House Hunting

Signing up for a house is a major financial commitment. You are likely to pay between £2080 and £5200 a year in rent. Before making such a large purchase you need to be fully aware of what you are signing up for.

If you sign a contract that states it is ‘fixed term’ for a certain number of months (usually 12) or specifies a start and end date then by signing it you are committing to paying rent for the time period stated. You will not be able to move out and stop paying rent unless you find someone else to take your place.

If all tenants’ names are on the same tenancy agreement it will be a ‘joint tenancy’ which means that all tenants are equally liable for each others rent. If you sign a joint tenancy for a five person house at £65 a week you are actually agreeing to be liable for £16,900! Make sure you know and trust your future housemates. After all not only are you sharing financial responsibility with them but you have to share a living space with them for a year.

As with all large purchases you should not rush into it. Ensure all tenants have viewed the property. Spend at least 20 minutes looking round the house, preferably without the landlord present. Have a look for any signs of disrepair or damp. Talk to the current tenants about how they have found their time in the house. Check out the security features.

Do your research on the agency/landlord. Are the current tenants happy with them? Do you know any other people who have rented from them? The landlord will be receiving all your money and will be responsible for the maintenance of the house while you live there - so their attitude may well determine your enjoyment of the property.

If the landlord agrees to do any renovations or repairs before you move in get these promises written in to the contract before you sign it. Get the landlord to specify exactly what work will be done and the dates by when it will be completed.

Most landlords will ask you to pay the equivalent of a month’s rent as a deposit. This deposit should be returned to you at the end of the tenancy providing the property is left in a good condition. In the past tenants have had problems recovering these deposits. This year however the government has set up a scheme to protect your money. When you pay it the landlord must then pay it into a ‘tenancy deposit scheme’. These protect your money and ensure it is returned to you when you move out. Ask for written details of the scheme your deposit has been paid into. If the landlord does not pay it into a scheme you can take them to court for three times the deposit.

For more information on the tenancy deposit scheme see www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm 

For more information on privately rented accommodation and housing rights see the Shelter website http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-242.cfm