Westminster City Council has launched a tenants’ charter aimed at helping private renters better understand their rights, improve living standards, and access support services.

The guide outlines what they can expect from their landlords, covering key issues such as damp and mould, unlawful evictions, pests, energy, gas safety and unfair rent practices. It also highlights how the council can help with problems.

Under the heading of rent, the charter lists the warning signs to look out for, including if a landlord is asking for additional (banned) fees, if a letting or managing agent isn’t a member of an approved Redress Scheme or if a tenant thinks their rent is higher than the market rate. It suggests seeking available help from the council’s trading standards department, its tenancy relations service or from Shelter.

Backed

The charter has been backed by associations including the NRLA and Renters’ Rights London and is part of the council’s wider commitment to improving housing standards across Westminster and promoting safe, fair, and sustainable tenancies in the London borough where 44% of households rent privately.

Councillor Matt Noble (pictured), cabinet member for regeneration and renters, says too many private renters face poor conditions, uncertainty, and confusion about what their rights are.

He adds: “The Tenants’ Charter is a step toward putting power back in the hands of residents - providing clear, accessible guidance and making it easier to get help when it’s needed.”

Earlier this year, Westminster Council ruffled letting agents’ feathers when it announced plans to ban To Let boards borough-wide, rather than just in the current conservation areas.

The authority is consulting on extending its Regulation 7 Direction across the borough, meaning that agents would have to apply for permission to put up boards – a move that Propertymark has vowed to fight.

Main image source: VTS Marketplace/WCC