first time tennet

stucowley

Hello

we are in processes of becoming a first time tennent and need advice.

I failed credit check however the LL accepted is because i have a guantor but he wants 2 monthes rent in advance, is this normal or is he trying to rip me off?

gazfocus

Welcome to the land of renting It is quite normal for landlords and letting agencies to want more rent upfront if you fail a credit check. When I moved to my current house, I had to cough up 6 months up front.

BitterAndTwisted

If you failed a credit-check you're lucky any landlord is agreeing to give you a tenancy at all without demanding six months rent in advance as well as a guarantor. There's little risk of you being "ripped off" as you're only being asked to pay in advance for exclusive possession of a property worth tens of thousands of pounds. Seems fair to me.

stucowley

oki doke,

Thanks for the quick replys, is there anything i should watch out for with the agents?

BitterAndTwisted

Yes, ensure you get a receipt for your deposit and that you receive confirmation of which deposit protection scheme it's lodged with. Your landlord is legally obliged to give you this info within a certain time-frame. Can't remember what it is either 14 or 28 days.

Ensure that you attend a check-in and see and agree with the inventory before you sign it. Ensure you retain a copy. This will be the template for how you are expected to return the property and all its contents at the end of the tenancy. The cost of any damage, missing items or stains to carpets etcetera will be charged for and deducted from your deposit.

G_M

Can't remember what it is either 14 or 28 days.

14.

Ensure you retain a copy.

with the LL/agent's signature.
Read the tenancy agreement and query anything you don't understand. Or like. How long is it? 6 months? Is this what you want?

stucowley

Hello,

Got a copy of rental agreement today and its a assured short-hold tenancy for 6 months but i asked the estate agent and she said it was long term.

It has all the details of where the deposit will be held.

BitterAndTwisted

Most excellent. In the first instance it is not unusual for tenancies to begin on a six-month term. This means the that landlord will be able to ensure that you can keep to your agreement by looking after the property properly and that you have paid your rent on time before extending the contract once the six months have expired. Bear in mind that it is not strictly necessary to sign up to another fixed-term contract but letting agents like them because they can make additional fees out of drawing them up and sometime landlords prefer them because they have the security of knowing that you'll definitely continue with the rental.

Enjoy your new home!

stucowley

Many thanks for the quick reply,

i think its just a generic contract tho as it says specimen over each page, will it just be the same contract i sign?

BitterAndTwisted

That is what a reasonable person would expect but a cautious one would make absolutely certain! Please ensure that you read and understand all of the contract and that you ask the agent to explain anything you don't. Or come here and ask

stucowley

cheers mate, but dont we sign the contract on the day we get the keys, is that the same time they do a inventory?