Tenancy and housing Introduction Everyone renting their home has some basic legal protections If you’re renting your home (if you’re a “tenant”), you have some minimum legal protections, like you do with a job. Your legal rights don’t just depend on whatever…
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Who’s covered by the minimum tenancy protections What kinds of renting arrangements are covered? Residential Tenancies Act 1986, ss 3–11 As the name of the Act says, the special protections under the Residential Tenancies Act apply to: A tenancy – in other words,…
Moving in: Signing a tenancy agreement with a landlord Overview When you move into a new place that you’re renting, your landlord has to provide you with a written tenancy agreement, which has to deal with certain issues. The tenancy agreement is…
Rent, bond and other costs Overview This section explains: rent, including how much rent you can be charged in advance and when you might be able to challenge the rent as being too high bond, including how much your landlord can charge…
Rent, bond and other costs Bond: The landlord’s security against damage or unpaid rent What is a bond? A bond is money that you, the tenant, pay to the landlord at the beginning of the tenancy as security. This is in case…
Rent, bond and other costs Other fees and costs Can the landlord get me to pay a letting fee or other fee on top of rent and bond? Residential Tenancies Act 1986, s 17A The landlord can’t require you to pay any…
Living in your house or flat: Rights and obligations Your use and enjoyment of the house or flat Your rights as a tenant Residential Tenancies Act 1986, ss 38, 45(1), 109 Residential Tenancies (Smoke Alarms and Insulation) Regulations 2016, reg 5 As…
Living in your house or flat: Rights and obligations Keeping your home warm and dry: What your landlord has to provide New minimum standards after July 2021 As we explain in this section, your landlord has specific legal obligations to provide you…
Living in your house or flat: Rights and obligations When your landlord can come inside your place When is my landlord allowed to come inside my house or flat? Residential Tenancies Act 1986, s 48 Landlords can’t just come into your house…
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