Before you sign your tenancy agreement, you should check that the landlord/agent has or can provide the following documents:
CHECK LIST:
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A Gas Safety Certificate issued within the last year.
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Evidence of an electrical inspection within the last five years.
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Tenancy deposit protection scheme information.
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Energy Performance Certificate.
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Information about who manages the property i.e. if the landlord or agent is responsible for maintenance/repairs – no doubt something will break at some point so it’s useful to have clarification on who you should contact when this happens.
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Confirmation in writing if your bills are included, either in an email, letter or in your tenancy agreement.
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Confirmation of which Deposit Protection Scheme your deposit is held under. This is especially important, as tenancy deposit schemes are there to protect you, more than your landlord.
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Check who is responsible for the bills and make sure this information is included in the tenancy agreement.
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Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be fitted by your landlord – it’s the law.
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Get any promises of repairs or new furniture in writing.
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Check under which circumstances you could leave the tenancy early without still being liable for rent.
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Write an agreement with any other housemates about who will pay how much for which rooms.
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Make sure any other appliances, such as washing machines, are included in the inventory and that the landlord will be responsible for replacing them if they break down.
Don’t hesitate to question the meaning of certain clauses. You should not sign anything you are not 100% clear on! If you need any further support, your Union Advice Team are very happy to help look over contracts with you.
landlord or letting agent may ask you to pay:
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a holding deposit
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rent in advance
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a tenancy deposit
Most other tenancy related fees are banned. You cannot be asked to pay for things like credit checks, references or inventories.
Holding deposits: this holds a property for you while the landlord/agent does their reference checks. You cannot be asked for more than 1 week's rent, and you should usually get this money back if the landlord decides not to rent to you. You could lose the deposit if you decide not to rent the property without a good reason.
Rent in advance: most landlords ask for at least 1 month's rent in advance before you move in, but may be asked to pay more if you have a particularly low credit score, cannot provide a guarantor or references, or haven’t rented in the UK before. From 1 May 2026, landlords and agents can only ask for up to 1 month's rent in advance.
Most other tenancy fees are banned, and you cannot be charged for things like: references, administration, check out inspections, and credit and immigration checks. You could be charged up to £50 for any changes to a contract or tenancy agreement once it is signed by both parties, such as a change of name if someone else takes over your room.
Landlords are required to protect your deposit in a Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS) by law, within 30 days of you handing the money over. When you move into your property, they should provide you with a certificate indicating which scheme your deposit is protected under. There are three main schemes in the UK:
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Deposit Protection Service
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MyDeposits
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Tenancy Deposit Scheme
All three schemes are there to protect tenants from rouge landlords or landlords who will try and unfairly take money from tenants at the end of their tenancy. If at the end of your tenancy, you dispute any moneys that the landlord try’s to take out of your deposit then you should get in touch with your scheme.
If your deposit is not protected then your landlord is breaking the law. You can get in touch with us if you need more support with this.
Inventory
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The inventory is a report that documents the state of the property when you moved in. It should list each room or area of the property, including the garden, as well as all the fixtures, furniture and appliances within each space. The inventory should record the condition and cleanliness of everything, detailing any visible damage, disrepair and uncleanliness, ideally accompanied by photographs.
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Carrying out an inventory is free. This can mean that your landlord may carry out a poor inventory check which is why as a tenant, you need to do it yourselves as well. Once a check-out inventory is done after you move out, the two inventories will be compared. They can then be used as evidence to show that you damaged the property or did not leave it as clean as you received it etc. This can then lead to deposit deductions so always keep an eye on this!
We would advise the following:
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As soon as you move in, check the report to see if there are any mistakes or omissions.
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Let the landlord/agent know in writing if you disagree with the report, sending notes and photos to explain why.
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Save your texts/emails in case you have a deposit dispute at the end of your tenancy; they will be evidence of how you received the property.
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If the landlord doesn’t do an inventory, you can do one yourself using this template.
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Send a copy to the landlord or agent, as soon as possible after moving in, ideally before moving your stuff in.
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If the landlord does not provide you with an inventory, then they will have no evidence in a deposit dispute against you at the end of the tenancy.
Students are no longer be required to provide a tailored letter.
If you are a British or Irish National, then you can provide your passport as part of the check. If you don’t have this, then you will need to provide two documents as part of the check (for example, this could be a course confirmation letter and a birth certificate).
If you are an international student, then you need to show proof of your immigration status, i.e. your share code or BRP.
You can find specific guidance from the Home Office here and pages 45 – 47 shows the variety of supporting documents you can provide.
We would advise that you check the following areas of your property to ensure that it is safe to live in.
Maintenance:
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Make sure you find out who is in charge of responding to problems at the property (landlord or agent) and get their phone number. Ask if they have a number for outside of office hours, in the case of emergency. You should still have someone to contact for help if the landlord is on holiday or unwell.
Gas Safety:
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Your landlord has to ensure that gas-powered appliances such as the boiler and cooker are safe to use
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Gas appliances must be checked for safety every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer
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Check that you have been given a Gas Safety Certificate that has been issued within the last 12 months – this should be sent along with the contract.
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Check that the ID number of the engineer is valid
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If the landlord does not give you a certificate after you have asked, you should report this to Guildford Borough Council immediately.
Electrical Safety:
Landlords are required by law to ensure:
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The electrical installations are safe when you move in and maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy
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That fixed electrical installations are tested for safety every 12 months
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That any appliance provided is safe to use and carries the “CE” kite-mark
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
Your landlord should legally provide:
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One smoke detector on every floor
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One carbon monoxide detector in any room where solid fuel is used
It is your responsibility as a tenant to test smoke alarms regularly and replace the batteries as needed. Any safety concerns should be reported to the landlord. If your landlord is not dealing with your safety concerns, then approach Guildford Borough Council for help.
You can also ask the Fire and Rescue Service to visit your home and carry out a Home Fire Risk Assessment, if you are concerned.
Unfortunately, students’ houses can be vulnerable to burglaries and it’s always wise to protect your stuff! We would advise that you obtain “gadget insurance” or general contents insurance. It’s always a good idea to compare prices as there are some money saving deals and they can be life-savers if your stuff gets damaged, lost or stolen.
Do I need insurance?
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By having insurance, then you could be protected from this expense in the event of accidental damage, a burglary, fire, flood or other serious incident.
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You don’t have to buy insurance – this is your choice. You should also check to see if you are already covered by a policy in your family home or if the one your family home has can be extended to you. Sometimes insurance is packaged with bank accounts or credit cards, so check to see if this is the case for you.
Setting up your internet
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it can take several weeks to book in someone to install your internet, so booking early for the week you move in will ensure no delays. We strongly recommend you try to set up your internet account in advance at the start of your tenancy, so that you don’t miss out!
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You can research broadband providers to find the best deals and select your contract start date as the first day of your tenancy; that way, if an appointment needs to be booked in for the installation, you won’t have to wait weeks for an appointment. Remember to include all tenants’ names on the account and not just your own!
Paying Rent
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We would advise that once you have your house sorted, that you set up a standing order for your rent to come out at the same time each month which can usually be set up easily though your internet banking. This way, it is unlikely that you will miss a payment.
Bills and Utilities
There will probably already be energy and water connected when you arrive, but you should set up the accounts for utilities as soon as you move in. If your agent/landlord offers to set up utilities for you, we would advise that you tell them you’d like to handle them yourself to get the best deal. To change your energy or gas supplier:
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Ask your landlord/agent to confirm who the current suppliers for gas, water and electricity are. If they do not know, you can find out here.
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Take meter readings on the day you move in (or check the inventory to see if they’re recorded there). Water is not always metered, so you might instead be charged a fixed amount depending on the size of the household.
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Research your local suppliers to find the best deals and sign up. Include ALL tenants’ names on ALL accounts and share the account details with all tenants.
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Diarise your payment dates and amounts, set up standing orders if necessary.
TV Licence
If you watch or record TV as it is being broadcast live, then you will need a TV licence. You can be fined up to £1000 if you get caught without one so don’t delay!
Council Tax
Most students are exempt from council tax, but you should make sure that it is set up properly. Click here for more advice and to check your eligibility.