Renting in the Private Sector
Many people will not meet the criteria needed to obtain social housing and so renting in the private sector will be the only option.
You need to think carefully about the size and type of accommodation you want and how you will pay the rent. Good places to start looking for a new home to rent from a private sector landlord include:
- Letting Agents – Specialist Property Management.
- Estate Agents – many have property management departments.
- Local Newspapers – usually carry advertisements in the classified section.
- Local Councils – some local authority housing departments and Housing Advice Centres keep lists of landlords in their area.
- Shop Windows / Friends.
Private sector rents are usually higher than the rent you would expect to pay for social housing and rents vary from area to area. A landlord will normally expect you to pay at least a month’s rent in advance and a deposit. The deposit will be held in a special account and at the end of the tenancy, provided the accommodation is returned as specified in the rental agreement, the deposit returned to you. If you do not have a deposit you may be able to get help from the local authority.
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