do not leave.
• Your rent can rise once a year at most, with 2 months’ notice on a formal form. Not in the first 12 months.

Our guide to the Renters’ Rights Act explains each right in full.

Common questions

Is the How to Rent guide still required?

No. The government withdrew the How to Rent guide on 1 May 2026. New tenants now get a written statement of their tenancy terms before the tenancy starts. Existing tenants should have received the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026.

How much money do I need to rent a house?

Up to 1 week’s rent for a holding deposit, up to 5 weeks’ rent for the deposit and up to 1 month’s rent in advance. The holding deposit usually counts towards the deposit or rent. For a £1,000 a month home, that is about £2,150 in total.

Can a letting agent charge me fees?

No. Since the Tenant Fees Act 2019, agents and landlords cannot charge for viewings, references, credit checks, admin or inventories. The only payments allowed include rent, deposits, some bills and set default fees, such as for a lost key.

What documents do I need to rent a house?

Photo ID, proof of address, proof of income such as payslips or a job offer letter, and your current landlord’s contact details. If you are not a British or Irish citizen, you also need a way to prove your right to rent, often a share code.

Can I rent with no credit history?

Often, yes. A landlord may ask for a guarantor, or look more closely at your references and income. They cannot ask for more than 1 month’s rent in advance to make up for it. Our guide to renting with bad credit has tips.

Do I need a guarantor to rent?

Not always. Landlords often ask for one if you are a student, on a low income or new to credit. A guarantor promises to pay your rent if you do not.

Does this guide apply in Scotland or Wales?

No. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own renting laws. This guide covers England only.

Where to get free help

• Shelter: free housing advice online and by phone
• Citizens Advice: free advice on renting, deposits and fees
• Your local council: can act on rental bidding, banned fees, rent in advance and unsafe homes
• The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme: for complaints about a letting agent

Sources

• GOV.UK, Assured periodic tenancies: a guide for tenants
• GOV.UK, How to rent: the checklist for renting in England, withdrawn 1 May 2026
• GOV.UK, Renters’ Rights Act: overview for tenants
• GOV.UK, The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026
• GOV.UK, Tenant Fees Act 2019: guidance for tenants, updated 7 July 2026
• GOV.UK, Tenancy deposit protection
• GOV.UK, Prove your right to rent in England
• GOV.UK, Private renting: your rights and responsibilities
• GOV.UK, Council Tax: who has to pay
• Experian, The electoral roll and your credit report
• legislation.gov.uk, The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026
• Citizens Advice, Preparing to rent from a private landlord
• Gravesham Borough Council, Renting, read 9 October 2026

This guide is general information, not legal advice.