Property safety and legal advice for tenants

Make sure the property you are renting is safe

Your landlord has a legal obligation to make sure the property you are renting is safe and free from health hazards. You may be able to take action against your landlord if there are problems with the property.

Damp and mould

Landlords must ensure that the accommodation they provide is free from serious hazards, including damp and mould, and that homes are fit for habitation. They must treat cases of damp and mould with the utmost seriousness and act promptly to protect their tenants’ health.

You can also read our advice for our council housing tenants on how to keep mould out of your home. 

Gas Safety Advice

It is important that your landlord checks your gas appliances regularly.  Find out more about your landlord’s obligations and how to make a complaint.

Fire safety

Your landlord should have recieved a letter reminding them about their responsibilities for fire safety in your building. This includes a fire safety checklist (PDF 104KB) to help you make sure your building is safe.

If you're a resident in a high rise building, you should check your landlord is carrying out their responsibilities for fire safety.

Fitness for Human Habitation Act guide for tenants

If rented houses and flats are not ‘fit for human habitation’, tenants can take their landlords to court without relying on the local authority to do so. 

The court can make the landlord carry out repairs or put right health and safety problems.  The court can also make the landlord pay compensation to the tenant. Read the Guide for tenants: Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 to find out if you may be eligible.

Understand your rights as a tenant

It is important that you understand your rights as a tenant. There are a number of resources to help you if you think your landlord is breaking the law.

Tenant Fees Act 2019

A landlord or agent cannot require you (or anyone acting on your behalf or guaranteeing your rent) to make certain payments in connection with a tenancy in England.

They cannot require you to enter a contract with a third party for the provision for a service or for insurance or make a loan in connection with a tenancy.

Read the Tenant Fees Act 2019 to find out what your rights are.

Help and advice on your tenancy

If you need advice on your tenancy (or end of tenancy) and associated rights not covered above you can get help from Shelter or Justice for Tenants.

Rent Repayment Orders

A Rent Repayment Order forces a landlord to refund up to 12 months’ rent.

Rent Repayment Orders are awarded if:

• The property you re renting does not have a licence
• The landlord has not complied with a council notice
• The tenant has been harassed or evicted without the correct paperwork

Contact us

If you feel like your landlord is not dealing with problems that you've reported, you can contact us about your private rented housing.