Are you searching for a property to rent?
We can find you a home, answer your questions and guide you through the process.
Looking after tenants for over 25 years
Taking on a tenancy is a commitment but it needn’t be hard work when you have access to the right advice
Read our simple ‘How to Rent’ guide
What Do I Need to Rent?
Before our landlords will enter into a tenancy agreement, they’ll need you to fulfil certain conditions. These are mostly common sense and are not difficult to meet.
Proving Who You Are
You need to verify your identity with two forms of identification which must be originals, not copies. One should be a document with a photo ID such as a UK passport. The other should be a utility bill or bank statement no more than three months old. The two together confirm who you are and where you live.
Your References and Credit Status
Landlords will expect to take up references, at least one personal and one from your employer. We’ll also ask an independent agency to carry out a basic credit check, which will not affect your credit status. In the unlikely event that these checks return negative information, the tenancy won’t proceed.
Your Holding Deposit Explained
A ‘holding deposit’ is required to demonstrate your good faith and genuine commitment to renting the property. The figure we ask for is equivalent to one week’s rent. Once your references and credit status have been verified and we’re ready to commence the tenancy, the holding deposit will be released and put towards the first rental payment.
Security Deposit
This is a sum that you pay at the start of your tenancy to cover any potential costs of repairs that might be outstanding at the end of the tenancy. By law, this cannot be used by the landlord during the tenancy and will be held in a protected scheme until the time you move out. It is calculated as the equivalent of five weeks’ rent if the annual rental is under £50,000. If it is over £50,000 the deposit will be six weeks’ rent.
Right to Rent in the UK
The law imposes an obligation on landlords to ascertain whether a prospective tenant has the right to rent property in the UK. This question can usually be answered through the identification process and reference and credit checks but if the landlord is not satisfied with the information, they may ask for additional proof. Don’t be offended by this. If landlords fail in this duty they can be liable for a fine so they need to be certain.
What to ask when renting
There will be many questions you’ll want to ask before signing the tenancy agreement. Most of the answers will be in the agreement such as length of tenancy and how to extend it, but here are some other common queries.
- Am I permitted to keep pets? (You must ask permission in writing).
- Is smoking allowed in the property? (Usually not)
- Who is responsible for looking after any communal areas?
- How do I operate and troubleshoot the boiler and any other major appliances?
- Can I redecorate, hang pictures, put up shelves or make any other small changes?
