Date Published 01 August 2024
What is the How to rent guide?
The How to rent guide, a legal requirement, is an online government document providing advice to current and prospective tenants on the rental process in England and Wales. It details their rights and responsibilities as a tenant, as well as the legal obligations of landlords.
Every landlord must ensure their tenant(s) have received a copy of the How to Rent guide at the beginning of their tenancy.
Your landlord or letting agent should give the current version of this guide to the tenant when a new assured shorthold tenancy starts.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for people who are renting a home privately under an assured shorthold tenancy, either direct from a landlord or through a letting agency.
Most of it will also apply if you are in a shared property but in certain cases, your rights and responsibilities will vary.
The guide does not cover lodgers (people who live with their landlord) or people with licences (such as many property guardians – see this specific guidance on property guardians), nor tenants where the property is not their main or only home.
Which version of the How to rent guide do I need to give to my tenants?
The latest version of the How to rent guide was issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 2 October 2023.
The October 2023 How to rent guide has been updated with advice on how to access free legal aid services and support, regardless of financial circumstances.
It contains information on the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, replacing the Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes (HCPDS), which provides legal advice to tenants at risk of eviction.
This follows updates made in March 2023 as follows:
Approved Identity Service Providers for UK/Irish citizens under Right to Rent
Mandatory requirement to have Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in a property where there is a combustible gas appliance (excluding a gas cooker)
Changes to the Code of Practice on Right to Rent to Rent Civil Penalty Scheme for agents and their landlords
Ensure you are renting your home legally by using a licensed and regulated estate agent. To find out more, give our qualified and experienced team a call.
