Renting in Woolwich, what to know
A plain-English guide to your rights and what to check before you sign anything. This is general information, not legal advice, for advice on your situation, speak to Citizens Advice or Shelter.
Deposit protection schemes
Your deposit is capped at 5 weeks' rent (where annual rent is under £50,000). Within 30 days of paying it, your landlord must protect it in one of three government-approved schemes:
- Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
- MyDeposits
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
They must give you the scheme's details in writing. If they don't protect it, a court can order them to pay you up to three times the deposit. Every landlord on RentWell declares deposit protection before their listing goes live.
Right to rent checks
Landlords in England must check that every adult tenant has the right to rent before the tenancy starts. Expect to show a passport, biometric residence permit, or a Home Office share code. The landlord should check the original documents with you present (or do a video check) and keep copies, they cannot charge you for this.
The check must be applied to everyone equally. A landlord who only checks people who "seem foreign" is breaking the law.
What a tenancy agreement should include
- The names of everyone on the tenancy, the address, and the start date
- The rent, what it includes, when it's due, and how it can be increased
- The deposit amount and which protection scheme it will go into
- The length of the tenancy and the notice each side must give
- Who is responsible for repairs, bills, and the garden
- Any rules on pets, smoking, or guests
Read it fully before signing, and keep a copy. If something you agreed verbally matters to you, get it written in.
Fees a landlord cannot charge
Under the Tenant Fees Act, landlords and agents cannot charge you for viewings, referencing, credit checks, or "admin". They can only take the rent, a refundable deposit (capped), a holding deposit of up to one week's rent, and reasonable charges for late rent or lost keys.
If something feels off
Never pay cash or transfer money before you've viewed a property and verified who you're paying. Be wary of prices far below the going rate, in Woolwich, rooms typically go for £700-£1,100 and one-bed flats around £1,700 a month.
Every listing here has a report button. If you spot something suspicious, report it, our team checks every report.