Renting means that you will pay someone else to live in a building they own.
This could mean from a building owned by:
- A council or a local housing association
- A private landlord or letting agent
- From someone else e.g. a charity, family member, friend or someone else that you know
You can find out more about these by clicking on the options in the menu at the top of this page.
When you rent a home, you are called a ‘tenant’.
To rent a home, you will normally need to sign a ‘tenancy agreement’.
A tenancy agreement gives you the right to live in the home. This is a contract agreed between you and the landlord.
Progress Housing has made a useful easy-read that helps explain their tenancy agreement.
This helps to explain what might be included in a tenancy agreement and the language that can be used:
You can find out more about what a tenancy is and the law on tenancies in this section
Shelter provides useful advice and guidance about renting and your rights.
They also have a useful tool to help you work out what kind of tenancy you have so you can work out your legal rights.