If you rent property in Guildford or anywhere else in the UK, you might find you have questions about your rights as a tenant, the property and what you’re allowed to do while you live there.

In this blog, we look at the four top questions tenants ask and provide the best answers we can. Please remember, rules may vary from tenancy to tenancy – if in doubt, check your tenancy agreement.

1.     Can I decorate a rented house?

As a general rule, you can decorate your rental property as long as you can change it back to how it was when you moved in. For example, you could change the curtains and lampshades, putting back the originals when you move out. But you should not repaint the walls or put down new flooring. 

On the other hand, if you’ve been in the rental property for some time and you’d like to redecorate, it is usually worth asking the landlord. Providing you choose moderate colour schemes, the landlord will probably give permission. 

2.     Do I have to maintain the garden in a rented property?

The responsibility for maintaining the garden is usually shared between landlord and tenants. The tenant does the small, regular jobs, and the landlord manages the larger ones.

For example, if the garden has grass, it is usually the tenant’s responsibility to keep it neat and tidy. Importantly, the landlord should provide basic tools like a lawnmower if they expect the tenant to maintain the garden. 

However, the landlord usually has responsibility for larger jobs, like tree pruning or replacing fence panels.

If you share your garden with other residents, the responsibility might be shared between all of you. Check whether it’s a financial responsibility (contributing to paying a gardener) or a practical one (doing your share of the weeding!). 

3.     Can I have a pet when renting?

We are waiting to see whether this changes in the upcoming review of renting law. At time of writing (Summer 2023) landlords are allowed to specify that they will not let a property to someone with pets. If the law changes, the landlord will only be allowed to say no to a specific pet, not pets in general. This will be a real advantage to responsible pet owners.

But until the law changes, you should never take on an animal when you live in rented property without your landlord’s permission. Responsible breeders and animal charities will always check that you have permission before they will let you adopt a pet from them. 

More information here.

4.     Can I move out before my tenancy ends? 

Whether or not you can move out before your tenancy ends depends on the type of tenancy you have. 

If you have a fixed-term tenancy, you cannot leave before the end unless you have a break clause.

Once your tenancy has gone beyond its fixed term (typically one year), it usually becomes a periodic tenancy (also known as a “rolling tenancy”). At this point, you can give a month’s notice if you want to leave. 

And if you have always had a periodic tenancy, you can give notice whenever you want or need to leave. 

The amount of notice you give should correspond to your rent. So if you pay your rent on 10^th of the month, you should give notice on the 10^th of the month before you want to leave and make sure to vacate the property by the 9^th of the following month. 

Rent property in Guildford

These are just some of the questions that tenants ask! If you let or rent property in Guildford and you have any more questions, our experienced team are here to help. Whether you’re hoping to let your property or looking for your next home, get in touch today on 01483 457 000 or find us on social media.