Renting a room is one of the most affordable ways to live in Leicester, whether you’re a student, a young professional, or just need somewhere for a few months. But your rights depend a lot on who you’re renting from. Use this checklist before you pay anything or sign anything.
This guide covers England. It’s general information, not legal advice.
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Step 1: Are you a tenant or a lodger?
This is the most important question, and many people never ask it.
| Lodger | Tenant | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you live with | Your landlord lives in the same home and you share the kitchen, bathroom or living space | Your landlord doesn’t live there (for example, a shared house or HMO) |
| Renters’ Rights Act | Doesn’t apply | Applies |
| Deposit protection | Not required | Required within 30 days |
| Ending the arrangement | Landlord only has to give “reasonable notice”, often around one rent period | Landlord needs a legal ground and usually a court order |
Being a lodger isn’t a bad thing. It’s often cheaper and more flexible. Just know where you stand and get a written lodger agreement.
Step 2: At the viewing
- View in person (or by live video call) before paying anything. Never pay to “secure” a room you haven’t seen. Read our guide on avoiding rental scams.
- Check the room size. In licensed HMOs, a bedroom for one adult must be at least 6.51 square metres.
- Look for damp and mould on walls, ceilings, window frames and behind furniture.
- Check the shared areas. Is the kitchen clean? How many people share the bathroom?
- Test the heating and ask how bills are split. Are they included in the rent?
- Ask about the house rules: guests, quiet hours, the cleaning rota, and whether you can bring a pet.
- Check your door lock. Can you lock your own room?
- Talk to the other housemates if you can. They’ll tell you what the landlord is really like.
Step 3: Paperwork to ask for
- Written tenancy agreement (or lodger agreement). For tenancies starting from 1 May 2026, landlords must give you a written statement of the key terms.
- The government’s How to Rent guide.
- Gas safety record, renewed every year, if there’s a gas supply.
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), renewed at least every five years. This is a legal requirement for tenancies.
- EPC, rated E or better. A higher rating usually means cheaper heating bills.
- Deposit protection details within 30 days of paying. See our deposit guide.
- An inventory of the room and its contents. Check it carefully and add your own photos.
Step 4: Safety checks
- There should be a working smoke alarm on every storey.
- There should be a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or gas fire (gas cookers excluded).
- Escape routes should be clear, and in larger shared houses there are often fire doors and a fire blanket in the kitchen.
- Furniture provided should have fire safety labels.
For extra peace of mind, some renters bring their own battery CO alarm, especially if the boiler is near their room. It doesn’t replace the landlord’s legal duty, but it costs very little.
Step 5: Licensing (shared houses in Leicester)
- A shared house with five or more people from two or more households needs a mandatory HMO licence from the council.
- Parts of Leicester (including areas of Westcotes, Fosse, Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields, Saffron and Stoneygate) are covered by selective licensing, where all private rented homes need a licence.
- You can ask the landlord for their licence, or contact Leicester City Council to check.
Step 6: Know your rights as a tenant (Renters’ Rights Act)
If you’re a tenant rather than a lodger, these rules have applied since 1 May 2026:
- Your tenancy is rolling (periodic), with no fixed end date. You can leave by giving two months’ notice.
- There are no more “no-fault” (Section 21) evictions. Your landlord needs a legal reason.
- Rent can only go up once a year, using a formal Section 13 notice, and you can challenge it at a tribunal.
- Landlords can’t ask for more than one month’s rent in advance, and can’t take any before you sign.
- Landlords can’t accept offers above the advertised rent.
- You can ask to keep a pet, and your landlord can’t unreasonably refuse.
Step 7: Moving in
Once you’ve got the keys, take dated photos of everything, set up contents insurance, and grab the basics. Our moving-in essentials checklist covers what a furnished room usually includes and what you’ll need to bring. For a shared house, a lockable cash box for important documents and a portable shower caddy are worth having from day one.
Where to get help
- Shelter – free housing advice
- Citizens Advice
- Leicester City Council’s private sector housing team, for disrepair, licensing or illegal eviction
Ready to look? Browse rooms to rent in Leicester or flats to rent.