This means renting from someone who owns a property. Some rents will be above the levels covered by housing benefit, so it is important to choose a property you can afford.  Make sure you consider carefully how much you can pay when you are looking at properties. You should work out how much rent you can afford.

Private landlords advertise their properties in these places:

• a letting agency or an estate agent;
• an advert in the local newspaper;
• on a sign outside the property;
• on the internet; or
• on a shop noticeboard.

There are different ways in which you can rent:

• Directly from the landlord- if deciding to rent directly through a landlord make sure they belong to an accreditation scheme. Your local authority can advise you of this. If the landlord is subletting (renting you a property that they are renting from the home owner) make sure that the owner has consented to the subletting
• Through a letting agent- if renting through a letting agent, you will need to find out the fees, costs and when you need to pay them by.

There are a number of options which may suit you and your household:

• renting a room in a shared house – you would have your own bedroom but would have to share other facilities such as the kitchen, bathroom and living room.
• lodging – when you are renting in another person’s house, usually the landlord.
• bedsits – one larger room used for sleeping, living, eating and cooking. Often there are other bedsits in one large property making it cheaper than other options. You may be sharing some facilities, such as a bathroom and toilet.
• living on your own in a studio – a flat with the bedroom, lounge and kitchen often in one room with a separate, private bathroom and toilet. The flat will be self-contained and it is likely that you will have to pay rent and bills separately so you should factor this into your budget.
• sharing a house with family members – renting a whole house and sharing it with members of your family or relatives. To keep costs down, you might consider sharing bedrooms with family members. Your whole family will be responsible for paying all the bills separately.

If you are relying on Housing Benefit to help with your rent, you will need to know how many bedrooms you are entitled to and your Local Housing Allowance rate. Some landlords will not accept people on Housing benefit, so it is always best to check.

If you live on your own or with a friend in rented accomodation you will also need to budget for Coucil Tax. Coucil Tax may be reduced if you qualify for Council Tax benefi.

You will also need to budget for paying bills for things like water, electric, gass etc. unless any of them are included in your rent.

Before you move in you must be aware of:

• Holding deposit (Sometimes called a retainer): This is an amount of money an Estate agent can ask to ‘reserve’ a property and take it off the rental market (usually in a city where property goes quickly).  The amount varies but is usually around one week’s rent.  This amount is normally taken off your deposit, which will be returned, once you leave the property or end the tenancy.  You MAY lose this money if you change your mind and never move in.
• Contract/administration fee: This is a fee the estate agent will charge to create a contract between you and a landlord.  This price also includes the work needed in administration phone calls/photocopying, etc.
• Reference Checks: This pays for the cost of running checks on you. This is usually with your current employer and/or previous landlord.
• Credit Checks: This is the cost for running checks on your credit history.  A check is done via a credit reference agency, for example, Experian or Equifax.
• Deposit: When you are renting a property, you have to leave a deposit with the landlord/estate agent, which can only be used, if you damage the property or have unpaid rent.  This deposit is taken by the estate agent/landlord before you move in and kept in a separate account.  This money is returned to you after you leave your tenancy.

After you have moved in you may need to consider:

• Tenancy Renewal:  You will have selected a period of time you wish to live at the property.   Once this time has passed, you will have to renew your contract.  Please be aware this could also be the time your landlord decides to put your rent up;
• Changes to contract:  If you need to change your contract because a housemate has moved out or if you wish to change the contract period length;
• Unpaid rent: If you have set up a standing order or direct debit and there is not enough money in your account when rent is due, your estate agent/landlord can charge you (your bank can too!);
• Early termination of contract:  If you wish to cancel your contract before the agreed time period, then you can be charged the full amount of rent owed for the months remaining in your contract, plus a termination fee.

You can find more information about finding a private rented home from Shelter and from How to rent – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).