Excited upon finding your new home! As a tenant, in the haste to move in, some important key points may be over looked.
It is important that you are aware of who is managing your property, is it the agent or is the landlord self-managing. If the landlord is managing the property find out how many tenancies they have managed before yours. This will give you a very good indication of what experience they have in letting properties if you are still not 100% sure ask to meet them. When the landlord does not have a managing agent the relationship during the tenancy will be between you and the landlord direct it is important that you feel comfortable.
If you are paying an agency your rental money where will it be held? Do they have a client account, if yes how often is this account audited? You would not ordinarily hand over hundreds of pounds to someone that you do not know so why would your rental payments be any different. Protect yourself against fraud ensure that you are using a recognized agent. In my opinion you should only rent through an accredited agency. Ask your agent if they are a member of an approved scheme such as ARLA, NALS or The Guild of Lettings. If your landlord is self-managing ask if they are members of National Landlord Association. If they are not members enquire as to why? By being an accredited member of any of the above will give you greater security to know that the agent/landlord has a set code of practice that they must adhere to.
If your landlord takes a damage deposit who will be holding it? After 6 April 07, the deposit is required to be protected by one of the government authorised tenancy deposit schemes. Find out which scheme your landlord or agent is using and check the rules. Make sure that the deposit is actually protected by checking with the scheme administrators if you are unsure.
What sort of inventory will be carried out? Do not assume that because an agent is managing the property this will be done. If you are not happy with the inventory and it's content tell them, and ask for your points to be included in the inventory. Obtain this in writing. If no inventory has been carried out do your own. Once you have completed it provide your landlord/agent with a copy for there records explaining that they have a set time in order to check that it's content is correct. This will help you if you have any dispute regarding the damage deposit at the end of the tenancy.
If you are planning to share a property with friends or a partner be very careful. Remember that you will all be signing the same tenancy agreement, which makes you all jointly or severally liable for the rent. You should only sign a tenancy agreement with people that you trust. If you decide to share a property with a friend and she fails to pay her share of the rent the landlord may decide to hold you responsible for her share of the rent. Failure to pay rent could result in county court judgments against all of your names not just the individual that failed to pay there share.
Make sure you understand the tenancy agreement before you sign. If you do not understand or have a question, ask. Remember you are signing to say that you have read, understood and agree to all of it's content.
With all the best intentions in the world your circumstances may change. This could be caused by a job loss or an accident that renders you unable to continue in your employment, even a relationship breakdown. You should try and prepare yourself for all eventualities when entering into a tenancy agreement. You are signing a legally binding document. Some agencies will offer an insurance that protects your rental payments due to an accident, sickness or unemployment.
Keep the excitement you had at the beginning of your tenancy right the way through to the next. Avoid seeing red and the need for mediation! Take ownership for your own actions and don't blame others this will in turn help you achieve a swift move out procedure so you can concentrate on finding your next home. Search out help and advice from a belvoirlettings.com/Corby/tenants lettings agency offering good tenant services.
Susie Geddes is the Manager of belvoirlettings.com/Corby/about Belvoir Property Lettings Corby, who have a wide range of properties to let in Corby. She can be contacted on +44 (0)1536 267755, email
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