Renting: The Essential Guide to Tenants Rights
This book, from solicitor Tessa Shepperson, published by Lawpack, covers all you need to know about property lettings from a tenant's point of view. It looks at all aspects of renting, concentrating on the legal side of letting property. It deals with the law in England and Wales UK only.
Contents include:
- Part 1 - Background information - this section gives essential information to help you understand your rights, including:
- The legal system in England and Wales - an overview to give you the background
- Tenancies and landlords - looking at the different types of tenancy and landlord and how this affects your rights, also looks at HMOs and various other relevant matters
- Working out your type of occupation - it is essential to do this to work out what your rights are
- Court proceedings - background information on dealing with court claims - detailed information is given in the relevant sections below
- Part 2 - Tenants Rights - this is the main section of the book. Rights covered include:
- The Right to Housing - what rights you have to claim housing from the state
- Information about the tenancy and your landlord - what information you are entitled to have under law and how to get it
- Tenancy deposits - what your rights are and how to enforce them
- The right to be treated fairly - looks at unfair terms in tenancy agreements, rights regarding rent, and rights regarding unfair discrimination
- The Right to receive housing benefit - guidance on how to apply for this and highlighting problems which may arise
- Rights regarding the condition and repairs - this is a very complex area of law, and this section sets it out in a way which is easy to understand and which will help you enforce your rights in this important area
- The right to live in the property undisturbed - this large section of the book looks first at unlawful eviction and harassment, and then at standard possession claims by landlords and what you can do about them
- The right for your family to live in the property after your death - this right is not available for all types of tenancy, but this book tells you when it will be
- Part 3 - tenancy outline - this section gives a brief outline of a tenancy from start to finish
- Part 4 - Further information
- Making complaints
- Obtaining legal advice
- Further reading
- Useful web-sites and telephone helplines
"This guide not only contains a wealth of information which can be put to good practical use, it is also a delight to read. By first setting out the historical context for thelaws which regulate residential renting in England and Wales today, the minefield of current legislation becomes more understandable and less daunting. I am left wondering how tenants survived before the publication of this book." Jacky Peacock OBE, Director of Brent Private Tenant's Rights Group
"With a daughter just about to go off to Uni and a son in his third year I have found this book to be exceptionally helpful in investigating and researching all the possible problems they may meet and have already met in the minefield that is student renting." Review on Amazon.
Read before you buy! Click here for a pdf of the cover, contents list and chapter 12
Recommended price £9.99, but click the link in the box below to purchase for £6.49 or less from Amazon.
See also Tessa's book for Landlords 
The Complete Guide to Residential Letting (note - this will open in a new window, with some browsers you may need to allow popups to view).
Landlord-Law (note - this will open in a new window, with some browsers you may need to allow popups to view).
