Becoming a tenant

A row of stone gabled cottages known as Arlington Row in Bibury, Gloucestershire — Arlington Row in Bibury | © National Trust Images / David Sellman

We advertise available places to let on the Rightmove website.

Starting your search

If you’ve decided that becoming a National Trust tenant is right for you, the first place to start your search is the Rightmove website where we advertise all current properties.

We don’t keep waiting lists, so it’s worth checking the Rightmove site regularly. You can register on their site for an alert to be sent whenever a suitable property becomes available.

Search on Rightmove

Other ways to find out about vacancies:

Look out for ‘to let’ boards outside our houses
Check your local newspaper for our adverts
Contact one of our country and regional teams.

Find regional contact details

There will be brochures available for any properties we’re letting, which will set out the basic details and tell you who to contact for more information.

Found somewhere you like?

Once you’ve found a property you’re interested in, you’ll need to contact the local office dealing with the letting to arrange an appointment for a viewing.

After you’ve viewed the property, you’ll then need to complete an application form and have a credit check, to make sure that you are able to pay the rent and look after the property. You may also be asked to attend an interview.

What happens next

If you’re successful, you’ll be required to sign a legal tenancy agreement. You may like to take independent advice, which could be from a solicitor, the Citizens Advice Bureau, or other appropriate organisations.

We’ll give you time to read the tenancy properly and take any advice you want before signing.

Residential Tenants Handbook

You might find our Residential Tenants Handbook useful, which has more information about becoming a National Trust tenant. Once you’ve signed and paid the first instalment of rent, we’ll give you the keys.

Download the handbook PDFs using the links at the bottom of this page.

Thatched and cream washed cottages in Luccombe Village, Somerset | © National Trust Images/Nick Meers

Prospective tenants

Of the 25,000 buildings that we own, around 5,000 are houses and cottages. Many were acquired as part of larger estates and often include estate villages, which had historically provided homes for estate workers and also a ‘dowry’ to help fund the running costs of the estate.

We aim to be a professional and fair landlord, providing warm, comfortable homes at a fair market rent, for people in more than 40 villages.

The income from the homes we rent plays a vital part in funding not only the repair and maintenance of these often quirky and sensitive rented properties, but also our duty to look after special places and to provide wonderful experiences for tens of millions of people each year.

Overall objectives for housing

To safeguard the physical contribution our houses and cottages make to the historic built environment
To generate rental income to support our purposes
To further our work in the locality through selection of tenants with suitable skills
Where possible, to favour those making a contribution to the community

Tenant benefits

Tenants can benefit from free access to Trust places with a tenant pass. It’s available to most of our residential, commercial and agricultural tenants.

Each year, you’ll receive a copy of the National Trust Handbook, a parking permit and three editions of the National Trust Magazine.

You’ll also receive a card which allows you, your children (under 18) and one other adult, free entry to most National Trust places in England, Wales and Northern Ireland during normal opening times.

The card, together with your parking permit, gives you free parking at most Trust places.

How does it differ to membership?

Tenants will not be given access to the National Trust AGM or be able to vote. If tenants would like these additional benefits, then they’d need to purchase membership.

If you become an eligible tenant after the packs are distributed at the start of each year, you’ll be given a welcome pack so you can still take advantage of the benefits for the remainder of the calendar year, after your tenancy starts.

After this, you’ll be sent the tenant pass and pack at the start of each year for as long as you’re an eligible tenant of the National Trust.