Housing glossary

A

ALMO (Arms-Length Management Organisation)

An ALMO is a company set up by a local council to manage and maintain its council housing stock. The council still owns the homes, but the ALMO handles day-to-day repairs, tenancy management, and housing services. If you are a council tenant managed by an ALMO, your rights as a secure tenant remain the same.

Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST)

The most common type of tenancy in the private rented sector. An AST gives you the right to live in the property for a fixed term (usually 6 or 12 months), after which it may become a periodic (rolling) tenancy. Your landlord can seek possession using a Section 21 notice (no-fault eviction) or a Section 8 notice (with grounds). Your deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme. See our Section 21 guide.

D

Deposit Protection Scheme

If you pay a tenancy deposit, your landlord must protect it in one of three government-approved schemes within 30 days: the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). If your deposit is not protected, your landlord cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice and you may be able to claim compensation. See our rights page for more.

Disrepair

A legal term for when a rented property has fallen into a state of poor repair that the landlord is responsible for fixing. This can include structural problems, damp, leaking roofs, faulty plumbing, or broken heating. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord must keep the property in good repair once you report the issue. Use our repairs chaser letter if your landlord is not responding.

E

Environmental Health

The department within your local council responsible for investigating hazards in residential properties. If your landlord is not fixing serious problems like damp, mould, pests, or unsafe electrics, you can contact Environmental Health. They have the power to inspect your home, issue improvement notices, and (in serious cases) take enforcement action against your landlord. This service is free.

EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)

A document that rates the energy efficiency of a property from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Landlords must provide an EPC to tenants before or at the start of a tenancy. Since April 2020, rented homes in England and Wales must have a minimum rating of E. If your home is rated F or G, your landlord may be breaking the law.

F

Fitness for Human Habitation

Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your landlord must ensure that the property is fit for you to live in at the start of the tenancy and throughout. This covers issues like serious damp, inadequate ventilation, unsafe structure, insufficient natural light, and problems with drainage or water supply. If your home is unfit, you can take your landlord to court without needing to go through Environmental Health first.

G

Gas Safety Certificate

A document confirming that all gas appliances, fittings, and flues in a rented property have been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer within the last 12 months. Your landlord must arrange an annual gas safety check and give you a copy of the certificate within 28 days of the check (or before you move in). If your landlord has not provided one, ask for it in writing.

H

Housing Ombudsman

The Housing Ombudsman Service is an independent body that investigates complaints about housing associations and council landlords in England. The service is free and you do not need a solicitor. Before complaining to the Ombudsman, you must go through your landlord's internal complaints process (usually two stages). If your landlord does not give you a final response within 8 weeks, you can still go to the Ombudsman. See our rights page or complaint escalation tool.

How to Rent Guide

A government booklet that private landlords in England must give to their tenants at the start of a new tenancy. It outlines your rights and responsibilities. If your landlord has not given you the current version, they cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice. You can download the latest version from GOV.UK.

L

Landlord and Tenant Act 1985

A key piece of UK legislation that sets out your landlord's repair obligations. Section 11 requires landlords to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the property, as well as installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, and heating. These obligations apply regardless of what your tenancy agreement says. Use our letter tools to put your repair requests in writing with reference to this Act.

R

Retaliatory Eviction

When a landlord tries to evict a tenant in response to the tenant making a legitimate complaint (for example, about repairs or living conditions). Under the Deregulation Act 2015, if you have made a complaint to your landlord or to the council about the condition of your home, and the council has served an improvement notice, your landlord cannot use a Section 21 notice to evict you for six months. This protection applies to assured shorthold tenancies in England.

Right to Repair

A scheme for secure council tenants in England. If your council does not complete a "qualifying repair" (one that affects your health, safety, or security and costs under a set limit) within a set timescale, you can ask them to appoint a different contractor. Qualifying repairs include things like broken locks, blocked drains, faulty electrics, and loss of heating. If the work is still not done, you may be entitled to compensation. See our rights page for more detail.

S

Section 8 (Housing Act 1988)

A notice a landlord can serve to seek possession of a property on specific legal grounds, such as rent arrears, antisocial behaviour, or breach of tenancy. Unlike a Section 21 notice, the landlord must prove the ground to a court. Some grounds are mandatory (the court must grant possession) and some are discretionary (the court decides if it is reasonable). The notice period varies depending on the ground used.

Section 21 (Housing Act 1988)

Sometimes called a "no-fault eviction" notice. A Section 21 allows a landlord to regain possession of a property let on an assured shorthold tenancy without giving a reason. The landlord must give at least two months' notice and follow strict rules. A Section 21 is not valid if the deposit is not protected, the How to Rent guide was not provided, or certain other conditions are not met. See our detailed Section 21 guide.