It is important to pay your rent on time. Even if there are problems with the property or the landlord is not doing what they are supposed to, you must continue to pay your rent.
If you fall behind on your rent
If you fall behind on your rent, landlords still have to fulfill their maintenance responsibilities and they must follow the correct process to end the lease.
If you live with other tenants, you are all responsible for paying the past due rent, even if only one tenant is not paying properly.
If you live with people whose names are not on the lease, they are classified as “roommates”. The tenant named in the lease is responsible for paying the full rent to the landlord. The roommates must pay their share to the named tenant so that they can pass it on to the landlord.
Advance rent and security deposits
When you rent a property for the first time, you may be required to pay the rent in advance and a security deposit. This way, your total first payment can reach 5 or 6 weeks’ rent.
The landlord can ask for rent only 1 or 2 weeks in advance, depending on whether you will pay the rent weekly or biweekly (every 2 weeks).
The deposit can be up to 4 weeks of rent. The landlord must give you a receipt for the security deposit and submit it to the Rent Office within 23 days. The Rental Service will hold your money as a security deposit until the end of the rental period. You will get your security deposit back if you leave the property in good condition.
Option fee
If you’re not sure whether to rent a property or not, the landlord may ask you for an “option fee” to hold the property until you decide.
The fee cannot exceed 1 week’s rent.
If you agree to the lease, your landlord must refund the option fee to you or include it in your rent.
Rent and key money
Landlords and their agents (e.g., real estate agents, solicitors) cannot charge you a fee (money other than rent or a deposit) for giving you a tenancy or making changes to your tenancy. These fees are called rental fees and key money.