Renting in Telford and Wrekin: check-in and getting your deposit back

Homes to rent in Telford and Wrekin

Telford was built as a new town from the late 1960s around older mining and iron towns such as Wellington, Madeley, Dawley and Oakengates. Much of the housing is new-town estates of terraces and flats with shared footpaths and garage courts, alongside Victorian terraces and big new-build areas such as Lawley and Priorslee. Private renting grew faster than anywhere else in the West Midlands between 2011 and 2021, and many former council homes are now privately let. The council has tried to license smaller HMOs and plans planning controls on new ones.

Average rent: £861 a month (ONS, August 2026), up 6.6% 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 Telford and Wrekin homes

• New-town estate homes in Woodside, Sutton Hill and Brookside: photograph shared paths, garages in blocks, flat roofs and window seals.
• Ironbridge Gorge cottages: check for cracks, uneven floors and doors that stick, as ground movement affects the slopes.
• Former mining-area homes in Oakengates and Dawley: note any cracks in walls and record the mining report if one was supplied.
• New-build homes in Lawley and Priorslee: note snagging marks, fences, turf and any management company areas.
• Student lets in Newport near Harper Adams University: record each bedroom lock and key, fire doors and the shared kitchen.

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

Private tenants can contact Telford & Wrekin Council's housing standards team about disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions.

Do your check-in free Moving-in checklist