Finding a home to rent in the UK

Start with the big sites: Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket, and for shared rooms SpareRoom, and for direct landlords OpenRent and Gumtree (with caution).

• Types of home include flat, house, studio, maisonette (a two-storey flat), house share in which you rent a room, and bedsit, a room with a small kitchen.
• And it is sometimes stated furnished, unfurnished or part-furnished.
• Check the EPC, the energy performance certificate, which usually must be E or better.
• Consider location, transport and the council tax band because council tax affects your cost.
• And in university cities expect student-specific contracts.
• And set search alerts so that listings reach you as soon as posted, and hurry to view.

In England the landlord or agent must verify the Right to Rent by checking your documents: a passport with a residence permit (BRP) or an eVisa via a share code from your account on the official UKVI site.

• And proof of income is also requested: a work contract and payslips for three months and a bank statement, or an employer letter.
• References are requested from the previous landlord and sometimes a guarantor from residents of Britain if your income is weak or you have no credit history.
• And the landlord has no right to refuse you because of your nationality or religion (Equality Act).
• Many agencies charged fees beyond reference checks, but in England the Tenant Fees Act 2019 banned most fees.
• Keep copies of every document, and prepare them before searching so you can apply quickly.

Rent varies greatly: in London a room in a house share is about 800 to 1300 pounds a month and a one-bedroom flat 1500 to 2500, and in other cities far less, and in the north, Wales and Scotland cheaper.

• The deposit in England may not exceed five weeks of annual rent (six weeks if the rent exceeds 50 thousand pounds), and the landlord must place it in an approved deposit protection scheme (DPS, MyDeposits or TDS) within thirty days and give you the information.
• Permitted fees are limited: rent, deposit and a holding deposit of at most one week.
• And do not pay registration fees, contract check fees or admin fees.
• Check the amount of everything, and steer clear of those asking for months in advance or cash since this is often a scam.
• And you may be allowed to pay rent monthly by standing order.

Rental fraud is common: an ad for a flat at a price far below the market, a landlord living abroad who asks you to pay the deposit before viewing or by bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency, stolen photos, and pressure that others are interested.

• Do not pay before viewing the property yourself and verifying the landlord's identity and that he owns the property (you can check the HM Land Registry for a small fee).
• Check the agent's membership of a scheme such as ARLA Propertymark or SafeAgent.
• Do not transfer money to an account in the name of a person unrelated to the ad. And report to Action Fraud if you fall victim.
• And stay cautious of room-for-services offers since they may hide exploitation.
• And if deceived call the police on 101 and your bank at once.

If your income is low you may be entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to pay part of the rent, provided you have access to public funds (no recourse to public funds may block it). Check whether your visa allows it. City councils offer Discretionary Housing Payment and homelessness prevention help to those threatened with homelessness, and charities such as Shelter and Citizens Advice give free advice, and Shelter's free line is 0808 800 4444.

• And there are programmes to help refugees with housing (Homes for Ukraine and others) and support for special cases.
• And if you are at risk of homelessness contact your local council and the housing department at once since they have legal duties to help you.
• And tell the landlord of any defect early and record it in writing.

What is the maximum deposit in England (normal rent)?