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For tenantsRenting in Newcastle-under-Lyme: check-in and getting your deposit back
What to check when you move in, how to protect your deposit, and where renters in Newcastle-under-Lyme can get help.
Homes to rent in Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town next to Stoke-on-Trent with former mining villages such as Silverdale, Audley and Kidsgrove and rural villages to the west. About one in seven households rent privately, with student lets serving Keele University and Victorian terraces near the town centre. Much of the rest is post-war and inter-war housing on estates around the town.
Average rent: £833 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 7.8% 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 Newcastle-under-Lyme homes
- Student houses near Keele and the town centre: photograph every bedroom lock, fire doors, smoke alarms and the posted HMO licence.
- Colliery-era terraces in Silverdale, Audley and Kidsgrove: note cracks in walls and around doors and windows that may come from old mine workings.
- Victorian terraces in Wolstanton and May Bank: photograph the rear yard, gutters and any damp in back kitchens.
- Flats over shops in the town centre: record the shared entrance, fire doors and key counts.
- Rural homes in the western villages: photograph any oil tank, septic tank and outbuildings included in the let.
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 with disrepair or safety concerns can contact Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's private sector housing team, which licenses HMOs and can inspect homes. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council: private renting.
Renting in Newcastle-under-Lyme: questions
What should I check when I move into a rented home in Newcastle-under-Lyme?
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 Newcastle-under-Lyme get help?
Tenants with disrepair or safety concerns can contact Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's private sector housing team, which licenses HMOs and can inspect homes.
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.
Ready when you have the keys
Record your Newcastle-under-Lyme home’s condition today, on your phone.
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