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HomeCouncil Tax, benefits and housingHousing advice for tenants

Housing advice for tenants

Information for tenants about tenancy agreements, tenancy deposit protection, repairs and advice if you are having problems with your landlord.

How we can help

Responsibility for living conditions is shared between landlords and tenants. Tenants rely on their landlords to supply them with good quality, safe accommodation. Our role is to provide advice and guidance on maintaining a healthy home environment. An example could be giving advice on how to reduce the risk of condensation or damp.

We liaise with landlords where property-related issues fall within their responsibility. We respond to complaints that living conditions are unsatisfactory and carry out inspections to assess if there are hazards at a property that need to be removed or reduced.

Safety Shaun videos

In association with localpad, we have created some useful safety videos for tenants. They cover a range of topics including accidents in the home, your tenancy/unfair terms, security and much more.

For information about the different types of tenancy and your rights and responsibilities please see tenancy types on Gov.UK

Further information

Types of tenancy

Landlords and tenants may have other rights and responsibilities depending on the type of tenancy.

For information about the different tenancy types please see Tenancy types on Gov.UK

Tenancy agreement

A tenancy agreement is a contract between a landlord and a tenant. It allows the tenant to live in a property as long as they pay rent and follow the rules. For  information on tenancy agreements see tenancy agreements on the Citizens’ advice website.

Further information is available on:

Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes

Your landlord is obliged to protect your deposit within a Government authorised scheme. There are three approved schemes. See Tenancy Deposit Protection on Gov.UK for more information.

Direct payment to your landlord

We usually pay your housing benefit direct to you. In some cases, we will pay the landlord direct. For example if you cannot pay the rent yourself because you have a learning disability, you cannot read or speak English, or have severe debt problems.

You must provide us with evidence of exceptional circumstances to show that you cannot pay your rent yourself. Our decision will be based on the evidence you provide. If you think that you will have problems paying your rent, please contact us immediately on benefits@northlincs.gov.uk or 0300 3030164

For further information on reasons and types of evidence please see Direct payment to your landlord evidence required [XLS, 11Kb]

Housing insurance

As a tenant you are responsible for your own contents by taking out contents insurance.

The landlord is responsible for the building insurance. For example, to cover for accidental damage to the structure, such as burst water pipes, broken windows etc.

Rent repayment orders

The Housing and Planning Act provides tenants in England the power to take their landlord to tribunal if they are guilty of any of the following offences:

  • Violence to secure entry to the property
  • Unlawful eviction or harassment of the occupier
  • Failure to comply with enforcement action
  • Improvement notice
  • Prohibition notice
  • Civil penalty notice
  • Breach of a banning order
  • Failure to licence a property (if it requires a licence) for example a HMO licence,

Further information is available on the Government website.

Repairs

It is normally the responsibility of your landlord to deal with any health and safety hazards. Tenants should ask their landlord to carry out any repairs.

For more information see how to get repairs done in your rented property on Gov.UK

Complaints about housing conditions

To make a complaint about the condition of the property you are living in please see our complaints about housing conditions page

Ending a tenancy or licence agreement

It is important that you know your legal rights and duties when you wish to end a tenancy or licence agreement. For more information see how to end a tenancy on Gov.UK

Eviction

Your landlord must follow strict procedures if they want you to leave their property, depending on the type of tenancy agreement you have and the terms of it. If they do not, they may be guilty of illegally evicting or harassing you.

Illegal eviction

If you are forced to leave the property due to some activity carried out by your landlord or someone acting on their behalf, this is an illegal eviction. Under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, we have the power to prosecute landlords for the illegal eviction of their tenants.

For further information see private renting evictions on Gov.UK

You can also contact us for more information.

Threatened with homelessness

Our first priority will be to try prevent the threat of homelessness by helping you to keep your current home. Please contact us for more information.

Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018

Landlords across the private and social rented sectors must ensure that their homes are fit for human habitation, and tenants have the power to take legal action against their landlord to enforce this.

For further information see Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 on Gov.UK

Contact

housing@northlincs.gov.uk
01724 297000