The London rental market, in plain words
Rent data, law changes and area breakdowns, written for the people paying the rent rather than the people collecting it.
'No DSS' Is Now Illegal: How to Enforce It in London
Since 1 May 2026, refusing a London tenancy because someone claims benefits or has children is unlawful, and councils can fine up to £7,000. This is what the ban covers at each stage of the letting process, what evidence to capture, and who to complain to.
Get Your London Deposit Back: Deadlines, Caps, Evidence
Only 1% of protected deposits reach adjudication, which says more about tenants accepting deductions than about landlords being right. This covers the five-week cap, the 30-day protection deadline, what counts as fair wear and tear, and the evidence that actually wins a scheme dispute.
How to Replace a Flatmate Without Losing Your London Flat
Since 1 May 2026 one joint tenant's notice to quit ends the tenancy for the whole flat, so swapping a sharer badly can cost everyone their home or trigger a rent rise. This explains the three routes for replacing a flatmate, the deposit paperwork to check, and what the £50 fee cap actually covers.
Rent Repayment Orders: How London Tenants Claim Rent Back
A missing HMO or selective licence can be worth up to two years' rent back, and the tribunal application fee is £114. Here is how London tenants check the register, prove the offence and work out what an award is likely to be worth.
Renting With Kids in London: 'No Children' Lets Are Illegal
Since 1 May 2026, refusing a let because an applicant has children or claims benefits is an offence under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, with penalties up to £7,000 per breach. This covers what agents can still ask, how to document a refusal, where to report it, and how the twelve-month protected period lines up with the school year.
Rent Upfront Is Capped: What London Agents Can Still Ask
Since 1 May 2026 any tenancy term demanding more than one month's rent in advance has no legal effect, and asking for money before signing can cost a landlord or agent up to £7,000. Here is what a London agent can lawfully ask for before you get the keys, what to say when they ask for more, and how to get money back if you have already paid.
When Your Landlord Says 'I'm Selling': Ground 1A Rules
Section 21 ended on 1 May 2026, so London landlords who want a flat empty now serve a Ground 1A sale notice. Here is what the four months' notice actually requires, why the re-letting ban runs for roughly sixteen months, and how tenants claim up to 24 months' rent back if the sale never happens.
Ground 1A: How London Renters Fight a 'Selling Up' Eviction
From 1 May 2026, a landlord who serves a Ground 1A notice cannot re-let or market the property for around sixteen months, and breaching that carries penalties of up to £40,000 plus rent repayment orders worth two years' rent. This is what the ground requires, what to ask the agent in writing, and how to check whether the sale was ever real.
When Your Landlord Says They're Selling: Your Rights Now
A Ground 1A notice starts a four-month clock, not an eviction. Here is how to check the notice for defects, what the 12-month protected period and the £40,000 re-let ban mean for you, and what to do in the first week.