Private rented housing

The private rented sector is an important part of the housing market in Rushcliffe, and will be an option for anybody looking for a place to live in the Borough. Given that there is not enough social rented housing to meet the demand, the council tries to help people to access the private rented sector. Renting in the private sector can allow people a greater choice about where they live and can allow people to move very quickly.

We sometimes advertise private rented properties via Homesearch. There are other websites that allow you to search for suitable properties, and you can use the internet to search for lettings agencies that advertise properties.

There are minimum standards that private landlords must meet, such as the safety of the property, its state of repair, tenancy paperwork and security of tenure (for example, a landlord cannot ask their tenant to leave without giving them the proper notice).

If you are experiencing problems with your landlord or your tenancy, you will find more information on our Housing Advice pages, or you can contact our Private Sector Housing team for assistance.

Landlord Accreditation

Rushcliffe Borough Council supports the East Midlands Landlord Accreditation Scheme and Unipol student housing accreditation scheme. These are voluntary schemes, which are supported by reputable landlords to drive up standards across the sector. You can be confident that landlords who are part of these schemes have met agreed standards for their properties and their management services.

Deposit Guarantee Scheme

One of the main differences between social rented and private rented housing is that in the private sector, you will normally be expected to pay at least one month’s rent in advance, and provide a security deposit. If you are threatened with homelessness within two months, and you are not able to afford the security deposit for a private rented property, we may be able to assist you through our Deposit Guarantee Scheme. This is subject to satisfactory references. Please contact us for more advice.

If you will need to claim Housing Benefit to afford the rent for a property, you should visit our Housing Benefit pages to see how much benefit you may be entitled to. This will help you to search for a property you can afford.