Community rules
Last updated 5 October 2026
RentAProperty is for finding a home to rent, and a tenant for your home. These rules keep it safe and fair. Every advert is checked against them before it is published, and our decisions cite them by name.
No scams, and no payment before a viewing
Never ask for rent, a deposit, a holding deposit, fees or documents such as passports before someone has viewed the home. A holding deposit can be asked for only once they have viewed it and you both want to go ahead; in England it can be no more than one week's rent. Do not pretend to be abroad, to be someone else, or to let a home you cannot let.
No contact details in adverts
Adverts must not contain phone numbers, email addresses, links or messaging handles. People contact each other through RentAProperty's messages, and can share details there when they choose. Keep the full address and postcode out of the text too: the advert shows the area. Letting agents may name their agency; its verified details appear on the advert automatically.
Adverts must offer a whole home to rent
Adverts offer a whole flat, house, studio, maisonette or bungalow to rent in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Single bedrooms in shared homes, lodgings, hostel beds, parking spaces, homes for sale and homes in Scotland are not allowed. Tenant-wanted adverts describe the home you need.
No holiday, tourist or short stays
Homes are let as somewhere to live. Holiday, tourist and nightly lets, serviced short stays and stays shorter than a month are not allowed. Quoting the rent per week is fine.
No discriminatory requirements
Do not exclude people because of their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or pregnancy, or because they receive benefits or have children. "No DSS", "no benefits" and "no children" are not allowed. Describe the home instead. Saying that the home suits a certain size of household, or that references, a guarantor or, in England, Right to Rent checks apply, is fine.
In a tenant-wanted advert, you may describe your own household, for example a family with children or someone who receives benefits.
Adverts must be accurate
The rent, deposit, bills, dates, photos, floor plans, EPC and location must be true, and the photos and floor plans must show the actual home. In particular:
- One exact rent, weekly or monthly. No ranges, "offers over", bidding or "price on application", and do not use a lower rent to attract people and change it later.
- A lawful deposit, and no banned fees. For a home in England the deposit can be at most five weeks' rent, or six weeks' rent if the annual rent is £50,000 or more. Do not ask for fees the law bans, such as viewing, admin, referencing or credit-check fees.
- The EPC, shown as a rating from A to G, an exemption or "EPC to follow", under the conditions in our terms. In Northern Ireland the rating is needed before the advert is published.
- The council tax band of a home in England or Wales.
One advert per home
Post each home once. Do not copy someone else's text, photos or floor plans.
No illegal, sexual or offensive content
No illegal content, sexual content or services, hate, harassment, threats or offensive material, in adverts, profiles or messages.
No spam or mass messaging
Write to people about their advert. Sending the same message to many people, advertising other services or asking for contact details in bulk is not allowed.
One account per person
Use one account; a letting agency uses one for each branch. If we suspend an account, do not open another.
Terms of use
Everything in our terms of use also applies.
What happens if a rule is broken
We may ask you to change an advert, refuse or remove it, hold or remove a message, limit what your account can do, or suspend it. For a letting agency, we may also refuse verification, or stop approving its adverts automatically. We always tell you what we did, why and which rule we relied on, and you can ask us to look again. Threats to anyone's life or safety are passed to the police.
See something that breaks these rules? Report it.