Renting.. any tips? advice?

Joe-C_4

Hey

Me and my friends (we're all 21 with full time jobs) have found a 3 bedroomed apartment for £625...

You have to pay one months rent as deposit... and one month up front + £95 'admin' fees....

We can all have the £208 coming out of our bank accounts so the money is easy to arrange...

6 month min contact + parents have to give details etc..

We're going for a viewing on Monday.

None of us are students...

I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips or advice?

MMMIARMW_II

Check what council tax band you are in! https://www.voa.gov.uk, can add a heft amount to your bills, also water rates are based on council tax band. So maybe worth asking agent/landlord if they know in advance (although many will claim they don't know).

Also ask what fees are associated with the letting, some agents are major rip off merchants. Ask for fees regarding contract rewewal (sometimes free, but can be as much as £90+vat), and some agents also charge a check out fee when moving out (some agents also include contents insurance charges). Check if these are leveid individually or as a group.

Also when you take up a property rental go over the inventory with fine tooth comb & if you have access to a digital camera can be worth taking photos of any defects/damage that is present before you move in.

Finally find out if they are ARLA bonded (or there is another voluntary code- can someone confirm?) to make certain you get your deposit back if they go bust.

Good luck, just keep your eyes open!! ::) and compare agents & rental prices in the areas your looking at. The same rental price can result in wildly different quality/size etc of the property.

zx2011

ARLA, the Association of Residential Letting Agents, is the only professional self-regulating body to be solely concerned with lettings has a really good page for tenants advice.

Check out http://www.arla.co.uk/info/tenants.htm

Joe-C_4

Excellent advice!

Other advice I've been given:

- As long as it aint with a couple you will be fine.
- make sure u get a big tv
- don't put the phone line in your name (if you get one)
- go through the house noting the condition of rooms, take some photo's too

Robert_Sterling_3

Make sure each of you is resposible for one third of the rent and that you are not Jointly and Severally liable for all of it.

MMMIARMW_II

The other association is the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

There is a whole section in the guardian on renting

Pal

To echo MMMIARMW_II's comments:

- Ask the agent for a list of total costs of moving in and our BEFORE you view the property or pay any deposit over. Most agents wait for you to pay a retention deposit before telling you about the extra £200 in fees you are going to have to pay to move in.

- Ask for a copy of their standard letting contract and check it over before paying any holding deposit. Ideally negotiate any changes to the contract before agreeing to pay a deposit.

You do not want to have to pull out and lose your deposit because you cannot agree terms or the agency has included some sneaky fees at the last minute.