Most tenants have the following rights:
- The right to live in the property undisturbed
- The right to live in a property that is in safe and in good repair
- The right to information about your tenancy such as a copy of any tenancy agreement, landlord's details and copies of certificates such as Energy Performance Certificate or Gas Safety
- A landlord who is registered with Rent Smart Wales and a Rent Smart Wales licenced landlord or agent
- Protection from unfair eviction
- To have your deposit protected under a protection scheme and returned if you meet the terms of the tenancy agreement and do not damage the property
- To have notice for any alterations in rent
- Not to be charged unlawful fees
If you fail to pay rent or breach other terms of your tenancy agreement your rights as a tenant can be affected.
Whether or not a tenancy agreement is in place, landlords and tenants still have certain rights and obligations under the housing legislation. Certain rights remain even if the tenancy agreement states otherwise, for instance; your tenancy agreement cannot usually stipulate you are responsible for repairing the structure of the property.
For more information you should seek legal advice.
What you can do
- Make sure you know what the rent amount and due dates are and keep to these
- Report any disrepair items promptly to your landlord
- Check your landlord is registered with Rent Smart Wales and someone has a licence for looking after the management of the property.
- Challenge any unlawful fees
- Make sure you are supplied with information relating to the Deposit Scheme used by the landlord