Online Cyprus Information & Business Contacts in English

The council may be able to give you a list of landlords who have cheap accommodation to let in your area. You can also find details of properties to rent in your local newspaper and from estate agents or letting agents. The law does not allow estate and letting agents to charge you for lists of vacancies about available properties. It is important to find out exactly what the rent includes before agreeing to take it. Sometimes it may include council tax payment or charges for services like electricity or gas.

When you start to rent a property you will have to sign a tenancy agreement, also called a lease. In the agreement you are called a ‘tenant’. The person or firm you pay rent to is called the ‘landlord’. Your tenancy agreement is an important legal document that sets out your rights and responsibilities during the tenancy. For example, it may say that smoking is not allowed in the property, or that you are not allowed to charge other people for sharing the accommodation with you.

If any part of the agreement is not clear, it is important to get help and advice before you sign it. Free advice is available from Law Centres, the Citizens Advice Bureaux, and the national housing charity Shelter, which operate a 24-hour national housing helpline 0808 800 4444.

Solicitors can also help with this kind of problem. Most will charge a fee, but some will offer a free or low-cost interview of up to 30 minutes.

At the start of your tenancy, you will probably be asked to give the landlord a deposit (often equal to a month’s rent). This is to cover the cost of any damage that you might cause. Always ask for a receipt. At the end of the tenancy this money must be returned to you. You may be able to ask for help from social services or the local council to pay the deposit. The council has a duty to tell you if they can offer this assistance.

Your rent is fixed at the rate you agree with your landlord. If you are in a council property, you must be given at least four weeks’ notice of an increase. If you are renting privately, your landlord cannot raise your rent during the period of your tenancy without your agreement.