Private Tenant Rights in Newham
Newham operates a borough-wide selective licensing scheme covering virtually all privately rented properties. A landlord renting any property in Newham without a selective licence is committing a criminal offence — whether it is a single flat, a bedsit, a family home, or a shared house.
With over 33,000 households on Newham's social housing waiting list — one of the largest in London — many families who would prefer social housing are pushed into a private rented sector they cannot afford. Newham also has the highest overcrowding rate in London at over 25%.
Despite the comprehensive selective licensing scheme, many Newham landlords continue to rent without a licence. Because the scheme covers virtually every private rental, almost every Newham tenant has grounds to check whether their landlord had the required licence — and if they did not, to claim up to 12 months' rent back.
Rent Deposit Compensation in Newham
Because Newham's selective licensing scheme is so broad, many tenants who contact us about a licensing issue are surprised to learn they also have a separate deposit claim running in parallel. If your Newham landlord didn't protect your deposit within 30 days, or got the Prescribed Information wrong, you're entitled to between one and three times the deposit amount — whether or not you're still living there, and whether or not the deposit was later returned.
We check deposit protection records for Newham tenants at no charge — often alongside a licensing check for the same property.
Rent Repayment Orders in Newham
With Newham's selective licensing scheme covering virtually every private tenancy in the borough, an unlicensed landlord here is the rule rather than the exception among non-compliant landlords. See our full guide to selective licensing RRO claims for how this ground works — a successful claim can recover up to 12 months of rent, and we check the Newham Council register for your address at no cost.