Renting a home in the United Kingdom

What landlords ask for

• Right to Rent (England only): before you rent, you must prove your right to rent to the landlord. If you are not a British or Irish citizen, use a share code from the government's online service or your original immigration documents – your choice. A landlord can't refuse an eligible document just because you didn't give a share code. Source
• No Right to Rent check is needed in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Source
• Landlords in England must state a price in written adverts and may not accept or encourage offers above it – no bidding wars. Source
• Landlords in England can't refuse you because you have children or receive benefits, or discriminate because of a protected characteristic. Source

Deposit rules

• England: the deposit is at most 5 weeks' rent if the annual rent is under £50,000, or 6 weeks' rent if it is £50,000–£100,000. A holding deposit is at most 1 week's rent. Source
• England: a landlord can't ask for, encourage or accept rent before you sign the tenancy agreement. After signing, at most 1 month's rent in advance. Source
• England and Wales: your deposit must be put in a government-approved protection scheme within 30 days – Deposit Protection Service, mydeposits or Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Source
• Wales: a holding deposit is at most 1 week's rent. Source
• Scotland: the deposit is at most two months' rent and must be lodged with an approved scheme within 30 working days. Other fees and premiums are not allowed. Source
• Northern Ireland: the deposit is at most one month's rent and must be protected in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme within 28 days. Source

Your rights as a tenant

• Since 1 May 2026 most tenancies in England are periodic: there is no end date, and you can leave with two months' notice in writing. Source
• “No-fault” evictions under section 21 have ended in England. Source
• Rent can go up once a year, not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy, with Form 4A and at least 2 months' notice. You can challenge an increase above market rent. Source
• You can ask to keep a pet; the landlord must consider the request and should give a reason if they refuse. Source
• Wales has its own law (occupation contracts), as do Scotland and Northern Ireland – use the official pages in the sources below. Source

Your first weeks

Signing a long-term lease for a home you haven't seen is risky. Plan somewhere to stay while you view homes in person.

• Arranging a home from overseas? The police fraud service advises asking the employer you are coming to for advice first. Source
• NHS Employers' recruitment toolkit asks trusts to decide whether they offer accommodation in their relocation package – ask your trust what is included before you sign. Source
• Read the repayment clause: trusts may recover relocation costs, including travel and accommodation, if you leave within an agreed period. Source
• Tip A furnished room or monthly let for the first weeks lets you view long-term homes in person before you pay anything.

What rent costs

Official statistics only. Your city can be far above or below the average.

Avoid rental scams

Rental scams work best on people who can't view a home in person – for example because they are still abroad.

Checklist before you pay anything

1. Never pay a deposit, rent or “key fee” for a home that you, or someone you trust, have not viewed in person – and not before you have a signed contract.

   Advice from Report Fraud (UK police) · Scamwatch (Australia) · Verbraucherzentrale (Germany) · Make it in Germany

2. The “landlord” is abroad and can't show you the home, but will send the keys by post or courier once you transfer money. This is the classic scam.

   Advice from German police crime prevention · Verbraucherzentrale (Germany) · Scamwatch (Australia) · US Federal Trade Commission

3. The rent is far below similar homes in the area, or you are pushed to decide and pay quickly.

   Advice from US Federal Trade Commission · Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · Scamwatch (Australia)

4. You are asked to pay by money transfer service, gift card or cryptocurrency, or into an account abroad. That is like sending cash – it is rarely recovered.

   Advice from US Federal Trade Commission · Scamwatch (Australia) · Report Fraud (UK police)

5. Search the address, the photos and the advertiser's name online. Fraudsters copy photos from real listings, and the same home may appear elsewhere with a different owner.

   Advice from Report Fraud (UK police) · US Federal Trade Commission · Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · Scamwatch (Australia)

6. Don't send copies of your passport or ID card, or your bank details, to someone you have never met before you have agreed to rent.

   Advice from Verbraucherzentrale (Germany) · US Federal Trade Commission · Scamwatch (Australia)

7. Fees just to view a home are a warning sign. In Germany, charging for a viewing is not permitted.

   Advice from Make it in Germany · German police crime prevention

8. If you paid: call your bank at once, keep every message and the listing, and report it (links on each country page). Hang up on anyone who later offers to “recover” your money for a fee.

   Advice from Report Fraud (UK police) · Scamwatch (Australia)

Where people search

• Rightmove Homes to rent from letting agents
• Zoopla Homes to rent
• OnTheMarket Homes to rent from agents
• OpenRent Homes to rent, many from private landlords
• SpareRoom Rooms in shared homes

Plain links to the main rental sites. PassPeers has no partnership with them. We don't copy or check their listings – use the scam checklist above for every ad.

Agencies that help you relocate

No relocation agency is listed for the United Kingdom yet.

Do you help health professionals relocate to the United Kingdom? List your agency.

Other countries