Advice please on renting.

aaroncaz

Ok, I am going to view a house next Monday, found it on gumtree, no agency, looks nice............. in another city, abt 50 miles from me.

Ok, first of all, landlord, (who is VERY young) said it's a 6 month tenancy, then will run month too month( I am actually on this kind of tenancy already) but what I woukld like to know, is this usual?Why not just renew? I did say I would prefer a years.............is this kind safe?
Also, googled the postcode, the house was brought in July this year, it has tennants in now, and will be vacant on 01/11.( He also said tennants are selling some furniture, as they are moving to furnished house, and I said I would be interested, as I need quiet a bit of stuff!)

When I go to view, shall I just pay a bit of deposit(1 months rent, and 1 months deposit is required) or all, or should i wait till the 01/11 and pay all, then get the keys?? Or wait till the day I move in, and pay then?

Also, this may sound silly, but how do I know it IS his house, and I am not being ripped off??

poppysarah

Young landlord. Advertised on gumtree.

Q's I'd want to know the answers to:
Does he have his mortgage companys knowledge and permission to rent.
Ditto insurance.

mikey72

It's a good question, with no real answer.
Get his home address and telephone number. If you do pay a deposit, take the cheque round to his home, not the rental address.
Ask which agency he'll put the deposit with. Look at the landlords cert for the gas appliances. Look at a copy of the building insurance, (but he doesn't need to show it you) I've never been asked to prove I own a property before, and I could lie about the mortgage. Check he asks you the right questions, references, employer, income, etc.
Equally, if you don't pay a deposit up front, how does he know you're serious? From your point of view, pay as little as possible. From his, get as much as possible.

aaroncaz

poppysarah wrote: »

Young landlord. Advertised on gumtree.

Q's I'd want to know the answers to:
Does he have his mortgage companys knowledge and permission to rent.
Ditto insurance.

Should i ask for proof(documents)?

aaroncaz

mikey72 wrote: »

It's a good question, with no real answer.
Get his home address and telephone number. If you do pay a deposit, take the cheque round to his home, not the rental address.
Ask which agency he'll put the deposit with. Look at the landlords cert for the gas appliances. Look at a copy of the building insurance, (but he doesn't need to show it you) I've never been asked to prove I own a property before, and I could lie about the mortgage. Check he asks you the right questions, references, employer, income, etc.
Equally, if you don't pay a deposit up front, how does he know you're serious? From your point of view, pay as little as possible. From his, get as much as possible.

He did mention a deposit scheme, forget which one, sure he said it was free for him to use. He has not asked for references, I am on HB, he said he's not bothered as long as the rent is paid. I don't have a cheque book, so maybe a standiing order? He said he has a corgi cert.

boggie40

there has been a big fraud found in cardiff south wales recently where someone was advertising the apartment he was living in for rent.
it never came to them moving in but they had laid out ££££'s as a deposit and never got it back.
i believe at least 9 people got stung for a approx £120000........

i would certainly want to know if he owned the property - this kind of sting is becoming more and more common.

poppysarah

aaroncaz wrote: »

Should i ask for proof(documents)?

You can ask. I'm not sure how it stands legally - you could ask shelter what pre-renting checks they recommend.

I'd go with Mikey72's "Look at the landlords cert for the gas appliances. Look at a copy of the building insurance, (but he doesn't need to show it you) I've never been asked to prove I own a property before"

The gas certificate is important - you don't want to wait until you move in to find he's not got one.