Charnwood Borough Council - Leading in Leicestershire

There are a number of reasons why you may wish to consider Privately Rented properties. You may want to live in a particular part of the Borough where the Council or Housing Associations do not have many properties, or you may need to find new accommodation quickly.

If you agree to a tenancy with a Private Landlord there are a number of rights and responsibilities that you and your landlord have. If you are an Assured or an Assured Shorthold tenant you have the right to "quiet enjoyment". This means you have the right to live undisturbed in your property without the threat of unlawful eviction. You are also entitled to live in a property which is fit to live in.

However you do have a responsibility to abide by the terms of your tenancy agreement and not to cause damage or anti-social behaviour in and around the property.

There are a number of different types of Privately Rented accommodation and you will have to decide what type will suit you. This may depend on whether you are paying the rent yourself or will be claiming Housing Benefit.

The most common types of Private Rented properties are:

Lodgings: where you rent a room within your landlord's house. You will have your own room but will share everything else with your landlord. This type of rented accommodation gives you the least rights if your landlord wants you to leave.

Shared Houses: where you rent a room in a house and share facilities like the kitchen and bathroom with other people who are renting rooms but the landlord does not live in the building. If you are single under 25 and have no dependents then Housing Benefit will normally consider a room in a shared house reasonable for you to live in. If you choose to rent other accommodation they will still limit your Housing Benefit to the level of rent a room in a shared house in the same area would cost.

Bedsits: are flats where you have your own room that you use as a living room and bedroom and you will also have your own kitchen area. You may still have to share a bathroom with other residents.

Self contained accommodation: where you rent a whole house or flat and only your household live in it.

If you are renting a property from a landlord at the moment, and you have lived in the same landlord's properties since before 28th February 1997, and you are considering moving into another property owned by the same landlord you should contact the Bridge Housing Advice Centre before signing any new agreement.

Finding Private Rented Accommodation

There are lots of ways you can try and find Privately Rented accommodation. One of the best ways is to ask family and friends or colleagues at work to see if they know of any properties available. This is often the best way to find cheaper properties to rent. Alternatively try looking on notice boards at local shops, supermarkets and community centres.

The Loughborough Echo, which is normally out on a Thursday, contains adverts for Private rented accommodation. The Leicester Mercury, on a Monday, also contains some adverts for properties in Charnwood.

You could also register your details with lettings agents which you can find in the telephone directory or the local papers but you may have to pay charges to register. If you have access to the internet you can also look for rented properties on line.

Paying your Rent

If you may have to claim Housing Benefit for your accommodation you should check with the Housing Benefits section as to how much Housing Benefit you might receive. If the rent is more than Housing Benefit will pay then you will need to find the difference in the rent yourself.

Tenancy Agreements

If you need advice before you sign a tenancy agreement with a Private Landlord you should contact the Bridge Housing Advice Centre.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) produces a number of booklets about Private Tenancies, which you can read if you want more information. You can pick up copies from the Bridge Housing Advice Centre or the Council Offices or download them from the DCLG website.