Renting in South Gloucestershire: check-in and getting your deposit back

Homes to rent in South Gloucestershire

South Gloucestershire wraps around the north and east of Bristol, with large suburbs such as Kingswood, Filton and Bradley Stoke, and market towns and villages further out. Much of the housing was built after the war, including the new towns of Yate and Bradley Stoke and recent estates at Emersons Green, Charlton Hayes and Brabazon. Private renting is below average, but shared houses for students and staff are common around UWE's Frenchay campus, Filton and Stoke Gifford. Older stone cottages are found in the Cotswold edge villages.

Average rent: £1,474 a month (ONS, September 2026), up 4.9% 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 South Gloucestershire homes

• Student shared houses around Filton, Stoke Gifford and the UWE campus: photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors, smoke alarms and the shared kitchen, room by room.
• New-build homes at Charlton Hayes, Brabazon and Emersons Green: photograph snagging items, sealant, paintwork and the garden, and note any estate management charge areas.
• Victorian terraces in Kingswood and Staple Hill: record the back garden, rear lane gate, gutters and any damp on rear walls.
• Stone cottages in Chipping Sodbury and the Cotswold edge villages: photograph walls inside for damp, beams and any wood burner.
• Flats near Parkway station and in Bradley Stoke: note fob, key and parking permit counts and the bin and bike store arrangements.

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, damp or safety problems can contact South Gloucestershire Council's Private Sector Housing team, which inspects privately rented homes and enforces HMO licensing. South Gloucestershire Council: private renting.

Do your check-in free Moving-in checklist