The tenant's guide to renting

What your landlord must give you

Before you move in (or shortly after), you're legally entitled to all of these. If any are missing, ask — a good landlord will thank you for the reminder:

• A written tenancy agreementThrough Cheerfulrent you sign digitally and keep a copy forever in your Documents page.
• Deposit protection certificate + prescribed informationYour deposit (max 5 weeks' rent) must be in a government scheme (DPS, TDS or mydeposits) within 30 days, and they must tell you which. If they don't, courts can award you up to 3× the deposit.
• The How to Rent guideThe government's official guide to your rights — Cheerfulrent serves it automatically when your tenancy starts.
• Gas Safety Certificate (annual) and EPCProof the gas is safe (renewed every 12 months) and the home's energy rating (E or better to be lettable).
• Electrical safety report (EICR)The fixed wiring must be inspected at least every 5 years and you get a copy.
• Working smoke & CO alarmsA smoke alarm on every floor and a carbon monoxide alarm wherever there's a boiler, fire or stove — tested on day one.

Your rights, in one minute

• No-fault evictions are gone. Under the Renters' Rights Act your landlord needs a legal ground (selling, moving in, serious arrears, antisocial behaviour) and proper notice to end your tenancy.
• Rent can rise at most once a year, with formal notice — and you can challenge an above-market increase at a free tribunal.
• Repairs have real deadlines. Serious hazards like damp and mould must be investigated and fixed within set timescales (Awaab's Law). Report issues through your dashboard — photos and videos make them impossible to ignore.
• Your money is protected. Deposits capped at 5 weeks' rent, holding deposits at 1 week, and most letting fees are banned outright.
• You can't be refused for having children or receiving benefits.

How rent works on Cheerfulrent

You pay by standing order from your own bank — no cards stored, no third parties holding your money. Your personal payment reference tells us it's you; we verify every payment and confirm it on your dashboard, by email, and by WhatsApp, so there is never an argument about whether rent was paid. On-time payments build your reliability score — and soon, via CreditLadder, your credit history too.

Been invited by your landlord? Open your invitation link to join your tenancy — it takes two minutes.