Advice about Privately Renting
- Private Rented Accommodation
- Types of Accommodation
- Hostels
- Rent in Advance and Deposit Loan
- Tenancies
- Tenancy Agreements
- Housing Benefit
- How to Find accommodation
Privately renting
Private rented accommodation is owned or leased by private landlords. The rent is more expensive than Council or Housing Association accommodation. Properties range from single rooms in shared properties to houses and vary in quality and cost. Rents also depend on the size and location of the property. In general, privately rented accommodation in Wokingham is not cheap and you will usually be asked to pay a deposit and/or rent in advance before you move in.
Types of accommodation
Shared Accommodation
In shared accommodation you usually have your own bedroom and share the rest of the property with other tenants and/or the landlord/lady. Shared accommodation is generally the cheapest and easiest to find. An advantage to shared accommodation is that the bills are usually included in the rent and the deposit and rent in advance are also cheaper.
You may consider this as an option in order to save up money towards a deposit and rent in advance to enable you to secure self contained accommodation at a future time.
Shared Accommodation may also be advertised as rooms, house/flat shares or bedsits.
Room – This may be a room in the landlord’s house or a room where other people share facilities such as a bathroom, kitchen, garden and living area. This is often the cheapest accommodation available
House/Flat Share – Again you will have your own room and share the rest of the property; the main difference is that you will probably have more contact with the other tenants and there may be fewer of them. You may find the facilities are better than when renting a room although this may be reflected in the cost.
Bedsit – You will have your own room with cooking and washing facilities but will often share a bathroom and toilet.
Deposits and Rent in Advance
Deposit
A deposit is a sum of money paid by the tenant to the landlord as a guarantee against rent arrears or damage to the property or it’s contents. Landlords will usually ask for a deposit equal to four weeks rent. If you pay a deposit it is important to get a receipt for it and keep this safe should there be any dispute about it at a later date.
It is also important to get an inventory when you move into the property detailing it’s contents and condition. Both you and the landlord should sign and date against this inventory before you move in, it may also be a good idea to take photographs.
If at the end of the tenancy there are no rent arrears or damage the landlord should rent your deposit to you. Your landlord cannot withhold your deposit for what can be considered normal wear and tear. If your landlord refuses to return your deposit please call the Housing Advice section on 0118 974 6760 for advice.
Rent in Advance
In addition to a deposit a landlord may ask for a month’s rent in advance to secure the accommodation.
Rent in Advance and Deposit Loan
We have a limited amount of money available to provide interest free loans to help people living in the Borough to rent private accommodation when they are in housing need but cannot afford the amount needed to pay the rent in advance or deposit asked by most private landlords.
What is the process for applying?
- First of all come in and talk to us about your situation or contact the team on 0118 974 6754/6756.
- Providing you meet the basic criteria, we will complete an application form so that we can carry out a full assessment of your situation.
- A final decision will be made by the Housing Needs Manager.
- If you are unhappy with the decision you can ask to speak to the Senior Housing Options Officer but as this is a discretionary scheme there is no formal appeal process.
Eligibility
In order to beeligible you will need to meet certain conditions including:
1. You need to be homeless or in urgent housing need. By this we mean you have no home or right to stay in your present home, or are threatened with homelessness within the next 28 days. You could be threatened with homelessness if you need to leave your home due to domestic abuse.
2. You need to have a local connection. We have set a minimum requirement of being resident in the Borough throughout the last 12 months.
3. You may alternatively qualify if you are escaping violence from another place and cannot return there.
4. The property should be of an appropriate size for you and the rent must be within set levels. The rent must be at or below the local housing allowance for the area where the property is located. The local housing allowance is based on Housing Benefit’s determination of the number of bedrooms you need.
What do I do if I think I am not eligible?
You can and should still arrange to talk to a member of the housing needs team and they will be able to confirm whether you are likely to be eligible. Even if you are not eligible they will probably be able to give you advice and maybe direct you to other agencies that may be in a position to help.
Local Housing Allowance (also known as Housing Benefit).
If you are a private tenant renting property or room from a private landlord and you are on a low income, you may be able to claim and receive Local Housing Allowance.
To find out of you are entitled to assistance, please contact 0118 974 6000 or call into the main Council offices at Shute End to see a Housing Benefit Advisor.
How to find accommodation
You can find out information about accommodation through:
- Letting agencies and estate agents
- Local newspapers
- Notice boards and shop windows
- Personal contacts - friends, family and colleagues
Other Things to Consider
Other things to consider when choosing a property are:
- can you afford it
- is it the right location for you
- is the property and area safe
- is it clean and in a good state of repair
Useful Numbers
Housing Options and Homelessness 0118 974 6754 / 6756
Housing Needs Register applications 0118 974 6760
Housing Benefit 0118 974 6000
