Tips For Tenants Looking For A New Home to Rent

When it’s time to find yourself a new home, you’ll want to take the time to ensure you find the right place at the right time. Use these tips to...

When it’s time to find yourself a new home, you’ll want to take the time to ensure you find the right place at the right time. Use these tips to help you…

1. Prepare

Think about when you want to move and where you want to rent. Look at the areas and the properties in your price range. Draw up a clear budget and include moving costs, council tax and any utility bills (every property that is marketed for let must have an Energy Performance Certificate – you can use this to help you to budget for your utility bills). Make a list of ARLA PropertyMark letting agents so that you can be sure that you only deal with honest, well informed agents who have client money protection (which means that any money you pay to them is insured).

2. Viewings

Unless you find the perfect property on your first viewing, chances are you’ll look at a few different places. So, carry a notebook with you to jot down the positives and negatives of each property you view. When you are viewing a lot of properties they can start to merge into one – a good ARLA Propertymark agent will give you a set of marketing details which will have photographs, floorplans and a written description plus details of their fees and how to apply for a tenancy.

3. Act Decisively

When you have found a home you want to rent, act quickly. Good properties get snapped up so make your offer, include any issues that you feel need attending to before you move in and your agent will handle the negotiations.

4. Holding deposits

If the landlord is happy with your offer and has accepted, you will usually need to pay a holding deposit equivalent to one week’s rent. This is a sign of your commitment and is not refundable, but will be deducted from your security deposit if you proceed with the tenancy. From 1st June 2019 agents (and landlords) can no longer charge you fees to apply for a tenancy. Only a few optional fees are now allowed, click here to view our fees. All agents must, by law, display their fees clearly on all their website and in their offices.

5. References and Right To Rent Check

To proceed with the tenancy, we’ll need to carry out thorough reference checks for all tenants and a Right to Rent check for all adult occupiers. We will obtain a credit check, an income reference and a landlord’s reference (where applicable) plus proof of income (such as payslips or an accountants reference for the self employed). We will also need to see identification to prove your right to rent in the UK (a passport is perfect) and something to prove your current address.

6. Contract Agreement

Once your references have been successfully processed you will be asked to read and sign your contract. It exists to protect both you and your landlord so if there’s anything you don’t understand make sure you get it clarified. A good agent will want to ensure that both parties understand the contract. It’s really important that you never sign something that you either haven’t read or you don’t understand. Once the agreement has been signed all that’s left to do is to confirm your accompanied check in time, pack up your stuff and start enjoying your new home.

Thanks for reading and if you have any property related questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us – we’d love to help you.

Emma Macgregor MARLA

Lettings Manager

01489 579009

emma@robinsonreade.co.uk