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How to rent in UK

Renting a property in England can be time-consuming and somewhat different from the process in Ukraine.

The first and most important step is to decide exactly where (in which city or neighbourhood) you want to live. If you already have a job in England and/or your children are attending school, carefully check the transport links to the area you're considering.
The website https://www.zoopla.co.uk/travel-time/ can help you determine the optimal route and travel time to your desired destination.

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1. Where to Search for Housing:

The most popular method is searching online through the following websites:

Through sponsors or acquaintances – Ask your hosts or friends if they know someone who is renting out a property.

Estate agency offices – Visit local estate agents in your area. They often have current listings. Drop by the office and ask for available properties based on your requirements.

Estate agencies in Birmingham:

Please remember that in England there are often waiting lists for rental properties. So if you find a place you like, check the Council Tax band straight away to see if it’s affordable for you, and call the agency immediately — or better yet, go there in person and let them know you’re interested in renting it. The next step will usually be to arrange a physical viewing of the property.

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2. Move-on Grant for Ukrainians in Birmingham (Homes for Ukraine Scheme)

To help Ukrainians transition from sponsor accommodation to independent living, Birmingham City Council offers a Move-on Grant.

Depending on family size, the grant can range from £3,000 to £4,000, paid in one or more instalments.

Grant amounts:

  • 1–3 people: up to £3,000

  • 4 people: up to £3,500

  • 5 or more people: up to £4,000

For families in temporary accommodation (LAHF), essential items worth up to £2,000 can also be covered, including:

  • Flooring (if the property has bare concrete floors)

  • Washing machine

  • Dining table

  • Wardrobe

Note: If you’ve already received support when moving into LAHF housing, this will be deducted from your total Move-on Grant if you choose to move again.

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Important: A household can apply for access to the funds either at the point of trying to secure accommodation so these can be transferred direct to the landlord and/or in some cases for elements like furniture/white goods these can be claimed for after the event with proof of purchase. If the claim is being made after the event, this should be done within 12 weeks of the hosting arrangements coming to an end. 

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What the grant can cover (you can choose the items):

  1. Deposit and First Rent Payment

    • Tenancy deposit

    • First month's rent

  2. Furniture and Household Items

    • Wardrobe, bed/sofa, chairs

    • Bedding

    • Cutlery, pans, plates

    • Fridge, freezer, washing machine

    • Dining table (for 4–6 people)

    • Kettle, iron

    • Moving costs / van hire

  3. Utility Costs

    • Up to three months’ electricity bills

    • Note: Council Tax and water bills are not covered.

For other purchases, prior approval from RMC is required: ukraineb@rmcentre.org.uk

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How to Apply for the Move-on Grant

  1. Email ukraineb@rmcentre.org.uk stating your intention to move into private accommodation and listing the items you plan to purchase. Wait for approval from RMC.

  2. Complete the Move-on Grant application form.

  3. Send supporting documents (receipts, bank statements) to ukraineb@rmcentre.org.uk.

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3. Viewing the Property – Key Things to Check

When viewing a property, inspect everything carefully and take photos.

Check:

  • Type of heating

  • Type of gas/electricity meters

  • Is there a water meter?

  • Boiler – is it working?

  • Plumbing – is it in working condition?

  • Windows and doors – are they secure?

  • Are household appliances functioning?

  • Internet speed (use a speed test)

  • Any signs of damp or mould?

If the property is suitable, let the landlord/agent know immediately – it improves your chances.

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4. Holding Deposit – Reserving the Property

To reserve a property, a landlord may ask for a holding deposit.

This is optional and by law cannot exceed one week’s rent.

A holding deposit should only be paid after:

  • Agreement on who is renting

  • Confirmed rent amount and payment frequency

  • Move-in date

  • Tenancy length

You must receive a draft contract and payment instructions by email. Only pay by bank transfer – never in cash.

You are entitled to a refund unless:

  • You provided false or misleading information

  • You fail the Right to Rent check

  • You withdraw from the tenancy

Some landlords wrongly claim they can withhold the deposit if you fail an affordability check. This is illegal.

If this happens, quote Schedule 2, Paragraph 3(b), Tenant Fees Act 2019 and inform them you will report it to the Property Ombudsman.

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5. Referencing – Background Checks

Before signing a tenancy agreement, you’ll undergo checks for:

  • Right to Rent – Legal requirement in the UK

  • Affordability – Proves you can pay the rent

    • Provide proof of income:

      • Job offer, contract, or 3 months' payslips

    • Annual income must be at least:
      Rent x 12 x 2.5

    • Landlord reference (if you’ve rented before)

    • If not, a letter from your sponsor can help

    • You may be asked for bank details for a credit check

Checks are often done via services like Goodlord or Homelet. The referencing process usually takes 2–8 days. By law, landlords have 15 days to finalise or reject your application and return the holding deposit.

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6. Tenancy Payments

You may be required to pay:

  • Holding Deposit – Max 1 week's rent

  • Security Deposit – Up to 5 weeks' rent (6 if annual rent > £50,000)

    • Held in a government-protected scheme

    • Refunded after the tenancy, if no damage

Other payments:

  • Early termination fees (if initiated by tenant)

  • £50 max for changes to the contract

  • Utilities, internet, TV licence, Council Tax (if listed in the contract)

  • Late payment fines and replacement keys (if specified in contract)

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7. Signing the Tenancy Agreement

Once approved, you'll be sent the tenancy agreement. Read it carefully.

Check:

  • Start date and duration

  • Deposit amount and payment deadlines

  • Rent payment schedule

  • Utility responsibilities

  • Furnishing details

  • Pet/smoking policies

  • Penalties for late payments

  • Notice period for ending tenancy

  • Security deposit terms

If anything is unclear or unfair, ask for clarification or amendments.
It is illegal to be asked to pay a deposit or rent before signing the agreement.

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8. Entrance to housing.

The transfer of housing keys to you usually takes place on the first day of the lease at the agency's office.

What should be done immediately after check-in:

  • Describe the property. Coordinate the inventory with your landlord and, for an additional guarantee, take photos and send them to the e-mail of the agency or landlord. This will make things easier if there is a dispute about the deposit at the end of the lease. If you are satisfied with the description, sign it and save yourself a copy.

  • Fix meter readings. Take readings of electricity, gas, water meters, preferably with a date and time. This will help make sure that you do not pay the bills of the previous tenant or consumption during the downtime of the housing between tenants. Ask the landlord or agency for contacts of utility providers and enter into contracts with them.

  • Connect the Internet.

  • Contacts. Make sure you have the correct contact details of the landlord or agency, including a phone number that you can use in case of an emergency. You have the legal right to know the name and address of your landlord.

  • Practice Code. Ask if your landlord or agency has signed a set of rules that can give you extra confidence about their behaviour and practices.  

  • Submit data to the Job Centre for Housing Benefit through the form Report a change/ Where you live and what it costs. To do this, you need to do: photos of the pages of the lease agreement with information about the landlord, the term of the contract, the number of rooms in the rented housing, rent, a page with signatures, photos of payment checks, confirmation of the address (the first bill, most often it is Counsil Tax). 

  • Create an account to pay for Counsil Tax.

  • Change the address of residence: in the bank, driver's license and car registration, car insurance (if any), the child's school, the contract for mobile services (if there is a contract).​

Documents to be provided to you by the Landlord:

  • A copy of the "How to Rent: England Rental Checklist" guide in print or, if you agree, by email in PDF format. 

  • Gas safety certificate. The landlord must provide you with a copy of this certificate before you enter the home, as well as a copy of the new certificate after each annual gas safety check if there is a gas installation or appliance.

  • Deposit documents. If you have deposited a security deposit, the landlord must protect it in accordance with the government-approved scheme within 30 days and provide you with information on this. Make sure that you receive official information from the landlord and that you understand how to get your money back after the rental period expires. Save this information as you will need it later. Do not give security deposit in cash to your hands, use non-cash methods of transferring funds.

  • Energy efficiency certificate indicating the energy efficiency rating of housing (provided by the Landlord before the start of rental housing). As of April 2020, all properties leased privately must have an EPC Band E or higher energy efficiency rating before leasing (unless the current exception applies). 

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9. When renting a home, you must:

  • Pay rent and utility bills in a timely manner.

  • Take care of the condition of the home. You must return the house in the same condition in which you rented, taking into account normal wear and tear. Before you start repairing or decorating, get written permission from the landlord on them.

  • Use electrical appliances correctly.
    Make sure you know how to use the boiler and other appliances and know where the shut-off valve, fuse box, and all the meters are located. Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors regularly – at least once a month.
    Notify your landlord of the need for repairs. If you think that some kind of repair is needed, you must notify the landlord about this - failure to notify about the need for repairs may be a violation of the lease agreement. In extreme circumstances, there may be a failure to return your security deposit if minor repairs turn into a serious problem because you did not report it on time. Consider insuring your property — usually a landlord has home insurance, but it doesn't cover anything that belongs to you. Consider installing a smart meter if you are responsible for paying your electricity and gas bills. Read the guide on your rights and information on how to install a smart meter. We recommend that you report this to your landlord before installing it.

  • Behave decently. Antisocial behaviour can be a legitimate reason for your landlord to evict you.

  • Do not hook up roommates. In order for a person not specified in the lease agreement to live with you, you need to obtain written permission from the landlord, unless the right to sublease is spelled out directly in your lease agreement. Most leases in the UK expressly prohibit sublease. 

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10. Landlord's obligations.

The law clearly regulates Landlord's obligations.

These include:

  • checking housing for its safety

  • preservation of the appearance of housing

  • installation of smoke sensors and carbon monoxide sensors in rooms with devices operating on solid fuel (coal or firewood) and their verification. If the housing does not have these sensors, ask the landlord to install them

  • carrying out repair work in the dwelling. In the event of any breakdown in the housing, immediately inform the Landlord or the agency

  • solving household problems in housing (with water, electricity, gas)

  • solving problems with furniture and appliances that are provided with housing

  • organization of an annual gas safety inspection by a gas safety engineer

  • organization of a 5-year electrical safety inspection by a qualified and competent person

  • obtaining permission from the tenant to access the home, for example, for repairs or inspections, in at least 24 hours, and these visits must take place at a reasonable time. A landlord or agency is not eligible to enter a home without your express permission. 

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11. How to get help for housing.

If you live in England and you have a low income, you are eligible to apply for housing benefits. Depending on the cost of rented housing, housing assistance may cover full or partial rent (monthly payment).

In order to understand what kind of benefit you can receive, use the UK government-approved benefit calculator https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/survey

Housing assistance depending on the age of the applicant.

  • People under retirement age (up to 66 years old) can apply for Housing Element of Universal Credit in the Universal Credit online account. 

  • People of retirement age (66 years or more) can apply for Housing Benefit through the website of the local council (City Council).

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When renting housing by people who make up more than one household, each of these households applies for housing assistance separately, for its share of the rental price, which is specified in the contract. 

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Change of address of residence in England.
After moving to a new home, you need to notify various services about the change of your address, namely:
• Your bank
• Your immigration account, if you have one – https://www.gov.uk/update-uk-visas-immigration-account-details 
• Your BRP – https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp

• Child Benefit Service – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-benefit-change-of-family-circumstances or by phone 0300 200 3100
• Job centre (change circumstances) or Pension Credit
• Mail forwarding for a fee from Royal Mail to send emails to your new address – https://www.royalmail.com/start-your-redirection.
• Your GP (family doctor)

• Your child's school
• DVLA about changing the address in the driver's license Change the address on your driving licence: Apply online - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Insurance company (car insurance)​

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The checklist for renting in England.

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