01
Renting with us — the basics.
What we are, who looks after you, and how a tenancy with Accommodation.co.uk differs from a high-street letting agent.
What kind of agent is Accommodation.co.uk?
We’re a UK-wide letting agent with people on the ground in every region. Unlike a high street agent we don’t have a shopfront on the high street — that’s where the savings come from. We do everything a traditional letting agent does (vetting, paperwork, repairs, rent collection) with named staff and one online account that holds everything.
What's the difference between a standard rental and an Extended Stay?
Standard rentals — An unfurnished or part-furnished long-term home on a normal residential tenancy. It’s periodic (rolling) from the day you move in — you stay as long as you like and give notice when you’re ready to move on — and you arrange your own bills.Extended Stay — A furnished, move-in-ready home booked for anywhere from 30 nights to a year, with gas, electricity, water, broadband and council tax bundled into one monthly price. Built for relocations, contracts and gaps between homes. See the Extended Stay page for the full picture.
Will I always speak to the same person?
Yes. The person who shows you round is often a viewing host we’ve subcontracted for the viewing — but your named point of contact for the tenancy, including renewal, lives in your tenant account with their direct mobile and email. If they’re on holiday, you’ll get a named backup, not a call-centre queue.
Where do you operate?
Every UK postcode in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Listing density varies — London, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh and Birmingham have the most stock; smaller towns may have fewer live listings, but we can still help you find something.
Are all your properties vetted?
Yes. Every home gets a pre-let check before it goes live — visited and photographed by our team, with gas safety (CP12), the electrical installation report (EICR), the EPC and the smoke / CO alarms all checked. If the paperwork isn’t in order, the property doesn’t go on the site.
How are your photos different from Rightmove's?
They’re ours — taken by a person from our team, on a real camera, in real light. No fish-eye wide-angle to make a 28m² flat look like a 60m² flat. If a window faces a wall, you’ll see the wall.
Do you use Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket?
Yes — every property on our site is also listed on Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket so you can compare. The application and tenancy are processed through us either way.
Are you regulated?
We’re members of ARLA Propertymark, registered with the Property Ombudsman (for tenant complaints), and our client money is protected under the CMP scheme. Our complaints procedure and certificates are at the bottom of every page.
Do you discriminate against benefit recipients?
No. The 2023 ruling made “no DSS” policies unlawful and we agree with it. Affordability is assessed on your total income — wages, self-employed earnings, Universal Credit, PIP, pensions, the lot.
02
Money — fees, deposits, rent.
What you'll pay, what you won't, and where your deposit lives for the duration of the tenancy.
Do you charge tenants any fees?
No — no admin fees, no renewal fees, no exit fees (the Tenant Fees Act 2019 banned them and we agree with the spirit of it). Standard rentals: you pay your first month’s rent and a 5-week deposit, plus a refundable 1-week holding deposit at offer stage that then comes off your first month. Extended Stay: you pay a deposit to secure the home and settle the balance before move-in — and bills are bundled into the one monthly price.
How much is the deposit?
Capped by law at 5 weeks' rent if the annual rent is under £50,000 (so on a £1,500/mo rent the deposit is £1,730), or 6 weeks’ rent if the annual rent is £50,000+. There are no other deposits — no “pet deposit”, no “professional clean deposit” on top.
Where is my deposit held?
Every deposit is registered with the DPS (Deposit Protection Service), the government-backed custodial scheme. They hold the money — not the landlord, not us. You get a prescribed-information certificate within 30 days of the tenancy starting.
How is the rent paid?
Standard rentals — By standing order from your bank account, on the same date each month. Your tenant account shows every payment, your current balance and a receipt you can download for letting agents or visa applications.Extended Stay — One monthly all-in payment covering rent, gas, electricity, water, broadband and council tax — or paid upfront for the whole stay if you’d rather. Same account, same downloadable receipts.
Can the rent be increased during my tenancy?
Standard rentals — Only once a year, and only by the proper legal process — in England a section 13 notice with at least 1 month’s written notice, and only up to the local market rate. You can challenge an above-market increase at the tribunal. Tenancies are periodic, so the same rules apply throughout. We never pass on a “review fee”.Extended Stay — No. Your all-in price is fixed for the stay you’ve booked. If you extend, we agree any change before you commit — never mid-stay.
Are there any "exit fees"?
No. The Tenant Fees Act bans them. When you leave, having given proper notice, the only cost is the rent up to your last day and any agreed dilapidations (which come out of the deposit, not your pocket).
How do I end my tenancy?
Standard rentals — Just give notice — the tenancy is periodic, so you can leave at any point with around two months’ written notice. Tell your named agent, pay rent up to your last day, and that’s it. No penalty fees, no early-exit charges.Extended Stay — You’re committed for the nights you’ve booked (your initial stay); after that it’s month-to-month, so 30 days' notice ends it. No exit fees either way.
03
Applying and moving in.
Referencing, holding deposits, signing the tenancy agreement, and what happens on the day you get the keys.
Why doesn't referencing start the moment I apply?
Because the landlord has to accept your application first. Several tenants can apply for the same home; we send every complete application to the landlord, they pick one, and only then do we kick off the full referencing — Canopy, employer, previous landlords, the lot. Two reasons we run it this way: 1) we don’t want a credit search sitting on your file for a property you didn’t end up getting, and 2) landlords pay for referencing, so we only run it on applications they’ve actually accepted. Most landlords decide within 24–48 hours.
How does the application work, end to end?
You view (in person or virtually), make an offer through your account and pay a 1-week refundable holding deposit. We send the file straight to the landlord. Referencing only kicks off once the landlord has accepted — so there’s no credit footprint or employer call before then. Once accepted, Canopy runs the references (3–5 working days), we e-sign the tenancy, you book a move-in slot. Average end-to-end is 11 days from offer to keys.
What documents will I need?
Photo ID (passport or driver’s licence), proof of right-to-rent (BRP, visa, or share code), three months of payslips or your last two SA302s if you’re self-employed, three months of bank statements, and contact details for your current landlord and your employer. We let you upload everything in one go and chase whatever’s missing for you.
What's a holding deposit?
A 1-week refundable holding deposit you pay when your offer is accepted. It takes the property off the market for 15 days (extendable) while we reference you. If you’re successful, it’s deducted from your first month’s rent. If you withdraw, fail right-to-rent, or lie on the application, the landlord can keep it — otherwise it comes straight back.
Can I rent if I've had a CCJ or bad credit?
Often, yes. Older CCJs (3+ years, settled) are usually fine on their own. Anything recent or unsettled, we’ll likely need a UK-based guarantor on 36× the rent. We never reject silently — you’ll get a call to talk options. Tell us upfront and it’s much easier.
I'm self-employed — does that matter?
No. We accept your last two years’ SA302s or tax returns, or 6 months of business bank statements if you’re newer than that. About a third of our tenants are self-employed.
Do I need a guarantor?
Only if you don’t pass affordability on your own. The standard threshold is 30× monthly rent in annual income; if you’re below it, a UK-based guarantor on 36× the rent is usually enough. Students often need one regardless. We reference them just as we would you.
How does referencing work?
Important point first: we don't start referencing until the landlord has accepted your application. Until then your file sits with the landlord and there’s no employer call, no landlord call, no credit search on you. Once accepted, we use a regulated agency (Canopy) that runs a soft credit check, contacts your employer and your current landlord, and verifies right-to-rent. You pay nothing for it. It usually finishes in 3-5 working days; we’ll chase your references on your behalf if they’re slow.
What happens on move-in day?
You meet your named agent (or our local move-in team) at the property at the agreed time. They walk you through the inventory, demo the boiler, alarms and meters, hand over keys and answer anything you need to know. The whole thing usually takes 30-45 minutes.
04
Living in your home.
Repairs, bills, inspections, having people over, decorating — the day-to-day of being a tenant.
What happens when something breaks?
Report it in your tenant account in two taps — describe it, add photos if you can. We log it, triage it (urgent / standard / cosmetic) and book a contractor. Your named agent picks up the phone if it’s urgent. Median first response is within 24 hrs, including weekends.
What counts as an emergency repair?
Loss of heating in winter, loss of hot water for more than 24h, water leaks you can’t stop, total loss of power, broken external door or window that leaves the property insecure, blocked-only WC. For any of these, call your agent’s direct mobile (in your tenant account) — we’ll get a contractor out the same day, evenings and weekends included.
Who pays for repairs?
The landlord covers anything that’s broken through normal wear and tear, plus everything on the statutory repair list (structure, exterior, drains, gas, electrics, heating, hot water, sanitary fittings). You cover damage you cause and consumables — light bulbs, smoke alarm batteries, plunging a blocked sink, that sort of thing.
Who sets up the bills?
Standard rentals — You arrange the accounts with your suppliers unless your tenancy includes bills. Keep the meter readings from move-in day and ask your property manager which accounts you need to set up for your home.Extended Stay — Nobody — they’re already on. Gas, electricity, water, broadband and council tax are included in your monthly price and running before you arrive.
Do you do property inspections?
Yes — typically twice a year, spaced out across the year. We give you 24 hours' notice (more if you ask), the inspection is 15 minutes, and you get a copy of the report. We’re looking for maintenance issues to flag with the landlord, not snooping. Furnished Extended Stay homes get a quick mid-stay check too.
Can I decorate the property?
Painting a room a neutral colour is almost always fine — just check with your agent first so we can note it. Wallpaper, mounting shelves or anything that needs drilling beyond standard picture hooks needs the landlord’s OK. Big changes (flooring, kitchen, bathroom) generally aren’t allowed unless it’s a long-term let and we’ve agreed in writing.
Can I run a business from home?
Working from home in the laptop-and-Zoom sense is fine. Anything with clients visiting, deliveries beyond normal, signage, food prep for sale, or business rates — that needs the landlord’s written consent and sometimes a change to the tenancy. Just ask your agent.
05
Pets, guests and the extras.
What's allowed, what needs a chat first, and what counts as a permitted alteration to the property.
Are pets allowed?
Often, yes. Filter for "pet-friendly" in search — those landlords have said yes upfront. For others we can ask: under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, landlords can’t unreasonably refuse a pet request. The landlord can ask you to take out pet damage insurance.
Is there a pet rent or pet deposit?
No. Pet rents are banned by the Tenant Fees Act. Pet deposits would push the total over the 5-week cap, so they’re banned too. The legal mechanism is pet damage insurance — typically £12-15/month — which you take out and which the landlord can require as a reasonable condition.
Can my partner / friend move in later?
Yes — they’d be added to the tenancy. We’ll need to reference them and the landlord has to consent (reasonably). Adding someone is free; we don’t charge for “change of tenant”.
Can guests stay over?
Of course. Friends, family, partners staying for a weekend or even a couple of weeks is normal use of the property. If someone is effectively living with you for more than 4 weeks, they need to go on the tenancy — that’s a legal threshold, not a rule we made up.
Can I sub-let or list on Airbnb?
Almost certainly no. Standard tenancy agreements prohibit sub-letting and short-term holiday lets, and lender / insurance terms on the property usually do too. Lodgers (someone paying you to share with you) are sometimes allowed with written consent — ask first.
06
Ending or renewing the tenancy.
Notice periods, renewal offers, the check-out inventory and how the deposit comes back to you.
How long is the tenancy?
Standard rentals — There’s no fixed term. Every residential tenancy is periodic (rolling) from the day you move in — you stay as long as you like and simply give notice when you want to leave. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 did away with fixed-term ASTs, so there’s no end date to be caught out by.Extended Stay — You book the stay you need — anywhere from 30 nights to a year. Tell us your intended dates at booking; once your initial stay is up it carries on month-to-month for as long as you want it, or you check out. Minimums vary by home.
How much notice do I have to give?
Standard rentals — Because the tenancy is periodic, you can leave whenever you need to — give around two months' written notice (the standard tenant notice under the Renters’ Rights Act), ending on a rent due date. Tell your named agent, pay rent to your last day, done.Extended Stay — You’re committed for the nights you’ve booked (your initial stay). After that it’s month-to-month, so 30 days' notice ends it — no penalty beyond the nights you committed to.
Do I need to renew, and will the rent change?
Standard rentals — There’s nothing to renew — a periodic tenancy just continues. The rent can only be reviewed once a year, by the proper section 13 process, with at least a month’s notice and only up to the local market rate (challengeable at tribunal). No renewal fee — that’s banned by the Tenant Fees Act.Extended Stay — Before your booked stay ends, your agent checks in: extend for more nights, roll on month-to-month, or check out. The all-in price is fixed for the stay you’ve booked; any change is agreed up front, never mid-stay.
Can the landlord ask me to leave?
Only on genuine legal grounds and with proper notice. Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, a landlord can no longer end a tenancy without a reason. They can still recover the property for real grounds (selling, moving in, persistent rent arrears, antisocial behaviour) — but they have to give the required notice (commonly 4 months for the main grounds) and get a court order if you don’t agree.
What happens at check-out?
We do a check-out inventory the day you leave (you can be there if you want) and compare it to the inventory at the start. You’ll get the report within 5 working days. Anything beyond fair wear and tear gets quoted and discussed before any deposit deduction.
When do I get my deposit back?
The DPS pays you back within 10 working days of you and the landlord both agreeing on deductions (or none). If there’s a dispute, the DPS’s free adjudication service decides — it usually takes 4-6 weeks and either side can submit evidence.
07
Edge cases and "what if".
Joint tenancies, splitting up, students, sub-letting, guarantors and the awkward ones nobody likes to ask about.
We're renting jointly — what's a joint tenancy?
You all sign one tenancy and are jointly and severally liable for the whole rent — meaning if one person doesn’t pay, the rest are on the hook. It’s the most common setup for couples, friends and HMOs. The deposit is held jointly too, and decisions about leaving have to be unanimous.
My partner and I split up. What now?
Tell your named agent. Options: one of you takes the tenancy on solo (re-reference required), you both leave at the next break point, or you find a replacement for whoever’s leaving (we’ll reference them). We’ve handled this many times — there’s no charge for the change of names on the tenancy.
I'm a student — can I rent through you?
Yes, though student lets are a smaller part of what we do. You’ll likely need a UK-based guarantor. Like every tenancy now, it’s periodic — you stay through the academic year and give notice when you’re done, with no “summer retainer”. A furnished Extended Stay can suit placements or a single term.
I'm moving to the UK from abroad. Can I apply?
Yes. You’ll need a valid visa or right-to-rent share code, an international credit check (we use HomeLet International). If you have no UK credit history, speak to the team about the evidence you can provide and whether a guarantor may help.
What if I lose my job mid-tenancy?
Tell us straight away. We’d much rather know in week one of a problem than month three. We’ll talk to the landlord about a short payment plan or a temporary rent reduction. And because the tenancy is periodic, you’re never trapped — if moving on is the only sensible answer, you simply give notice and leave, no penalty. Nobody benefits from ploughing on into arrears.
Is the property covered by contents insurance?
The landlord’s insurance covers the building and any furniture they own. Your stuff isn’t covered. Tenant contents insurance is your responsibility — it’s usually £5-10/month and we can point you at a few decent options on move-in day.
I want to complain. How?
First, tell your named agent — most things resolve in a phone call. If they can’t fix it, ask for our complaints team (complaints@accommodation.co.uk); we’ll respond inside 5 working days and resolve within 8 weeks. If you’re still not happy, you can escalate free of charge to the Property Ombudsman, whose decision is binding on us.
Still stuck
Choose how to get help.
Call the team or ask for tenancy help. For repairs, use the reporting details supplied with your tenancy or contact your property manager.
Cleared up?
Time to find a home.
2,000+ vetted homes across 32 UK cities. Real photos, fair prices, one tidy account.