Renting
The tenant guide
Renting should be boring, in the best way: clear steps, capped fees, protected deposits and a team that answers. Here's the whole journey.
The short answer
Renting through Rowe & Hart is deliberately plain: only permitted fees, deposits protected in a government scheme, and every step of the process explained before it happens. This guide walks you through it from first viewing to moving in.
- 1
Finding the right home
Search our properties and rooms, or register your requirements and we'll contact you when something matches. Often before it's listed publicly.
- 2
Viewing
Viewings are accompanied by the same team who manage the property. Ask us anything, including the awkward questions about the boiler.
- 3
Holding deposit & referencing
To reserve a property you'll pay a holding deposit capped at one week's rent, then complete referencing: identity, right-to-rent, credit, employment and previous-landlord checks.
- 4
Tenancy agreement & deposit
Your tenancy deposit (capped at five weeks' rent for most tenancies) is protected in a government-approved scheme, with the Prescribed Information served to you properly.
- 5
Moving in
A documented inventory protects both sides. Keep your copy. It's what makes the end of the tenancy fair.
- 6
During the tenancy
Report repairs to us directly; on managed properties we coordinate vetted contractors. Gas, electrical and alarm safety are the landlord's obligations. We track them.
- 7
Moving out
Check-out against the inventory, honest deductions only, evidenced with photographs and invoices, never assertions, and your deposit returned through the scheme.
Every fee you can be charged is limited by the Tenant Fees Act 2019. See the full permitted list. Deciding between a room and a whole flat? We wrote an honest comparison.
Common questions
What fees can I be charged as a tenant?
Only the payments permitted by the Tenant Fees Act 2019: rent, a refundable tenancy deposit, a refundable holding deposit capped at one week's rent, and limited charges such as late-rent interest or replacing a lost key. Anything else is a prohibited payment. Our tenant fees page lists the full set.
What documents do I need for referencing?
Photo ID and proof of your right to rent, plus evidence of income such as payslips, an employment reference or accounts if you are self-employed, and a previous landlord reference where you have one. We tell you exactly what is needed before you pay a holding deposit.
Will I need a guarantor?
Not always. A guarantor is usually asked for where income is below the common affordability threshold or there is limited UK credit history, which is common for students and people new to the country. We tell you before referencing starts, never after.
How do I get my deposit back?
Your deposit sits in a government-approved protection scheme for the whole tenancy. At check-out the property is compared against the inventory from the day you moved in, any deductions must be evidenced, and the scheme offers free dispute resolution if you disagree.
Ready to find your next place?
Browse what's available now, or register and let us do the looking.