Advice for tenants looking to find a rental home.
Many people are staying in a property for longer than the traditional one-year tenancy agreement. So it pays to think longer term when considering your choice of rental home.
T
he average tenant now stays in a property for just under 20 months according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). If tenants ask the right questions up front, it can guard against any unwanted surprises later on in the tenancy.
London tenants are staying put for the longest, at 20.9 months,. The lowest average is in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the typical duration is 17.1 months.
Christian Harper of Chiswick lettings agent
OliverFinn: “Don’t worry about asking too many basic questions. The more you find out about the property the better, as you really don’t want any unwelcome surprises after you’ve moved in.”
ARLA has the following advice for tenants viewing properties:
1. Who is responsible for the property?
A letting agent may show you around, but they may not be responsible for the ongoing management of the property once it is let. If the landlord is going to take on maintenance duties, it may be worth meeting with them before signing the tenancy agreement.
2. Is the agent an expert?
The letting industry is not currently subject to any government legislation, meaning that anyone can set up as a letting agent or landlord. You should always ask if your agent is affiliated to a professional organisation. All ARLA agents like OliverFinn must adhere to a strict code of conduct. They must also offer client money protection and redress schemes, which protect consumers if things go wrong.
3. How much are the fuel bills?
Always ask to see a property’s
EPC when you view it. This will give you an idea of potential energy bills. As a tenant you will be liable for these and with the recent price increases, a more efficient home will be easier on the wallet. With the winter nights drawing in, it can also be a good idea to view the same property at different times of the day to get a sense of how light each room is and how secure it feels overall.
4. Are we jointly liable?
Many shared tenancies contain a joint liability clause, meaning you are responsible for the actions of your co-tenants. This includes covering their share of the rent if they were to unexpectedly move out. Before you enter such an agreement, carefully consider how well you know your prospective housemates.
5. What is included and what's not?
Always ask explicitly what items come with the property. Current tenants may have added their own items of furniture and you don’t want to find key pieces aren’t there when you move in! As well as asking about included contents, it is always worth turning on the shower and taps to check pressure.
he average tenant now stays in a property for just under 20 months according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). If tenants ask the right questions up front, it can guard against any unwanted surprises later on in the tenancy.
London tenants are staying put for the longest, at 20.9 months,. The lowest average is in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the typical duration is 17.1 months.
Christian Harper of Chiswick lettings agent OliverFinn: “Don’t worry about asking too many basic questions. The more you find out about the property the better, as you really don’t want any unwelcome surprises after you’ve moved in.” ARLA has the following advice for tenants viewing properties:
1. Who is responsible for the property?
A letting agent may show you around, but they may not be responsible for the ongoing management of the property once it is let. If the landlord is going to take on maintenance duties, it may be worth meeting with them before signing the tenancy agreement.
2. Is the agent an expert?
The letting industry is not currently subject to any government legislation, meaning that anyone can set up as a letting agent or landlord. You should always ask if your agent is affiliated to a professional organisation. All ARLA agents like OliverFinn must adhere to a strict code of conduct. They must also offer client money protection and redress schemes, which protect consumers if things go wrong.
3. How much are the fuel bills?
Always ask to see a property’s EPC when you view it. This will give you an idea of potential energy bills. As a tenant you will be liable for these and with the recent price increases, a more efficient home will be easier on the wallet. With the winter nights drawing in, it can also be a good idea to view the same property at different times of the day to get a sense of how light each room is and how secure it feels overall.
4. Are we jointly liable?
Many shared tenancies contain a joint liability clause, meaning you are responsible for the actions of your co-tenants. This includes covering their share of the rent if they were to unexpectedly move out. Before you enter such an agreement, carefully consider how well you know your prospective housemates.
5. What is included and what's not?
Always ask explicitly what items come with the property. Current tenants may have added their own items of furniture and you don’t want to find key pieces aren’t there when you move in! As well as asking about included contents, it is always worth turning on the shower and taps to check pressure.
