Becoming a tenant

A view along Church Street in West Wycombe village showing old red brick houses in the distance and green bushes in the foreground — Church Street in West Wycombe village, Buckinghamshire | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

We advertise the majority of our available residential and commercial places to let in England and Wales on the Rightmove website.

Starting your search

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

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

Search on Rightmove

Found somewhere you like?

Once you’ve found a property you’re interested in, you’ll need to contact the local team managing the letting to arrange an appointment to view it. Information about the property and any contact details you'll need will be either on the Rightmove listing or in the related brochure.

After you’ve viewed the property, you’ll need to complete an application form and go through a credit check, to make sure you're 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 documentation properly and take any advice you want before signing.

Residential Tenant's Handbook

If you want more information about becoming a National Trust tenant, you might find our Residential Tenant's Handbook useful. Once you’ve signed and paid the first instalment of rent, we’ll give you the keys.

Download the Handbook PDF using the link at the bottom of this page.

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

Objectives for housing

Our overall objectives for housing are to:

safeguard the physical contribution our houses and cottages make to the historic built environment;
provide our tenants and contract holders with warm, comfortable and safe homes;
generate rental income to support the Trust's charitable purpose;
minimise the environmental impact of our cottages, while retaining their historic construction and character.

Further details can be found in our Residential Letting Policy PDF using the link at the bottom of this page.

Tenant benefits

Eligible tenants can benefit from free access to Trust places with a tenant pass.

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 tenant pass 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. Your parking permit gives you free parking at most Trust places: simply display the permit in your vehicle.

How does it differ to membership?

As a tenant, you will not have access to the National Trust AGM or be able to vote. Equally, you won't have an online account to access from the National Trust website and you'll need to contact tenant.enquiries@nationaltrust.org.uk if you have any queries, rather than our membership department. If tenants would like these additional benefits, they’d need to purchase a membership.

If you become an eligible tenant after the membership packs are distributed at the start of each year, you’ll be given a tenant pass and parking permit by the local team so you can take advantage of the benefits for the remainder of the calendar year, after your tenancy starts.

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