A tenancy agreement is a contract, and once you’ve signed it you’re bound by what’s written, not by what was said over the phone or promised on a viewing. Most disputes between tenants and landlords come down to a clause someone skimmed past. Spending half an hour reading properly before you sign saves a great deal of grief later.
Make sure you know who you’re renting from and what you’re signing
Before anything else, work out exactly who your landlord is and whether you’re dealing with them directly or through an agent. The agreement should name the landlord, even if a letting agency manages the property day to day. If the person showing you round can’t tell you who actually owns the place, that’s worth pausing over.
Then check the type of agreement. Most private lets in England are assured shorthold tenancies, though the rules around how tenancies work have shifted with the Renters’ Rights Act and the abolition of Section 21 on 1 May 2026. Fixed terms, rolling periodic arrangements and your rights to stay or leave all flow from the kind of tenancy you hold, so it pays to understand which one is in front of you. The government’s How to Rent guide is a sensible plain-English starting point, and your landlord or agent should give you a copy anyway.
Read the money clauses twice
Rent and deposit terms are where people get caught out. Check the rent amount, the date it’s due, and how it’s paid. Look for anything about rent reviews or increases during the tenancy, and make sure you understand how and when those can happen.
Your deposit deserves particular attention. By law, a deposit on an assured shorthold tenancy must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and you should receive the prescribed information telling you which scheme holds it. You can read how this works on the gov.uk deposit protection pages. If the agreement is vague about the deposit or the landlord seems reluctant to confirm it’ll be protected, treat that as a red flag rather than a formality.
While you’re in this section, look at what counts as a permitted payment. Most fees charged to tenants in England are banned, so if you’re being asked to pay for references, admin or a “holding” charge that doesn’t get returned or put towards rent, question it before you hand anything over.
Check the safety paperwork is in order
A landlord has legal duties around safety, and the paperwork proving they’ve met them should exist before you move in. You’re entitled to see a valid Gas Safety Certificate if the property has gas appliances. There should also be a satisfactory EICR covering the electrical installation, and an EPC showing the property’s energy rating.
Don’t be shy about asking for these. A reputable landlord or agent will have them ready. If smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors aren’t fitted where they should be, raise it now, because it’s far easier to sort before the keys change hands than after.
Understand the rules you’re agreeing to live by
The body of the agreement sets out what you can and can’t do, so read the clauses on pets, smoking, subletting, and whether you’re allowed to redecorate or hang pictures. Check who’s responsible for which repairs, and how you report a problem. Look at the notice you’d need to give to leave, and whether there’s a break clause in a fixed term.
Pay attention to the inventory too. A good inventory records the condition of the property and its contents at the start, with photographs ideally, and it’s your best protection when the deposit is returned at the end. Go through it carefully, note anything that’s already damaged or worn, and keep your own dated record. If something’s missing from the list, add it in writing rather than assuming it’ll be remembered.
A note for renters in Rochdale
Demand across the borough has been strong in recent years, and well-presented homes in areas like Bamford, Norden and Littleborough tend to let quickly. That can create pressure to sign fast before someone else does. Take the time you need anyway. A landlord worth renting from won’t rush you into signing something you haven’t read, and you can always browse what’s currently available among our properties to rent while you weigh things up.
If you’d like to understand how the recent changes to tenancy rules affect your position, our explainer on what the end of Section 21 actually changes is a useful read. And if you’ve got questions about a specific property or agreement, the team at Oak Property Associates is happy to talk it through before you commit to anything.