Your Rights

What is expected of a student tenant?

You (and all tenants in England and Wales) have to:

Give honest and truthful statements during the process of applying for a house
Pay rent when it's due
Respect and care for the landlord's property (house, furniture and fittings)
Pay the landlord for any damage (other than normal wear and tear) at the end of, or during, the tenancy
Pay the landlord for cleaning and removing rubbish at the end of the tenancy if it's 'exceptional' (beyond what's reasonably expected)
If there is anything wrong with the house, report it to the landlord as soon as you spot it
Not use the house for anything other than as your home (e.g. not to run a business)
Not keep pets, unless agreed by your landlord and in your tenancy agreement
Not do anything in or near your house that would annoy your landlord or neighbours, damage property or cause a nuisance
Not leave the place unoccupied for more than 14 days without letting the landlord (or his/her agent) know
Not use your deposit to cover the last month's rent
Follow the terms of your tenancy agreement and look after your home in a 'tenant-like manner' - in other words, take care of the place and do the little jobs that it's reasonable for you to do as a tenant e.g. keep drains free of hair.

Download our tenants' charter and display it in your home as a quick reminder of what you need to do as a tenant.

Your home must be safe for you to live in (this comes under 'common law' - contact us if you want more info on what this means)

By statute (again, see us for a translation) your landlord needs to:

Keep the structure and outside of the house (including drains, gutters and external pipes) in good repair
Keep the installations in the dwelling house for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences, but not other fixtures, fittings and appliances for making use of the supply of water, gas or electricity) in good repair and proper working order.
Keep the installations in the house for space heating (heating the rooms) and heating water in good repair and proper working order.
And, when the tenancy is for a furnished home:
Ensure that furniture and furnishings meet current regulatory standards for fire safety

From January 2008, all Manchester Student Homes' registered landlords commit to our Code Of Standards.