A national newspaper has repeated claims that landlords are mistreating millions of tenants because they don’t know their basic statutory rights according to a recent national newspaper report.
A story produced by The Sun said that broken boilers, landlords turning up unannounced and the withholding of deposits are the biggest moans among UK renters.
The story was based on research carried out by Community Legal Service Direct (CLS).
One of the key findings was that only one in five tenants is aware that a landlord must serve notice if they wish them to leave.
The story went on to give six tips from CLS Direct. They were:
1. Get a copy of your written tenancy agreement, read it through carefully to be sure you understand it, and keep it safe.
2. Ask your landlord to secure your deposit with a tenancy protection scheme if the tenancy began after April 2007.
3. Ask for a copy of any inventory that is made at the beginning and/or end of your tenancy agreement. If no inventory is taken by your landlord, make your own, and forward a copy to the landlord/letting agent including photos of any damage caused before the start of your tenancy.
4. Take and date photos of any disrepair issues in the property.
5. If dealing with antisocial behaviour or noisy neighbours, keep a diary of your grievances and forward a copy (not the original) to your landlord and/or local authority.
6. Keep a record of any phone calls with your landlord, and keep copies of letters to and from your landlord and use the recorded delivery service if necessary.
