Renting in Newham: check-in and getting your deposit back

Homes to rent in Newham

Newham has one of the highest shares of private renting in London, with nearly four in ten households renting from a private landlord in 2021. Much of the private stock is Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses in Forest Gate, Manor Park and East Ham, often let to sharers or large households, while Stratford, the Olympic Park and the Royal Docks have thousands of new-build flats, many of them build-to-rent. Canning Town and Custom House are going through large estate regeneration.

Average rent: £1,931 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 3.0% on a year earlier. Source

On moving-in day

1. Before unpacking, photograph every room: a wide shot, then each item, with the date and time on every photo.
2. Photograph the meters (gas, electricity, water) and write down the readings.
3. Count the keys and fobs, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
4. Note anything worn, marked or not working, and send it to the landlord or agent within a few days.

Things to look at in Newham homes

• Terraced houses let to sharers: photograph each bedroom, its lock and furniture, the fire doors and the smoke and heat alarms.
• Extended Victorian terraces: photograph rear extensions, loft rooms and the joins between old and new walls for cracks or damp.
• Build-to-rent flats in Stratford and E20: record fobs, parcel room and bike store access, and photograph the heating unit, balcony and any fitted appliances.
• Damp and mould in older terraces: photograph bathroom ceilings, window reveals and the corners of outside walls.
• Dockside flats in the Royal Docks: photograph windows, balcony doors and seals, and note any communal heating meter readings.

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

Newham Council's private housing team can inspect privately rented homes for disrepair and hazards and deals with landlord licensing; contact it through newham.gov.uk. Newham Council: private renting.

Do your check-in free Moving-in checklist