Advice for Tenants
What if my landlord wants entry to the property?
There is a term in a tenancy agreements, under the Rent Act 1977
and the Housing Act 1988, that the tenant will let the landlord
have access to the property and all reasonable facilities to carry
out repairs which the landlord is entitled to do.
The landlord or agent is entitled to
carry out periodic tenancy inspections. The landlord or agent
authorised by the tenant, at reasonable times of the day, can enter
the property to inspect its condition and state of repair. They
must give the tenant at least 24 hours notice
in writing before they carry out such an
inspection.
Relationship breakdown
If you are currently going through a
relationship breakdown then it is important that you understand
your housing rights. If your name is on the tenancy agreement then
you will have rights to remain at the property, if your name is not
on the tenancy agreement then you should also receive housing
advice. Please do not leave the accommodation without receiving
advice about your rights to the property. Also check the Shelter
Relationship Breakdown Tool which will advise you on your rights to
a property. For further advice please see the Shelter leaflet and
website. For legal advice please contact the Citizen Advice
Bureau.
What if I can no longer afford the rent?
If you have moved into a rented property and
you are finding that your rent is hard to manage then you
can check to see if you are entitled to any Housing Benefit to
cover your rent. You can check whether you should be entitled to
this by using the Housing Benefit calculator or by contacting
Malvern Hills Customer Service Centre to discuss applying for
Housing Benefit.
You may also wish to check that you are
receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to. You can find
this out by visiting the Direct Gov website. For advice on
debt can be found by contacting the National Debt Line or
Citizen Advice Bureau. The Housing Advice Team are also able to
help with housing advice and preventing you from losing your
tenancy.
What if I have rats/fleas at my property?
If you have rats/fleas at your property you
should inform your landlord. Your landlord does not
have a responsibility to pay for pest control services but
will need to be made aware of the problem. For further information
please visit the council Environmental Health webpage.
I'm being harassed by my landlord
If you feel you are being harassed by your
landlord then please read this leaflet on Harassment
& Illegal Eviction 
or,
alternatively, please contact the Housing Advice Team.
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
If you would like more information on HMO's
then please visit the House
in Multiple Occupation Page.
Other information
Published tips for tenants - http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1973741.pdf