The How to Rent guide is for tenants and landlords in the private rented sector to help them understand their rights and responsibilities. It provides a checklist and more detailed information on each stage of the process, including:
- what to look out for before renting
- living in a rented home
- what happens at the end of a tenancy
- what to do if things go wrong
You can view the most up to date version of the guide here.
In what situations does a landlord need to serve or re-issue the How to Rent guide?
The booklet should be served at the start of the tenancy. It is important to serve the most up-to-date version available at that time. However, you don't need to keep providing a copy when new versions are released.
The Landlord should reissue the How to Rent guide every time a new tenancy is entered into, however if the tenancy continues in the form of a contractual periodic tenancy then the How to Rent guide does not need to be reissued. If the tenancy continues on from a previous tenancy in the form of a statutory periodic tenancy then the How to Rent guide does not need to be reissued provided that the up-to-date version has already been served under the previous tenancy. If the How to Rent guide has since been updated then the up-to-date version should be reissued.
When using our Rent Now process, OpenRent provide the tenants with the How to Rent guide at the start of the tenancy, and again when you use our renewals service if a new version has been released.
In any case the up-to-date version must be given to the tenant before giving notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988. Failure to provide this may prevent a landlord from successfully recovering possession of their property using a section 21 notice.
Information on this site is by way of general guidance only and may not apply in your particular circumstances. You should not act or refrain from acting upon information on this site without seeking independent legal advice.