Private housing

Information for private housing tenants, homeowners and landlords. How to report an empty property or bring one back into use.

Property licensing schemes

Property licensing schemes
Get information on the new Selective licensing scheme, as well as our existing schemes.

Private tenants

Housing advice for private tenants

Find out more about the renting process and your rights as a tenant.
Contact us about your private rented housing
Contact us if you need help with a private housing problem, or if you have a question about our private housing services.
Carry out work on your home
Make sure you're following building rules and check if you need planning permission before starting work on your home
Changes to your home
If you have a disability or a long term illness or health condition, you might benefit from making some changes to your home, adapting it to better meet your needs.
How to find a home to rent
Get advice on the kind of property you should look for and how to find rented properties.
Get help to keep up with your rent
Get help and advice if you're having difficulty paying your rent for private housing.
Join the register to build your own home
Apply to be on our self build and custom housebuilding register to let us know you want to build your own home.
Property safety and legal advice for tenants

Understand your rights and find out what your landlord's legal obligations are.
Revenge eviction

Find out about revenge eviction, also known as retaliatory eviction, how the law can protect you and where to get help.
More about Private tenants

Private landlords

Contact us about a property you're renting out
Contact us if you're a private landlord, letting your property through the council, or have a question about HMO licensing
Rent out your property through the council
Provide a home to local families who need housing by renting out your property through the council
Houses in Multiple Occupation

You may need a licence for a House in Multiple Occupation if you're renting out to several tenants who aren't members of the same family.
Tenant advice for landlords

Understand your rights find and out what your landlords legal obligations are.
Property safety advice for landlords

Find out what your responsibilities are and learn how to make your propery safe and free from health hazards.
Energy Performance Certificates and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
Find out what landlords must do to comply with energy efficiency standards in their rented properties.
More about Private landlords

Empty properties

Report an empty or derelict property

Tell us if a property you live near has become empty or derelict.
Update us on an empty property you own

Tell us about a change to your empty property, such as someone moving in or work being done.
How to find and buy an empty property
Where to look for empty properties in Brighton & Hove.
Bring your empty property back into use
If you own an empty property and are not sure what to do with it, here are some of the options available to you.
How we make sure empty properties are reused
Find out what powers we can use to make sure empty properties are brought back into use.

Home energy efficiency

Get help with energy bills

Advice about how to save energy and check if you can get a discount on your energy bills.
How to be energy efficient at home
Where to get advice to become more energy efficient, how to get a free smart meter and help for private tenants and property owners to save energy including possible grants.
How to keep warm and well
Advice about staying warm in your home to reduce the risk of health problems.

Private housing policies

Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy
Find out how the council regulates standards in private rented housing and tackles empty homes in Brighton and Hove.