For renters · Free, always · Your data stays yours
Know your rights, protect your deposit, leave on your terms
Renting is not a waiting room before buying. It is the same six stages a buyer gets, with the same search, the same maps and notes, the same budget, and applying and signing where they exchange and complete. Free, always: from whether your deposit is actually protected to what your landlord can and cannot do, to leaving without losing money.
Chapter 5 of 6 · Settle In
Your rented flat · overview
Live example- ✓Deposit protected with DPS
- ✓Tenancy agreement uploaded
- ✓Gas safety cert on file
- ✓End-of-tenancy checklist started
- ✓Address changes: 12 of 38 done
Renter status
Deposit verified, rights known
Contract ends in 4 months. Checklist ready.
Six free tools built for renters
Free is the product, not the trial. Every one of these stays free for as long as you rent.
Deposit protection checker
Verify your deposit is in an approved scheme. If it isn't, know exactly what to do and what you're owed.
Know your rights cards
Six key rights every renter should know, with the law behind each one and what to do if they're breached.
End-of-tenancy checklist
Eight steps to maximise your deposit return: from serving notice correctly to requesting your deposit back in writing.
Private document vault
Store your tenancy agreement, inventory, gas safety cert and correspondence. Only you can see them.
Address change tracker
Every organisation to notify when you move, prioritised by urgency, with direct links. Renter-specific items included.
Supplier cost tracker
Track your energy, broadband and insurance costs. Know when contracts end and log savings when you switch.
Your rights at a glance
Six things every renter in England should know.
Your deposit must be protected
Landlords in England must place your deposit in a government-backed scheme within 30 days of receiving it.
Housing Act 2004, ss.213-215
Your landlord must keep the property in repair
The structure, exterior, and installations for water, gas, electricity, heating and sanitation must be kept in repair by the landlord.
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11
Right to quiet enjoyment
Your landlord cannot enter without permission (except genuine emergencies) and must give at least 24 hours written notice.
Protection from Eviction Act 1977
Notice periods you should know
No-fault eviction has ended. Your landlord now has to give a reason, prove it, and give you notice that depends on the reason.
GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters' Rights Act
Minimum housing standards
Rental properties must be free from serious (Category 1) hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
Housing Act 2004, Part 1; Awaab's Law 2024
You cannot be refused for a protected characteristic
It is unlawful for landlords or agents to discriminate on grounds of race, disability, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics.
Equality Act 2010, s.32-35
Is your deposit actually protected?
Your landlord must protect your deposit in one of three government-backed schemes within 30 days. The official rules are on GOV.UK: tenancy deposit protection. Each scheme has its own checker, and checking takes a minute:
Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
depositprotection.com
MyDeposits
mydeposits.co.uk
Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
tenancydepositscheme.com
The deposit checker in your dashboard lets you record which scheme holds your deposit and when it was protected.
End-of-tenancy checklist
Eight steps to leave cleanly and get your full deposit back.
| Step | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Serve your notice correctly | 1 to 2 months before | Check your tenancy agreement for the notice period (usually 1 month for periodic, or wait until the end of a fixed term). Give notice in writing and keep proof of delivery. |
| 2. Take dated photos of every room | Final week | Photograph the condition of walls, floors, appliances, bathroom, garden and any existing damage. Compare against the check-in inventory if you have one. Timestamped photos are your strongest evidence in a deposit dispute. |
| 3. Professional clean or thorough DIY | Final 2 days | Most tenancy agreements require the property returned in the same condition as move-in, fair wear and tear excepted. A professional end-of-tenancy clean costs around £150 to £350 and is usually cheaper than a deposit deduction for cleaning. |
| 4. Fix minor damage you caused | Final week | Fill small nail holes, replace blown light bulbs, fix any damage beyond fair wear and tear. The cost of a tube of filler is far less than the landlord's contractor bill deducted from your deposit. |
| 5. Read all meters and photograph them | Moving day | Take final readings for gas, electricity and water on your last day. Photograph the meters with the readings visible. Send the readings to your suppliers and your landlord. |
| 6. Redirect your post and update addresses | 1 to 2 weeks before | Set up Royal Mail redirection (from £35 for 3 months). Update your address with banks, DVLA, GP, employer and subscriptions. HouseChapter's address change tracker covers 38 organisations. |
| 7. Return all keys and get a receipt | Moving day | Return every key, fob and garage remote you were given. Ask for written confirmation of the return, including the date and time. Unreturned keys are a common (and expensive) deposit deduction. |
| 8. Request your deposit back in writing | Day after moving out | Write to your landlord (or agent) confirming you have vacated and requesting the return of your deposit. They have 10 days to agree the amount or begin the dispute process through the protection scheme. If they make deductions, they must provide evidence. |
When you are ready
The buying chapters are already ahead of you
Deciding to buy is a change of answer to one question, not a different app and not a fresh start. Your file stays where it is: your documents, your address history, your rent paid on time and your deposit record all carry across on the same sign-in. You start the purchase from a tracked position rather than a blank form.
See the road to buyingRenters ask us
Is HouseChapter free for renters?
Yes, and not as a trial or a teaser tier. Renting is its own product here and renters never pay: the rights checker, deposit tracker, end-of-tenancy checklist, address changes and private vault are free for as long as you rent. No card required.
Can my landlord see my data?
No. Your account is completely private. Your documents, notes and deposit records are visible only to you. HouseChapter is built for you, not your landlord.
What about the Renters' Rights Act?
It is already law. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent in October 2025, and from 1 May 2026 Section 21 no-fault eviction ended: landlords can no longer serve one, and old notices stopped being usable in court after 31 July 2026. All tenancies are now periodic, and you can end yours by giving two months' notice. To regain possession a landlord must use a Section 8 ground and prove it. HouseChapter's rights checker follows the current rules rather than the old ones.
What happens if I decide to buy?
The buying chapters sit ahead of you in the same account. When you are ready to buy, everything you have built here carries across, one sign-in: your documents, your address history and your deposit record come with you. Nothing is re-entered and nothing is lost.
Free, always
Rights, deposit tracker, vault, address changes and more
Renters never pay. No card required, and your landlord never sees your data.