Home and Housing
Your rights if you can’t afford rent
Summary
Struggling to afford rent can be incredibly stressful, especially with rising living costs and unexpected financial difficulties. If you find yourself unable to pay your rent, it’s important to understand your rights and the support available to you. In this guide, we’ll cover what to do if you can’t afford rent, how to handle rent increases, and where to get help if you fall into rent arrears. With rent prices rising across the UK, many tenants are finding it harder to keep up with their payments. If your landlord has told you they are increasing your rent, it’s important to understand your legal rights before agreeing to any changes. Yes, landlords can legally increase rent. Typically, your tenancy agreement will include how and when the rent price will be reviewed. If the agreement outlines a procedure for increasing rent, your landlord needs to stick to it. However, your landlord can ultimately suggest any amount of rent increase - there are no legal rent controls in place for a private tenancy unless you're a regulated or protected tenant. If you can't come to an agreement with your landlord, you may be able to challenge the increase and take it to a tribunal. Depending on.
Key information
- For periodic (rolling) tenancies: Your landlord can only increase your rent once a year and must give you at least one month’s notice in England (or six months for yearly tenancies).
- For fixed-term tenancies: Your rent can only increase if your tenancy agreement includes a rent review clause or if you agree to the change.
- Fair rent rules (regulated tenancies): If you have a regulated tenancy (pre-1989), your landlord cannot increase your rent beyond a 'fair rent' set by the Rent Officer.
- Offer a temporary rent reduction
- Allow a payment plan where you pay smaller amounts over time
- Delay or cancel a planned rent increase
- Housing Benefit (for those on legacy benefits)
- Universal Credit housing element
- Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from your local council if you need extra financial support
- Moving to a cheaper area or property
- Applying for social housing if you meet eligibility criteria
- Looking into shared accommodation to split costs
Practical guidance
Related topics
More in this area
Sources
- Lawhive — Your rights if you can’t afford rent
This is signposting information from the Legal Shaman wiki, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified solicitor for your situation.