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Compare a number of properties before you make a final decision. For safety and security reasons you should not view properties on your own.
Use the following checklist for some basic considerations: See additional downloads section for our full viewing checklist to print out and use.
- Is the property in a convenient location for local shops, schools, pubs and other facilities?
- Are there good transport (bus/train/underground) links to where you are working and the nearest town centre?
- Check that the house meets with the health and safety standards.
- Does the property have adequate heating facilities- i.e. heating in each bedroom plus common areas such as the lounge and kitchen?
- Inspect the physical structure of the building for obvious signs of damp or disrepair.
- Are there enough amenities in the property for the number of you staying there?
- Check the condition of the fixtures, fittings, décor, carpets and furniture.
- Is the rent comparable to other properties in the area? Do you feel you are getting value for money and most importantly can you afford it?
- What is included in the rent?
- Get written confirmation of any repairs from the landlord and when the landlord intends to address them.
BritBound Says - Use our Viewing Checklist to take along so you don't miss anything.
- What and where was your previous accommodation?
- Why did you want to leave it?
- Can you get a reference from your previous landlord?
- What are your financial circumstances?
- Are you on benefits?
- What work do you do? (Landlords are generally conventional and though they may like the security of housing benefit, they prefer to believe that their tenants are looking for work.)
- Can you provide any references - usually personal & previous landlord?
- How long do you intend to stay? (Normally you will be offered the shortest possible term - six months - but landlords prefer tenants who want to stay longer if possible.)
- How much is the rent?
- What does the rent include? (Such as bills, service charges and so on.)
- Is the place going to be furnished as you viewed it - if so ask for an inventory.
- How do you pay for gas and electricity?
- Are you or the landlord responsible for the water rates?
- Are you or the landlord responsible for council tax?
- Is the landlord giving you a written tenancy agreement?
- Is a deposit required and if so, how much? (Traditionally, the landlord might want a damages deposit, a deposit against unpaid rent and bills, rent in advance or a combination of these. Often they just want some money as an assurance, which they can set against losses.
- What do you need to do when you move out.
- If there are 5 or more people sharing look out for the following:
- There should be smoke detectors.
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There should be a fire extinguisher and ideally a fire blanket in the kitchen.
- A kitchen should not be shared between more than 5 people.
- There should be a bath/shower & toilet per group of 5.
Once you have found a property your landlord will ask you to commit to it. You may be asked to sign the contract straightaway. However, in many instances you will be asked for personal details, to provide a deposit and be asked to return later to sign a contract. Before you sign your contract make sure that you know what the deposit you are paying is actually for, and make sure you have this in writing. In particular you should ensure that fair wear and tear is excluded from your liabilities. Pay either by cheque or credit card so you have evidence of having paid. Also make sure that you get a receipt for it.
When signing for a property it is usual to pay a deposit. This is a guarantee to the landlord that you intend to take up the tenancy until the contract is signed. The standard security a landlord or letting agency will ask you to pay is one months rent as a refundable deposit plus one months rent in advance. You may lose this money if you decide not to take the property. Once the tenancy agreement is signed this deposit will become a damage deposit. This will be held by the landlord until the end of the tenancy and used to offset against non-payment of rent, damage, or a lack of cleaning to the property.
With furnished accommodation you should ask for a written inventory of the property's contents and condition before you move in, in case disagreements arise about returning your deposit at the end of the tenancy. Once you find a place you want to take, agencies may ask for a holding deposit to reserve it. Although this can be quite a large sum of money (up to £100) it is normally deducted from your rent deposit once you move in. It is illegal to ask for more than two months deposit.
Once you have found a property you will be asked by the landlord to sign a contract. The vast majority of contracts are for a fixed period of 6 months very occasionally the agency or landlord may offer a tenancy for a shorter period of time.
- The majority of contracts will be a "Shorthold Assured" or an "Assured" tenancy agreement. A shorthold agreement ties you to taking the property for six months but also ensures that the property will be available to you for a minimum of six months. An assured agreement is similar but instead of six months the period is as specified in the agreement. Having the tenancy assured for the whole period that you intend to rent the house for would be a good idea (although it does commit you to taking the house for that length of time).
- We would strongly recommend that you look to get one or other of these types of agreement, and fortunately, you probably will anyway (particularly if you go through a letting agent). However it may be more difficult to get one if you have a live-in landlord. You can often pick up off the shelf contracts from WHSMITH so if you are just renting a room and would prefer to have a contract in place then go and buy one yourself.
- If you do have a tenancy agreement, read it very carefully before you sign! It will say how long the tenancy is for, the amount you pay, rights and responsibilities etc. In private rented accommodation, unless the agreement states otherwise, you are likely to have an assured shorthold tenancy.
- If you have signed an agreement for a certain length of time, this is a contract and you will have to pay the rent for the amount of time stated on the contract even if you leave before it ends.
- When you sign your tenancy agreement, you are agreeing to pay the full amount of rent regularly, if you do not pay the rent as agreed, your landlord can go to court to have you evicted.
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An inventory is simply a list of all the furniture and furnishings within the property and should describe the condition of everything in the property, including the wall and floor coverings. It is very important that an inventory is compiled, either by yourself or the landlord as this will often be the only evidence of the condition of the property before you move in.
If you want your deposit returned in full it is worth taking the time to complete an inventory. When compiling an inventory it is essential that you:
- State the condition of every item within the property. If the inventory does not describe the condition of a particular article it will be useful for you to do so, we suggest using terminology such as: new, fair, poor, scratched, torn, stained, etc.
- Back it up with photographic evidence, this can be crucial if a dispute occurs.
- Note the gas and electric meter readings.
- Get the landlord to agree to, and sign, the inventory.
- Get an independent witness to sign the inventory if the landlord refuses to do so.
Do not be rushed into signing a contract before you have had a chance to get the contract reviewed. Any landlord who will not give you the time to review it (subject to you having said yes to the house as long as the contract proves to be acceptable) should be reported. Although, you would probably be better off without a landlord like that anyway.
If you need to negotiate some redecoration or fitting of window locks or similar with your landlord, the best time to do it is before signing - make sure you get any commitments in writing.
If you are unsure about any aspect of your tenancy, check it out either with a local citizens advice centre, or a specialist unit such as:
The Unfair Contract Terms Unit
Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square
London , EC4Y 8JX
E.mail: unfairterms@oft.gov.uk
Typically agencies and landlords will demand that you either pay by direct debit or that you write post dated cheques when you sign the contract. It is always good practice to make sure that you get a detailed receipt for everything that you pay to a landlord or agency (including deposits). Making sure you have a new chequebook can also be helpful!
When you move in make it a priority to get and check your inventory thoroughly. A good landlord/agent will provide you with a very detailed report. It will not only list every item but will also list the condition of the item. Check that each item listed is in fact in the house, and if it is not, inform the landlord. If you disagree with the description of the condition of something then amend your inventory accordingly. Similarly if no descriptions of condition are added and something is in poor condition, then make a note of it. This also applies to fittings and woodwork/décor, cigarette burns in carpets/furniture.
You should ensure that the marked up inventory is returned to your agent/landlord within a week of picking up the keys. Keep a copy of the amendments for your own records (trust us it will be very, very useful at the end of the tenancy). Ask the landlord/agent to confirm in writing that they have received and agreed to your amendments.
- Should you receive a visit from your electricity/gas supplier(s) DO NOT allow them to disconnect the supplies without first getting permission from your landlord/agent. You may get charged for the reconnection!
- Check the inventory thoroughly. Replace things with items of similar quality and if they are part of a matching set, do your best to replace it with the same set. Again the price you will pay will be much less than the landlord is likely to charge. Make sure that all items are put back into the room that they are listed as being in.
- Arrange for the inspection to be carried out as soon as possible after you move out, or preferably, as you move out as you may be held responsible if somebody breaks-in in the interim. It is a good idea to accompany the landlord on his inspection. Whilst you will probably end up having to do a little bit more work as a result of it, at least it gives you the opportunity to sort out a problem before the very expensive industrial cleaners are called in. It will also make it more difficult for a landlord to make up dubious claims against you.
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