Social services Getting your own home

Private housing

Renting in the private sector means renting from someone or a company that owns a property. They usually rent it out so they can make money, and are called private landlords.
 
Renting privately offers people a wider choice of accommodation. Properties can be fully furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished. The cost of rent varies widely depending on the type of property and where it is. 
 
Bills, including broadband, can be included in the rent, or you may have to pay them separately. 
 
Some landlords use an agent to deal with their properties and you may be asked to pay the agent an administration fee for your tenancy in addition to a deposit.
 
It’s important to remember that once you make your first move, you will no longer get priority for social housing as a care leaver. So, if you move from care into the private rented sector but later wish to move into social housing, you are unlikely to go into Band 2 or 3.