Private Tenant Rights in Southwark
Southwark has one of London's largest and most diverse private rental markets, spanning high-demand areas like Borough and Bermondsey through to Peckham and Camberwell, where rents have risen sharply over the past decade. The borough operates both additional HMO licensing in designated areas and selective licensing in specific wards.
A significant proportion of Southwark rentals — particularly shared houses and bedsits in Peckham and Camberwell — fall within licensing schemes that require landlords to hold a licence. Compliance among smaller landlords is patchy, and many tenants are unaware they may have grounds for a Rent Repayment Order.
Southwark also has a high student and young professional renting population, many of whom are first-time renters unfamiliar with their legal rights. This includes rights around deposit protection, which apply regardless of tenancy length or whether the tenant has moved on.
Rent Deposit Compensation in Southwark
Southwark has one of London's largest first-time-renter populations, particularly around its student and young professional communities — and first tenancies are where deposit protection failures are most common. If your Southwark landlord missed the 30-day protection window, or didn't serve the Prescribed Information correctly, you can claim between one and three times the deposit amount, regardless of whether you've since moved out or the deposit was returned.
We check deposit protection records for Southwark tenants at no charge, however early or late in your tenancy you are.
Rent Repayment Orders in Southwark
Southwark runs three separate licensing regimes at once — mandatory HMO, additional HMO in designated areas, and selective licensing in specific wards — so the right ground for your claim depends on exactly where you live. See our guides to unlicensed HMOs, additional licensing, and selective licensing offences to find the one that applies to you — we check the Southwark Council register against your specific address for free, and confirm which ground fits.