Renting: know your rights as a tenant
Phrases for deposits, repairs, rent rises and eviction in England.
Is my deposit protected, and which scheme is it in?
Computer voice · not a real clip
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All 13 phrases
Moving in5
- Is my deposit protected?In England, landlords must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and tell you which one.
- Can we do the inventory together?A record of the flat's condition when you move in.
- Can I see the gas safety certificate?Landlords must arrange a gas safety check every year and give you a copy.
- That fee isn't allowed, is it?The Tenant Fees Act bans most letting fees in England.
Rent and eviction5
- Is it a periodic tenancy?A rolling tenancy with no fixed end date.
- You can't use a Section 21 any more, can you?In England, 'no-fault' evictions ended on 1 May 2026.
- Have you served a Section 13 notice?The formal notice for a rent increase.
- We're not allowed to bid above the asking rentRental bidding wars are banned under the new rules in England.
- I'll get advice from Shelter or Citizens AdviceFree housing advice charities.
Living in the flat3
- There's damp and mould, can you send someoneReport repairs in writing.
- Please give me 24 hours' notice before visitingLandlords generally have to give at least 24 hours' notice for non-emergency visits.
- Can I ask to keep a pet?The new rules give tenants a right to ask for a pet, and landlords can't refuse unreasonably.
Check yourself13 questions
Question 1 of 13
How long does a landlord have to protect it?
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Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phrases
- Picked by Talk.
- How Talk picked them
- Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 13 phrases.
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- From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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