Passing on my renting tips (Renting a Home)

Member Name: Hannah111

Product:	Renting a Home
Date:	16/08/01 (956 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: you dont have to pay for things to be mended

Disadvantages: Could loose you deposit

There are a few things that you need to make sure of before you go into a rented property, to make you life much easier when you leave it, these have come from my own experience, I hope you find them useful.

Visit local agencies and see what types of rented property they have on their books, some only have properties in certain areas, and some specialise in flats etc.

Look in the local newspapers, some of the best deals come direct from landlords themselves, you will always be dealing direct, and not through a third party.

Remember that agencies charge admin fees, landlords probably dont, there is not strict amount for this fee and it can vary from agency to agency

Ask around what people’s opinions and experiences of agencies are, you may well change you mind once you have heard a few stories!

When you have decided on the property that you want to rent you must obtain an inventory from either the agency or the landlord, and go through it thoroughly, I really do mean thoroughly!. Make sure you check every individual item listed, even make comments on the inventory if you do not agree with what is written on it.

If you find that things are broken you can insist on it being mended.

Check that you have seen all the safety certificates, for example if there is gas central heating/cooking check there is a gas certificate and when a registered corgi engineer last tested it.

Go around the property again and note all the things that are not listed in the inventory that you notice. Good things to look out for are, stains on carpets, paint chipped of walls, kitchen cupboards that don’t shut, just general ware and tear of the property (this is the most likely thing you will be caught out on when leaving the property, you will probably be charged for it).

If you have made alterations to the inventory, do not sign it until the agency/landlord has agreed to the changes, if they do n
ot agreed to them, than just point them out to them, then come to a compromise. Keep a copy for your own records

If someone is currently in the property you are going to rent make sure that you check the inventory when you get in there, things may have changed, since you were last in the property.

Make sure that when you hand over the deposit and the first months rent that you get a receipt.

Remember they are taking money from you every month, you have the right to ask them to mend things if they get broken.


Leaving rented property

When leaving it is always wise to go back over the inventory, check you are leaving everything the way you found it. General ware and tear of items and furniture is to be expected and you should note this down.

If the property was furnished check that you haven’t packed anything by mistake, very easy to do!

Go round the property with the landlord/person from the agency if possible, checking everything is ok.

Once you have handed the keys back you should not need to go back to the property.

Your deposit should be returned to you in full within 2-4 weeks from the end of the tenancy agreement. If this does not happen chase them, it’s your money after all.

If you do not receive it all back, this is quite common, check what they taken part of the deposit for. If you do not agree with it then make a point of speaking to the agency/landlord.

Good Luck

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