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Switch and saveSearching for a place to live can be an exhausting undertaking, but going into property viewings armed with the right questions is essential.
You can't always count on a letting agent to proactively offer all the information you need about your potential new home, so it's important to have a bit of your own research under your belt.
Here, we detail the things to look out for and the questions to ask when viewing a rental property.
At each rental property viewing, take your time to check the property to make sure there are no problems. If there are any issues with the following, either make it a condition of the contract that they are fixed, or seriously reconsider your desire to rent that property.
It's important to know from the start how much it will cost you to live in the property, and what you can expect from the landlord/letting agent while you're living there.
Here are some important questions to ask:
Some landlords include bills such as gas, electricity and water in the price of rent.
It's worth checking which bills are included and if there are any limits on what you can use, what happens if you exceed the limit and how the landlord will increase rent if bills go up. Landlords cannot charge you more than they pay the supplier.
A 'holding' deposit is different from a tenancy deposit.
You might be asked to pay a holding deposit to reserve a property, particularly in areas with high demand.
Holding deposits to reserve a property are capped at one week's rent in England and Wales but are banned in Scotland.
If you have to pay, make sure the landlord or letting agent can tell you exactly how much the holding deposit will be, how long they will keep it and under what circumstances you would not have it refunded.
Most tenancy-related fees have now been banned across the UK.
Landlords and letting agents can no longer charge fees for references, credit checks or renewing your tenancy.
However, you may be charged fees for late rent payment, losing your keys and changes made to your agreement made at your request.
Often, there will be more than one agency advertising the property - this is particularly relevant if the letting agent you're dealing with asks for a holding deposit.
Be aware, if another agency is also advertising the property, paying a holding deposit might not mean the property is off the market.
You should expect letting agents to be clear on who you would contact to fix any problems, and if it's the landlord, they should be able to give you some details about how to communicate with the landlord.
Find out what's expected of both tenants and landlords in our guide to rental property maintenance and repairs.
These won't necessarily be available at the viewing, but an agent should be able to tell you the rules around gas and electrical safety and what to expect around maintenance.
For example, you should be provided with a gas safety certificate no later than the day you move in and it's good practice for electrical safety checks to be done every five years.
A good letting agent will include an EPC on the property advertisement, and take a copy to the viewing.
But even if they don't have one to hand during the viewing, they should be able to tell you what the property's rating is and what that might mean for your energy bills. By law, you have to have one no later than move in day.
The better the rating the EPC gives the property, the lower your utility bills are likely to be. This could save you hundreds of pounds a year.
Your gas safety certificate should include boiler servicing details. The landlord might not know exactly when the boiler was last serviced during the viewing, but they should be able to advise correctly on the rules around servicing (have a service done once a year) and give you an idea of how old the boiler is.
Being connected to the internet is crucial, especially if you'll be working from home.
The agent showing you around might not necessarily know the answer to this question, but you can usually find out what suppliers are available and the top speeds available at the property with the address details.
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Switch and saveLetting agents should know the rules on smoke alarms - in England, this is to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (eg a coal fire, wood burning stove).
Ideally, carbon monoxide alarms should be fitted regardless - as is the case in Scotland.
Usually there will be room to negotiate on this, depending on the landlord's and your preferences. Some may only be looking for long-term tenancies, others short-term. Make sure the duration of the contract suits you.
You need to know what's covered by insurance should anything go awry.
As a tenant, you should consider securing insurance for your contents and belongings.
If you're moving into shared accommodation, check whether the property should have a 'house in multiple occupation' (HMO) licence from the local council. This usually applies to property that is three or more stories and occupied by five or more people who are not in the same family.
If it is a licensed HMO, the property should have more safeguards for the tenants, such as fire doors.
Before your tenancy starts, make sure you have:
It's also good to have:
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