Legal help, services and support for private residential landlords
Tessa’s Ten Top Tips on Rent
- Landlords in England must now give a proposed rent in all property adverts (other than boards) and must not charge more than this when the property is let. Failure to comply can result in a fine.
- In England, landlords can only increase rent by the statutory notice procedure.
- Make sure that your tenancy (or Welsh occupation) agreement clause provides for rent to be paid in advance, as by default, it is payable in arrears. Note that this is NOT included in the Welsh model contracts, so do not use these unamended. The Renters Rights Act allows rent to be paid in advance at the start of the rental period once the tenancy is in force.
- The Renters Rights Act only allows rent in advance of the tenancy start of 1 month, which cannot be paid before the tenancy has been entered into (i.e., signed up so both parties are committed)
- Try to ensure that your tenants pay by standing order if possible. Ideally, get them to sign a standing order form before they move in.
- If you have made the rent payable weekly, note that you have to provide a rent book in the prescribed form (obtainable from most large stationers).
- Keep accurate records of rent paid, making sure you record the date and the amount paid every time rent is received from the tenant.
- If rent is not increased in the proper way, the new ‘rent’ will be invalid, and your tenant can refuse to pay it.
- Keep a check on whether your tenants have paid rent, as the best time to resolve issues is immediately after the first default
- Be careful about allowing tenants too much time to pay. Bearing in mind the time it takes to evict a tenant – what they are in effect doing is negotiating a further rent-free period in your property.
Further resources for Landlord Law members:
- We have a guidance article on increasing rent the proper way
- Landlords of tenants on benefit will find our article on credit unions helpful
- We have a detailed Rent Arrears Action plan to help landlords whose tenants are not paying rent – with detailed guidance, draft letters and checklists for you to use
- We also have an article on helping tenants in arrears of rent – including how to source grant aid.
- Note that our Welsh content can be found via the Wales Page.
Not a member?
Can’t find the answer to your problem?
Need more information?
Why not buy some Telephone Advice? (Members – £195 incl. VAT, Non members – £210 incl. VAT – includes 1 month FREE Landlord Law membership).
Or click the menu button below to see the other Top Tips pages
Footer
Tessa Shepperson of Landlord Law is an accredited trainer with the
Property Investors Bureau.
Associated website: