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For tenantsRenting in Basingstoke and Deane: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Basingstoke and Deane can get help.
Homes to rent in Basingstoke and Deane
Basingstoke grew rapidly as a London overspill town from the 1960s, so much of its housing is planned estates of terraced and semi-detached houses, with newer estates and apartment blocks on the edges and near the station. The rest of the borough is rural north Hampshire, with villages of brick and flint cottages. Private rented homes are mostly in the town’s estates and flats, let to commuters and people working locally.
Average rent: £1,318 a month (ONS, January 2026), up 5.7% on a year earlier. Source
On moving-in day
- Before unpacking, photograph every room: a wide shot, then each item, with the date and time on every photo.
- Photograph the meters (gas, electricity, water) and write down the readings.
- Count the keys and fobs, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Note anything worn, marked or not working, and send it to the landlord or agent within a few days.
Things to look at in Basingstoke and Deane homes
- 1960s–1980s estate houses: photograph flat-roofed porches and garages, uPVC windows and doors, and the number of keys and garage fobs.
- Apartment blocks near Basingstoke station: note fob, key and parking permit counts, and photograph the meter cupboard and bin store.
- Brick and flint cottages in the villages: photograph walls and window reveals for damp, and any open fire or stove with its hearth.
- Rural homes off mains gas: photograph oil tanks and the gauge reading, and the cover of any septic tank or treatment plant.
- New-build homes: photograph sealant around baths and showers, settlement cracks in plaster and the state of turfed gardens.
Your deposit
Your landlord must protect your deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days and tell you which. At the end, deductions can only be for damage beyond fair wear and tear, cleaning back to the check-in standard, or rent owed. A dated check-in record is your best protection.
Help from the council
Tenants in Basingstoke and Deane can contact the borough council’s private sector housing team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in a rented home. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council: private renting.
Renting in Basingstoke and Deane: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Basingstoke and Deane?
Photograph every room and item before you unpack, with the date on each photo: walls, floors, windows, appliances, meters and keys. Note anything worn or damaged and get the landlord or agent to agree it in writing.
How do I get my deposit back?
Leave the home as you found it, allowing for fair wear and tear, and compare it with the check-in record. If you disagree with deductions, the deposit scheme’s free dispute service decides on the evidence.
Where can renters in Basingstoke and Deane get help?
Tenants in Basingstoke and Deane can contact the borough council’s private sector housing team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in a rented home.
Can a tenant do the check-in inventory?
Yes. With DIY Inventory a tenant can do it on their phone and send the landlord a link to check and sign it, so both sides have the same dated record.
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