Renting your home can be beneficial for many reasons. Renting can be cheaper than owning your home and bills can be more predictable too, which is great news for those who prefer stable finances. With fewer outgoings, you can save more money.
Renting offers more flexibility – you can move somewhere new relatively quickly which is useful if you plan a new job or are going away to study in the near future. Also, it’s less stress than being a homeowner as you won’t need to pay for property maintenance – most of that will be done for you by your landlord.
Whether you want to rent a house or flat, the rental process is the same. Rental properties usually become available about two months before the end of tenancy date, so where possible it is worthwhile to start looking early.
This tenant guide will provide you with advice and information on how to secure a rental property, and help you understand tenancy agreements and inventories. At Belvoir we are devoted to helping you find your ideal home and we have your best interests in mind.
Finding a rental property
Firstly you should think about the kind of property you would like to rent. You need to know what your priorities are, as it can be difficult to find everything you want in one property. An important decision to make early on is if you want a furnished or unfurnished property. However, most unfurnished flats now come with modern appliances such as a fridge and washing machine, so its always a good tip to ask the landlord or agent exactly what’s included.
Tell our office exactly what type of property you are looking for, with lots of properties to choose from, we’ll help you find your ideal home.
Things to consider:
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Bath or Shower
- Furnished/unfurnished
- Storage space
- Parking
- Separate/open plan kitchen and dining room
- Garden
- Energy efficiency
- Budget
To work out what rent you could afford monthly, total your monthly expenses (not including the rental estimate) and subtract this amount from your monthly income. The final figure is a rough guide of what figure is affordable for rent each month. Use this figure as an estimate when you’re searching, if you tell your Belvoir office we can suggest suitable properties that meet your requirements.
Finding the right location will have an impact on your lifestyle and the property you choose. Our office will be able to provide useful information about local schools, transport links and other local amenities. This will help you choose an area with confidence.
Once you’ve found a rental property you like, book a viewing as early as possible. There is high demand for properties in the rental market and if you find a property you love, it’s best to move fast to secure it. Contact our office and we can accommodate a viewing time to suit your schedule.
A referencing check is just to make sure that you’re a suitable tenant and are able to pay your rent. We will also check to make sure that you have rented a property without any major problems in the past and we will ask for an administration fee. Be aware that if you fail any of the necessary checks, you may not be considered for the property.
Referencing criteria:
- Three years’ address history
- Employment details
- Confirmation of earnings (If self-employed evidence of the last three years’ account details)
- Current landlord details
- Your bank account details
Only once you’ve paid the deposit is the property truly secured.
The deposit is one and half months rent and it is held for the duration of the tenancy. This deposit is held as cover for any damages that may occur and need to be repaired at the end of your tenancy.
Belvoir protect your deposit with a government-authorised Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme.
We will organise for both you and the landlord to sign the tenancy agreement which sets out the terms of the tenancy. After which, you will be given the keys to your new property!
