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Tenants

Welcome to the tenants’ pages. These pages advise tenants of private landlords and Housing Associations. Please note that the Council has no housing stock of its own, but works with a number of partner social landlords (known as registered providers). For more information please visit our social rented housing page.

Most landlords want to manage their property and tenancies properly. It is in their financial interest to have the rental income and the increase in value of a well maintained house.

Landlord responsibilities

Your landlord should provide you with accommodation that is in reasonable repair, safe and healthy to live in. If significant problems such as dampness or disrepair occur, then the landlord has a duty to deal with them.

The tenancy should be managed properly, ensuring that you have the 'right of quiet enjoyment' and privacy of your own home. If your landlord wants you to leave, you should be given proper notice. When you leave, your landlord should return any deposit owed, unless there are reasonable grounds for keeping this back - such as damage to the letting.

Where your home is a part of a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) your landlord will have responsibilities to ensure that the house, especially the common parts, are properly managed. In addition, some HMOs may require a licence.

These are properties that:

Are occupied by five (or more) people and
Those people are members of more than one family and
The house is arranged on three (or more) storeys and
The house is not fully arranged as self contained flats and
The house is not owned, or managed, by a Registered Social Landlord (this usually means a housing association)

All five points must apply before a property requires a licence (but not all such properties do require a licence). If a licence has been issued, a copy of it should be displayed in the house. You can check whether the house has (or needs) a licence by contacting the Private Rented Team.

Tenant responsibilities

In return, you should pay the rent, treat the accommodation with respect, report any problems that occur and give the landlord reasonable access for inspection and to carry out works. You should be considerate to your neighbours and comply with the conditions of tenancy.

When there are problems

You should tell your landlord (or agent) of any problems. It may be helpful to do this in writing.

If your landlord:

does not respond, or
does not carry out promises to improve matters, or
there are dangerous problems with the letting

You can contact the Council for advice by email private.rent@plymouth.gov.uk or telephone 01752 307075.

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Problems in private rented accommodation

The Private Rented Team of Plymouth City Council may be able to help/advise you with the following:

Dampness, water penetration and mould
Lack of adequate heating (or insulation)
Unsafe stairs/steps, uneven slippery falls and yards etc. (slips and falls)
Disrepair (leaking roofs, rotten floors, windows not working etc)
Lack of hot water or other basic amenities
Fire safety
Electrical or gas safety
Overcrowding
Service disconnection (where the landlord is responsible for the supply)
Security
Poor management of the common parts of the house/building and external areas where there are flats or bedsits
Anything else about your home that may affect your health and safety
You think you are being overcharged for electricity or gas

Please note that, in general, we cannot help you with re-housing; our role is to improve housing for your benefit and that of future occupiers.

Please contact the Private Rented Team by telephone 01752 307075, or by email private.rent@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Housing advice

The Housing Advice Team of Plymouth City Council may be able to help/advise you with the following:

If the landlord, agent or their workmen let themselves into your home without your consent
If you leave, but the landlord unreasonably retains some or all of the deposit
If the landlord wants you to leave, but may not have properly followed the legal procedures to end the tenancy
If you have problems paying the rent
If there are unfair terms in your Tenancy Agreement

Please contact the Housing Advice Team by telephone 01752 305950, or by email housingadvice@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Environmental regulations

The Environmental Regulation Department of Plymouth City Council may be able to help/advise you with the following:

Furniture and equipment safety 01752 304141
Noise nuisance 01752 304147
Pest Control 01752 304147
Collection of bulky refuse 01752 304750

Please contact the Environmental Regulation Department on the above telephone numbers, or by email environmentalregulation@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Plymouth Access to Housing

Plymouth Access to Housing (PATH) may be able to help you if:

You do not have enough money to fund a deposit
You require assistance with finding accommodation
You need help with understanding the accommodation you can afford

Please contact PATH by telephone 01752 255889, or by email info@plymouthpath.org.

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Revenues and benefits

The Revenues and Benefits Service of Plymouth City Council may be able to help/advise you with the following:

Housing benefit issues
Council tax

Please contact the Revenues and Benefits Service by telephone 01752 304527, or by email revenues@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Comments

We would like to here from you if you have any comments about these pages please use the website feedback link at the bottom of this page.

Further information is also available on many aspects of private renting; however you may wish to download the advice leaflets below before contacting the Council. Some of these documents are mainly aimed at landlords, but they include information that may be helpful to you.

Advice for tenants - choosing accommodation [1.3MB]