Ccleaner Furniture

Renting a house should be nice and simple. As a tenant there’s very little risk to you, especially if you’re only signing a lease for a few months.

Or is there? See, while it’s easy to spot a flat or house that looks like it could do with a lick of paint, there are lots of other issues to consider when you rent property.

Use this simple guide to assess your potential new home when you look round it.

Do some research before you view: Even though you are only renting, you should use the same tricks buyers do to check out a potential new home. Visit the area at different times of the day, on a weekday and at the weekend. Is the street a shortcut for angry drivers during rush hour? Do local school children gather around the shop on the corner? Is the street the main route home for local clubbers at 2am every morning? These factors don’t matter so much when you rent property, but could affect your quality of life forcing another move in a few months’ time.

Take someone with you to view the property: Never look at a potential home on your own. Because while you’re wondering if you can live with the pink bathroom, your friend will be finding the real flaws. It’s also a sensible security measure, especially if you are meeting a private landlord, rather than someone from the local property shop.

Compare the property to your lifestyle: Got a car? Got a driveway or parking space for it? Where are the nearest shops or other amenities? When you rent property it’s easy to overlook these things, yet they’re just as important as when you actually buy a house. Don’t forget to look into public transport and the extra costs of living there, such as council tax and any residents’ parking charges. And have a think about how much stuff you have and whether it will all fit in your new home. It’s also worth checking if pets are allowed when you rent property.

Is the property in good condition? Even though it’s not your responsibility to repair the fabric of the house, it will be a lot less hassle to ensure it is in good nick before you move in. Once you have signed a lease there is little incentive for the landlord to undertake significant repairs. Use their desire to rent property quickly as a lever to get major projects completed. Check the roof and gutters are sound, and look at the doors and drains carefully. What kind of condition is the garden in – and whose responsibility is it to keep it well maintained?

Can you decorate? Some landlords want to keep control over their interior, some are happy for you to slap paint anywhere you want. Check before you agree to rent property.

What horrors await? Keep an eye out for some terrors inside the property. Are there mouse traps or droppings? Check for signs of damp in every room, including flaking paint and loose wallpaper.

Check the building is safe: There should be at least one working smoke detector in the property; many owners provide fire extinguishers or blankets. The landlord must get a gas safety inspection by a CORGI registered engineer once a year. Does the electrical wiring look in good condition – or at the very least do switches it look like they have been installed within the last few decades?

Can you have a nice bath? Bathrooms are often problem areas when you rent property. So check all taps work OK and you can get hot water on demand. It’s also worth road testing the toilet and checking the sinks and baths aren’t damaged or cracked.

With the high price of property currently it is unsurprising that so many people are instead deciding to look at let properties as a more affordable option. As a tenant however it is important to be aware of your rights, all renters have certain rights that come hand in hand with a rental property. By taking note of your rights you will be able to avoid the few unscrupulous letting agents and landlords still out there.

When you are looking at let properties, no matter what the reason it is important to realise that essentially you are paying for a service, making sure you get value for money is vital. Handing over huge amounts of money at the end of each month and still being disappointed with the situation is heart wrenching. Ultimately it is a home, and you should be happy with this home; while some may find it hard to settle into a rented house or flat, for the sake of your lifestyle it is essential that you do.

Looking at the endless internet sites and newspaper handouts advertising property to let can be a time consuming and ultimately unrewarding task. Finding a property you like then being told it has already been taken is a heartbreaking feeling, although not an uncommon one. This is when the services of a letting agent can be especially useful. Many see the use of an agency as the easy way out of this difficult task, the easy way out however will always end up costing you more.

Letting agency rates do differ dramatically, the fees can range from around twenty five to one hundred and fifty pounds. What you are paying for is not purely them finding you a property to let but all of the administrative tasks related to renting. Normally an agency will deal with producing references to the landlord, taking deposits and producing the legal documentation such as contracts. In addition, if you want a specific house or flat reserved, a holding fee will usually be charged, although this is usually put towards your first month’s rent unless you pull out of the deal.

Contracts are of especial importance; termed as the tenancy agreement in the trade it is a vital constituent in securing a property to let. The agreement is a legally binding contract between yourself and the landlord and contains information such as the length of the letting period, the cost of the rent, the date the rent is needed and both parties’ responsibilities in terms of the condition of the property. While you may not have legal advice, be sure to read the agreement carefully before you sign.

Once you have moved into the let property it is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure that gas and electricity fittings are all safe and in good working order. Under the law it is their responsibility to ensure that gas appliances are checked by a registered CORGI technician in any twelve month period. The records of these checks should also be available to you, detailing any defects or work that has been performed.

When you are settled it is important to understand he rights of the landlord in terms of entry to the property. If there is an emergency situation the landlord is allowed to enter immediately but at any other times they must give twenty four hours notice to enter the property.

Hopefully this article has gone some of the way to detailing the rights and processes involved with renting. With the advice given it should be possible to find yourself the perfect letting property and have years of blissful living.