Housing advice

From the start of a tenancy, you have certain rights. If you are renting a room, a flat or a house from a private landlord you should ensure the following information is provided:

• Assured Shorthold Tenancy (ASTs) - even if you do not have a tenancy agreement, you still have rights
• Energy performance certificate
• Gas safety certificate
• Which safety deposit scheme is being used

It's your landlord's responsibility to repair most of the repairs in your home, you should notify them of any problems. Do not wait until the problem gets worse as it may cost more to correct.  Read our procedure on enforcing housing standards.

Read more about your rights when renting privately on the Government’s website.

The Housing Ombudsmen has produced a guide to tenants’ rights when renting from social landlords (this includes housing associations).

The New Renters Rights Act

The new Renters Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026.

How have these changes affected you as a tenant?

These changes have been designed to make renting fairer, safer, and more secure.
They have changed how private renting works and give tenants stronger rights.

The biggest changes for Tenants

Assured Shorthold Tenancies have ended

Your agreement has changed from an Assured Shorthold Tenancy to an Assured Tenancy, and you now have stronger rights — even if you signed an agreement that says something different. This change happened automatically.

On 1 May 2026, your existing tenancy also became periodic and will continue on a monthly basis, even if you previously signed a fixed‑term contract

The end of ‘no-reason’ evictions

Your landlord can no longer use a ‘no‑reason’ Section 21 notice to evict you. Instead, they can only evict you if they have a legal reason, known as a ground for example, rent arrears or antisocial behaviour.

If your landlord gave you a valid eviction notice before the changes came into force, your tenancy will not become assured straight away. Your landlord may still ask the court for a possession order, but they will only have a limited time to do this. The eviction can be stopped if the notice is deemed invalid.

Tell the court if the notice is not valid. You will have an assured tenancy and stronger rights if the court agrees.

Ending your tenancy

If you want to end your tenancy, you will now need to give two months’ notice instead of the previous one month, unless you and your landlord agree to a shorter period.

Fairer Rent Increases

Your landlord can only increase your rent by issuing a Section 13 rent increase notice, and they can only do this once per year. They must also give you two months’ notice instead of one.
If you believe the new rent is not in line with market levels in your area, you will have six months from the start of your tenancy to ask a tribunal to review it.

An End to Discriminatory Practices

The Act bans blanket policies such as ‘no pets’, ‘no DSS’, and ‘no kids’, meaning landlords must consider each request fairly.

Tenancy clauses stating that you cannot have a pet will no longer apply after the law changes, regardless of what your agreement previously said. However, some properties may not be suitable for pets or large families, so clear communication between you and your landlord is important.

The main changes are :

Currently

• You can be given a Section 21 Eviction notice for no reason
• There are no limits to rent in advance
• Your landlord might pressure you to agree to a rent increase at any time
• You might have a fixed term tenancy which makes it hard to leave early
• You can often give one months’ notice to end a periodic Assured Shorthold Tenancy
• Your landlord can refuse permission for you to have a pet. They do not have to give a reason.

From 1st May 2026

• Your landlord will need a legal reason to evict you with a Section 8 notice.
• Your landlord can only ask for one month’s rent in advance
• Your landlord can only increase your rent once a year.
• You will have a periodic tenancy which will make it easier to leave by giving notice
• You will need to give at least two months’ notice to end a Periodic Assured Tenancy
• You will have the right to ask your landlord permission to keep a pet. The landlord will only be able to refuse your request if they have a good reason.

N.B Your rights will not change if you’re a lodger, who lives with your landlord.

Find out more information about the Renter's Rights Act on the following websites:

• NRLA Advice and Guidance
• Shelter: Changes for Private Tenants
• Crisis: Renters' Rights Act
• GOV.UK: A Guide to the Renters Rights Act

If you are struggling to afford your rent then find out if you are entitled to receive housing benefit to cover all or some of the costs. Use a housing benefit calculator or make a housing benefit application, to see if you qualify.

View GOV.UK housing benefit calculator.

You can also speak to the National Housing Advisory Service for advice if you are struggling with debt or if you are having difficulty paying your rent or mortgage due to recent increases use the NHAS (National Housing Advisory Service).

You can also read advice on what to do if you can’t pay your mortgage from Citizens’ Advice.

You can also find a range of information and more organisations you can contact on our Money Advice page.

There is a term in a tenancy agreements, under the Rent Act 1977 and the Housing Act 1988, that the tenant will let the landlord have access to the property and all reasonable facilities to carry out repairs which the landlord is entitled to do.

The landlord or agent is entitled to carry out periodic tenancy inspections.

The landlord or agent authorised by the tenant, at reasonable times of the day, can enter the property to inspect its condition and state of repair. They must give the tenant at least 24 hours notice in writing before they carry out such an inspection.

If you are renting then you should contact your landlords as it is their responsibility to deal with the removal of pests.

If you own your own home and are receiving certain benefits, you may be able to get issues with rats, mice, fleas, cockroaches, bedbugs and wasps dealt with for free.

Find out more about free pest control from Worcestershire Regulatory Services.

If you own your own home and are not receiving the qualifying benefits then you will need to pay a private company to have the issue dealt with.

You can Find a Pest Controller on the British Pest Control Association website.

If your landlord wants you to leave the property you are renting then they must follow the legal rules to lawfully evict you.

The rules vary according to your circumstances, but often mean that you will be given a written Notice to Quit, or Notice of the Landlord’s Intention to Seek possession. These must be followed by a Possession Order obtained in the County Court.

An overview of the rules on evicting tenants can be found on the Government’s website.

Some landlords, if they cannot evict their tenants legally, will try to get them out by committing acts calculated to make them leave their home. This is called harassment. Examples of harassment include:

• Interfering with essential services such as the gas, electricity or water supply, etc.
• Threatening you with violence.
• Interfering with your possessions.
• Making you hand over the key to your home.
• Making you sign an agreement reducing your legal rights.
• Preventing access to shared facilities such as kitchen, bathroom and WC etc

Some landlords may force or lock their tenants out without following the correct legal procedures, usually when they do not have proper grounds for eviction. This is called illegal eviction.

As a council we have powers we can use to take action against landlords who act in this way. There are also actions you can take.

You can take private civil action against your landlord. A solicitor’s help may be free if you qualify for legal aid. Your solicitor may decide to apply to the Court for an injunction or Court Order to force your landlord to let you back into your home and/or stop harassing you.

In an emergency, an injunction can be obtained in a few hours but will normally take several days. An injunction is the most effective remedy if you are seriously troubled by your landlord. If it is disobeyed, the landlord risks possible imprisonment. Your solicitor may be able to sue the landlord for damages, for the trouble and inconvenience you have suffered and for any expenses, and to pay for any damage to your personal property.

If your landlord causes you serious problems after office hours, the police can sometimes intervene to prevent a breach of the peace.

Important: If your landlord claims to know the law and tells you that you must leave, DO NOT GO. Get advice immediately from us or a solicitor.

If you are a victim of domestic abuse, call the National Domestic Violence 24 hour helpline on 0808 2000 247.

You can also see our dedicated domestic abuse page for more advice and support.

Your home is overcrowded if:

• 2 people of a different sex have to sleep in the same room
• they are aged 10 or over 

This doesn't apply to couples who share a room. Children under 10 are not counted.

Any room you can sleep in counts. Living rooms, dining rooms and studies count as rooms you can sleep in.

Find out more about overcrowding and what your options are on the Shelter website.

The Right to Buy (RtB) Agent Service will close on a permanent basis at 5pm on 30th September 2025.

Tenants will continue to be able to access information about the RtB scheme on the GOV.UK platform. More information can be found at: Right to Buy: buying your council home: Overview - GOV.UK The Department also provides detailed guidance for tenants and landlords, at: Your right to buy your home: Your right to buy your home: a guide - GOV.UK

Read the Right to Buy summary booklet and the Right to Buy guidance.

You can also get advice on Right to Buy from:

• Money Helper
• Citizens Advice
• your local Law Centre

The Renters Reform Bill was introduced to Parliament in May 2023, and aims to deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector for both tenants and landlords. This will become law from the 1st May 2026.

If you let a property or rent from a property under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), these upcoming changes will affect you.

Key changes:

The government intends to create a new ombudsman to resolve disputes and enable landlords to understand their obligations. The ombudsman’s decision will be legally binding. You must ensure you keep detailed records of interactions and maintenance to decrease and help resolve disputes. Sign up to the Ombudsman Scheme as soon as it is available, this will be a mandatory requirement.

The Renters Reform Bill will strengthen the council’s current enforcement powers and assist in the requirement to report and enforce compliance. Its key that you keep up to date with local authority regulations as enforcement will be stricter.

For more information:

Renters Rights Bill | NRLA

What’s next:

• If you’re a landlord, assess your current property portfolio and identify anything that needs changing or updating.
• Engage with a national landlord association and keep updated with current and upcoming changes/legislation, assistance and guidance.
• Although the bill will be implemented in Autumn of 2025, the final version may have some additional changes.
• Get your tenancy agreement updated and ready to confirm with the new regulations.
• Keep a comprehensive system track compliance and avoid charges and penalties.  

The Renters Rights Bill represents the most significant change to tenancy laws in England in decades.  While the implementation of the bill may appear complex, early preparation will reduce risk and ensure you remain complaint. Landlords can minimise disruption, avoid fines, build rapport with tenants by remaining compliant in the next stages of implementation of the bill.