Rent hikes without notice, unlawful deposit deductions, refusing pets outright, ignoring damp and mould. Here's exactly what your landlord is not allowed to do — and what the law says you can do about it.
Updated June 2026
Not legal advice. This page is general information. For urgent or complex situations, contact Shelter, Citizens Advice, or a solicitor.
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Rent Increases — What Landlords Must Do
Your landlord cannot simply text you saying the rent is going up next month. A rent increase must follow a specific legal process.
❌ Your landlord cannot:
Raise rent without giving you at least two months' written notice
Increase rent more than once in any 12-month period
Demand rent above the single advertised asking price — rent bidding wars are now unlawful under the Renters' Rights Act 2025
Include a rent review clause in a fixed-term tenancy that bypasses the statutory process
✅ What you can do:
Challenge any increase you believe is above market rate at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — it's free to apply
The tribunal will determine a fair market rent and your landlord cannot charge above it
Law: Housing Act 1988, Section 13 — sets out the process for lawful rent increases. Renters' Rights Act 2025 — rent bidding ban.
Deposit Deductions — Fair Wear and Tear
Most tenants lose some or all of their deposit to deductions that are not legally valid. Your landlord can only deduct from your deposit for damage beyond fair wear and tear — and the difference matters enormously.
❌ Your landlord cannot charge you for:
Worn carpets, faded curtains, or scuffed walls from normal use
Furniture or fittings that have simply aged during your tenancy
Minor scuffs, small nail holes, or light marks consistent with everyday living
Replacing an item entirely when a repair would have sufficed — this is called "betterment"
Professional cleaning beyond what the property was in when you moved in
Law: Tenant Fees Act 2019 — caps deposits at 5 weeks' rent (or 6 weeks where annual rent exceeds £50,000). Landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it.
Landlord Keeping Your Deposit Unfairly?
Generate a formal deposit dispute letter in under 2 minutes — legally referenced and ready to send.
Your landlord has a legal duty to keep your home in a safe and habitable condition. This is not optional and cannot be signed away in a tenancy agreement.
❌ Your landlord cannot:
Ignore reports of damp, mould, or structural disrepair
Refuse to repair heating, hot water, or the property's structure and exterior
Claim that damp or mould is caused by your "lifestyle" without a proper inspection
Evict you in retaliation for reporting a repair or making a complaint
Law: Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 — landlord must keep structure, exterior, heating and hot water in repair. Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 — property must be safe and fit to live in throughout the tenancy.
Pets — What's Changed in 2026
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords can no longer issue blanket "no pets" clauses. A tenant has the right to request permission to keep a pet, and a landlord must have a reasonable objection to refuse.
✅ Your new rights:
You can make a written request to keep a pet in the property
Your landlord must respond within 28 days
Refusal must be based on specific reasonable grounds — not a blanket policy
Your landlord can require you to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of consent
No DSS and No Children Bans
Blanket bans on tenants who receive housing benefit (sometimes advertised as "No DSS") or tenants with children are now unlawful under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. A landlord cannot refuse to consider your application purely on these grounds.
Illegal Eviction and Harassment
Eviction is a legal process. Your landlord cannot remove you from the property through intimidation, changing the locks, removing your belongings, or cutting off utilities. Any of these acts constitute a criminal offence.
❌ It is a criminal offence for your landlord to:
Change the locks while you are a legal occupant
Remove or interfere with your belongings
Cut off gas, electricity, water or other utilities to force you to leave
Threaten, intimidate, or harass you to pressure you into leaving
Enter the property without giving at least 24 hours' written notice (except genuine emergencies)
Law: Protection from Eviction Act 1977 — illegal eviction and harassment are criminal offences punishable by an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment. You can also claim substantial civil damages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord just text me to say the rent is going up?
No. A rent increase requires a formal written Section 13 notice giving at least two months' notice. An informal message has no legal effect.
My landlord is blaming mould on my "lifestyle" — is that valid?
Not without evidence. The burden is on the landlord to demonstrate the cause. If the property has structural damp, poor ventilation, or inadequate heating, the landlord is likely responsible regardless of how it's framed.
Can my landlord deduct cleaning costs from my deposit?
Only if the property was professionally cleaned at the start of your tenancy and is now in a worse state. They cannot charge for cleaning that returns the property to the same standard it was in when you moved in — and a tenancy agreement cannot require you to pay for professional end-of-tenancy cleaning as a fixed obligation.
What do I do if my landlord refuses to fix the heating?
Write to them formally requesting repair within a reasonable timeframe (14–28 days is typically considered reasonable for heating). If they fail to act, you can report them to your local council's Environmental Health team, who have powers to force repairs, or pursue a remedy through the courts.