How does renting a home in London work?
Most private renting in England runs on an assured shorthold tenancy, with a deposit that must be protected in an approved scheme. Rent levels differ sharply by borough, and national statistics publish the averages.
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How it works
The landlord must check the right to rent, protect the deposit and provide prescribed documents such as the gas safety record and the energy certificate. Agency fees to tenants are restricted by law, and permitted payments are listed.
Commonly mixed up with
A holding deposit and a tenancy deposit are different payments with different rules and different refund conditions.
How does renting a home in London work?
| Knowledge, London | Big city topics |
|---|---|
| Short answer | Most private renting in England runs on an assured shorthold tenancy, with a deposit that must be protected in an approved scheme. Rent levels differ sharply by borough, and national statistics publish the averages. |
| How it works | The landlord must check the right to rent, protect the deposit and provide prescribed documents such as the gas safety record and the energy certificate. Agency fees to tenants are restricted by law, and permitted payments are listed. |
| Commonly mixed up with | A holding deposit and a tenancy deposit are different payments with different rules and different refund conditions. |
| Last reviewed | 2026-08-08 |
Short questions
- Must the deposit be protected?
- Yes, in a government-approved scheme.
- Can an agent charge fees?
- Only payments allowed under the applicable rules may be charged.
- How long is a tenancy?
- Fixed terms are common and periodic tenancies follow.
- Where do I check rent levels?
- The Office for National Statistics publishes rent statistics.
- Who checks right to rent?
- The landlord or their agent before the tenancy starts.
Sources
More in this track
- What is the ULEZ and which vehicles pay?
- How does the London Congestion Charge work?
- How do council tax and London boroughs work?
- How do school admissions work in London?
- How do you report a crime in London?
- Who runs waste, recycling and local services in London?
- What makes up the cost of living in London?
These pages explain how the rules work and link the authority that owns them. They are not legal, tax or immigration advice, and amounts and thresholds change, so open the source before you act.
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Machine-readable summaries for AI agents: /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt.
