Renting made easy

Whether you’re moving into a place of your own or sharing with someone else, our guides to renting can help make the whole process feel as welcoming and comfortable as your new home.

Should I rent or buy a home?

Renting rules vary across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Check the guidance that applies where you live.

Compare renting vs buying

Renting costs and guidance

Do you pay council tax when you rent?

Get to know how council tax works, including how much it can be and who has to pay it, such as the landlord or the tenant. Also, find out about the possibility of applying for a discount on your bill.

Do you pay council tax when you rent?

How much rent can I afford?

Find out how to work out how much rent you can afford and how building a budget can help you manage the cost.

How much rent can I afford?

Do you need a good credit score to rent?

Landlords might ask to run a credit check before agreeing to rent to you. Learn all about why they do this, the information they get and what it can mean for you.

Credit score for renters

Who can be a guarantor for renting?

A guarantor is someone who commits to covering your rent if at any point you find that you’re unable to pay. Find out who can be a guarantor and why you might need one.

More about acting as a guarantor

Guarantor for renting

Do I need contents insurance?

Taking out home contents insurance when renting can give you peace of mind knowing that your things are covered if something goes wrong.

Contents insurance for renters

Finding a rental property

Questions to ask when viewing a rental property

Make your viewing count. Find out what to look for and what to ask before deciding whether a rental property is right for you.

Questions to ask at a viewing

References for renting

Understand the checks landlords may carry out and how to prepare for the referencing process.

References for renting

Find a rental home with Lloyds Living

Lloyds Living is a straightforward way to help you find and rent your next home. Explore a wide range of welcoming properties in great locations across the UK, with a friendly team on hand to guide you every step of the way.

Find a home

Thinking of buying your first home?

First-time buyer guide

If you're ready to take your first step on the property ladder, we’re here to help. From mortgages to moving, find out how buying a home works and what you can do to get started. 

First-time buyer guide

Work out what you could afford

Our range of free mortgage calculators can help you to see just how much you might be able to borrow – as well as what your monthly repayments could look like and what might happen to them if interest rates change.

Use the mortgage calculators

You could lose your home if you don’t keep up your mortgage repayments

Let’s look at the details

  • Renting costs vary depending largely on the size, type and location of the property. Sometimes rent will include bills for the property, sometimes you’ll need to pay them on top. In the short-term, renting can be cheaper than buying a house, where the up-front costs tend to be higher, but it depends on the situation.

  • The size of your rental deposit can vary depending on what the rent is, where you are in the country and what the landlord requires.

    In England, if the annual rent is under £50,000, the most the landlord can ask for as a deposit is 5 weeks’ rent – if it’s £50,000 or more, the deposit can be as high as 6 weeks’ rent. In Scotland, all deposits are capped at 2 months’ rent, while in Northern Ireland, it’s 1 month. In Wales, there’s no legal limit to what the landlord can ask for.

  • Landlords are legally responsible for keeping the property safe, secure and in a good condition. This includes making sure that the heating, hot water and electricity are all working and will usually mean that they arrange for any appliance maintenance and repairs. Specific responsibilities can vary, so it’s worth checking before signing a tenancy agreement.

  • Tenancy deposit protection schemes are government-backed services that help make sure tenants’ deposits are protected and not held back unfairly at the end of a tenancy. Landlords are legally required to participate.

  • Yes, as long as you’re eligible, there’s nothing about being a renter in general that should prevent you from getting a mortgage. If you’re a first-time buyer who’s been renting and doesn’t have a huge lump sum to use as a deposit, you might be able to apply for a Lloyds £5k Deposit mortgage.

  • 100% mortgages are largely a thing of the past, but with our Lend a Hand mortgage a family member could help you out by putting away 10% of the property’s value into a Lloyds savings account for the first 3 years. As long as you and the property meet the required conditions, this sum would act in place of a deposit, allowing you borrow between 95 and 100% of the value.

    Remember, you could lose your home if you don’t keep up your mortgage repayments.

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Costs of buying a house

If you’re a first-time buyer, find out all you need to know about mortgage costs.

First-time buyer costs

Get in touch

You can call us or book a video mortgage appointment from the comfort of your own home. 

Contact us

Help and guidance

Use our mortgages hub to discover everything you need to know about applying for a mortgage, moving house or remortgaging. 

Mortgage help

Help and guidance

Use our mortgages hub to discover everything you need to know about applying for a mortgage, moving house or remortgaging. 

Mortgage help

Important legal information

Lloyds and Lloyds Bank are trading names of Lloyds Bank plc. Registered office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales No. 2065. Lloyds Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 119278.