If you are homeless or work with homeless people, you can use this website to find out about the private rented sector. Contact details, and information about who the schemes have been set up to help, are included.
Below is some further information that you should consider if you are looking for a home to rent. For more assistance contact your local authority, Shelter or your local Citizens Advice Bureau. For more general information and advice if you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, visit the Homeless UK or Homeless London websites.
PRS access schemes help people who cannot afford the deposit and rent in advance to access the private rented sector. They do this by offering landlords guarantees and other incentives, and assisting clients with property searches, benefit claims and other areas of support that the client may need to create a successful tenancy.
PRS access schemes are also sometimes called rent deposit schemes, bond schemes and deposit guarantee schemes. Find out if there is a
PRS access scheme near you. If there isn't a scheme near you, contact your local
Citizens Advice Bureau.
The private rented sector (PRS) is accommodation that is privately owned (i.e. not owned by the council or housing association) that is being rented out by a landlord, usually for some profit. More information on the PRS can be found on this website. You can also download
Your Passport to Renting a Private Home which is a short guide developed by OSW and the London Housing Foundation.
Shelter Scotland also gives advice on renting rights in Scotland
Why not wait for social housing?
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is a new way of calculating Housing Benefit for tenants renting accommodation from private landlords. It was introduced nationally on 7 April 2008. If you are single and under 25 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) will be restricted to ‘single room rent' intended only to cover the rent for a room in a shared house. To find out how much LHA will pay according to the size of your accommodation you can check your local council's website.
Working while living in the PRS
Where to look for properties
You've found a property – now what?
Also, landlords are no longer allowed to hold your deposit. Instead, a new Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme means they now have to place your deposit in one of three Government-approved schemes. Your landlord must tell you within 14 days of you providing your deposit which scheme they have placed it in. You will be able to contact the scheme to find out if his deposit has been protected.
What this all means is that at the end of your tenancy, your landlord cannot simply withhold your deposit. For more information go to the
Directgov website.
The Scottish government has recently announced that it will shortly be introducing a tenancy deposit protection scheme in Scotland, further details of the scheme will be available soon. In the meantime information on deposits can be found on the
Shelter Scotland website.