Renting a house...
Discussion
Hi all,
My gf and I are about to start renting a house in November. It is all being done through an agency and it is ages since I have dealt with renting/letting agencies etc.
What sort of checks do I need to be doing? I know about thoroughly checking the property and taking photos for inventory purposes.
Is there anything I need outside advice for, or checks etc?
Thanks
My gf and I are about to start renting a house in November. It is all being done through an agency and it is ages since I have dealt with renting/letting agencies etc.
What sort of checks do I need to be doing? I know about thoroughly checking the property and taking photos for inventory purposes.
Is there anything I need outside advice for, or checks etc?
Thanks
You need to ask to see the Energy Certificate for the property, together with the properties Gas Safety Certificate, the same covering the boiler and any gas appliances. Check whether property is on a water meter, if not if the landlord would object to a meter being installed, also check if any meters installed for gas and electric, if landlord has any objections to changing the present service providers. The same applying for present suppliers for telephone, TV, cable, satellite and broadband. Request information if there is a mortgage on the property, if so assurances that the mortgage provider allows for the property to be rented out.
Find out the length of the Tenancy Agreement, read the clauses contained within the same, amount of the Deposit, what Deposit Protection Scheme will hold the Deposit. Enquire what fees the letting agents willl be charging.
Find out the length of the Tenancy Agreement, read the clauses contained within the same, amount of the Deposit, what Deposit Protection Scheme will hold the Deposit. Enquire what fees the letting agents willl be charging.
from experience of our place:
Don't take the agents word for it that any required work will be done before you move in.
Some agents have a deal with Spark Energy to switch over managed properties. if this is the case you need to ensure you are permitted to change suppliers yourself and do everything you can to use someone else.
also the notice period now seems to be x time from a rent due date, so if the period is one month, your rent is due one the first of jan and you give notice on the second of jan, you are committed till the end of Feb.
Don't take the agents word for it that any required work will be done before you move in.
Some agents have a deal with Spark Energy to switch over managed properties. if this is the case you need to ensure you are permitted to change suppliers yourself and do everything you can to use someone else.
also the notice period now seems to be x time from a rent due date, so if the period is one month, your rent is due one the first of jan and you give notice on the second of jan, you are committed till the end of Feb.
Right, things are progressing nicely. All background checks etc complete.
We aren't moving in until the start of November because the landlord wants it until then, but the agency is already asking for the deposit. Am I being a git by trying to hold off paying this until October? Paying it almost 2 months before I get hold of the keys smacks of the agency wanting the cash (yes, they insist on cash or cheque) to line their pockets for an increased time before they plonk it into the secured deposit scheme thing.
I know I could just ask them, but I like to be armed with the opinion of a few others just to make sure I am not being unreasonable before I call them back.
Thoughts??
We aren't moving in until the start of November because the landlord wants it until then, but the agency is already asking for the deposit. Am I being a git by trying to hold off paying this until October? Paying it almost 2 months before I get hold of the keys smacks of the agency wanting the cash (yes, they insist on cash or cheque) to line their pockets for an increased time before they plonk it into the secured deposit scheme thing.
I know I could just ask them, but I like to be armed with the opinion of a few others just to make sure I am not being unreasonable before I call them back.
Thoughts??
zaphod42 said:
Don't pay deposit until you get the keys (or a few days before) - they are propping up their cashflow... it goes into the deposit scheme anyway, so ask them why they need it now?
Depends which TDS scheme the agents use, although as you indicate the Deposit monies are better in the OP's bank account. Perhaps the OP could offer the agents a letter of good intent, and/or a pre-dated cheque.Edited by zaphod42 on Tuesday 6th September 13:51
Me again. I'm going back in to the agency tomorrow as they are getting bolshy about me paying the deposit now despite me not moving in until 29th october.
The contract does say that we must pay the deposit when we sign the contract. But we haven't signed yet. So can I say to them, yes we will sign but the deposit will come when we get the keys and run through the inventory? Can I suggest changes to the contract or am I likely to be told thats the way it is, like it our lump it?
Also, the inventory is done by them without us there. When we move in, we have 7 days to dispute anything we disagree with. This worries me as they basically have our cash then and can say things were perfect when we moved in.
I want to suggest they do the inventory in the next week, and we then go around with thento check it off. When both parties are happy, deposit is handed over etc.
Am I being unreasonable?
The contract does say that we must pay the deposit when we sign the contract. But we haven't signed yet. So can I say to them, yes we will sign but the deposit will come when we get the keys and run through the inventory? Can I suggest changes to the contract or am I likely to be told thats the way it is, like it our lump it?
Also, the inventory is done by them without us there. When we move in, we have 7 days to dispute anything we disagree with. This worries me as they basically have our cash then and can say things were perfect when we moved in.
I want to suggest they do the inventory in the next week, and we then go around with thento check it off. When both parties are happy, deposit is handed over etc.
Am I being unreasonable?
No, they want a deposit from you now to stop you from turning up on move-in day, having a flounce and leaving them with an empty property that they need to re-advertise and get more people to view. Unless they're desperate to get you in that flat, they'll happily rent it to the next person that comes along who is willing to play by their rules.
Inventories these days tend to be very thorough - as the TDS relies on a good inventory for a landlord to prove you damaged something, it tends to be farmed out to someone who does them full-time to make sure it's done right. If it did get disputed down the line, a lax inventory would make for a poor case for the landlord so they tend to be pretty comprehensive, especially if it's anything but freshly renovated. My last few have been 20+ pages, usually with pictures. As the agent says, you take that report, check it over, if you see anything they missed, you get it added. Take your own pictures too, if you're really paranoid then burn them to CD and send it recorded delivery to the agent. If the inventory is poor, I'd be asking for it to be redone - you're usually shouldered with the inventory fee so make sure you get a decent one out of it.
Normally you'd visit the agent shortly after agreeing to rent the place, handing over your deposit and signing the contract in one go. Any decent agent should be able to email you a copy of the contract so you can review it ahead of time.
Inventories these days tend to be very thorough - as the TDS relies on a good inventory for a landlord to prove you damaged something, it tends to be farmed out to someone who does them full-time to make sure it's done right. If it did get disputed down the line, a lax inventory would make for a poor case for the landlord so they tend to be pretty comprehensive, especially if it's anything but freshly renovated. My last few have been 20+ pages, usually with pictures. As the agent says, you take that report, check it over, if you see anything they missed, you get it added. Take your own pictures too, if you're really paranoid then burn them to CD and send it recorded delivery to the agent. If the inventory is poor, I'd be asking for it to be redone - you're usually shouldered with the inventory fee so make sure you get a decent one out of it.
Normally you'd visit the agent shortly after agreeing to rent the place, handing over your deposit and signing the contract in one go. Any decent agent should be able to email you a copy of the contract so you can review it ahead of time.
You need to start as you intend to continue, and as a landlord myself, it is not so much the wording of a Tenancy Agreement, but the spirit the same is entered into.
Whilst I can understand your position, I can also under the agents to. If I were in your same position, then if I were 100% certain the property was what I wanted to rent, and that there were no possible changes in my life that might prevent me from renting the property, then I would pay the Deposit to the agent now.
Whilst I can understand your position, I can also under the agents to. If I were in your same position, then if I were 100% certain the property was what I wanted to rent, and that there were no possible changes in my life that might prevent me from renting the property, then I would pay the Deposit to the agent now.
To fill in a bit of background info, the landlord has moved abroad but I met him before he left. He wanted to give the tour himself and set out exactly what he expected and what we could expect etc. We got on really well, and have been in regular contact since then.
I have spoken to the agency today, and have agreed to pay the deposit next weekend (8th) as I think this would help to settle things down a little bit. In my opinion, 3 weeks isn't too unreasonable.
I will also along with their inventory method, even though I don't believe it to be the correct way. I have quite an attention to detail so when it comes to the inventory, I will be taking quite a few photos of my own of which I will give a copy to the agency and landlord. At least then we can mark the line in the sand as to where things are when we move in.
Like I say, the landlord and I are getting on very well and seem to be of similar mind - shame that cannot be said of the agency who are not doing one thing to change my opinion of them based on the opinions of myself and others.
Thanks for all of the input - has been very helpful!
I have spoken to the agency today, and have agreed to pay the deposit next weekend (8th) as I think this would help to settle things down a little bit. In my opinion, 3 weeks isn't too unreasonable.
I will also along with their inventory method, even though I don't believe it to be the correct way. I have quite an attention to detail so when it comes to the inventory, I will be taking quite a few photos of my own of which I will give a copy to the agency and landlord. At least then we can mark the line in the sand as to where things are when we move in.
Like I say, the landlord and I are getting on very well and seem to be of similar mind - shame that cannot be said of the agency who are not doing one thing to change my opinion of them based on the opinions of myself and others.
Thanks for all of the input - has been very helpful!
Under the Housing Act 2004, upon receipt of your Deposit, the agents have 14 days to protect your Deposit, sending a Certificate being proof of the same, together with an explanatory leaflet of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
Whilst the agent may receive the Deposit, the landlord however is still legally held responsible for the Deposit.
The Tenancy Agreement may show the agents details as the person responsible for managing the Tenancy, however if at any time you require contact details for the Landlord, even an address abroad, then the agents are required under legislation to provide you with the same within 21 days of your request.
Whilst the agent may receive the Deposit, the landlord however is still legally held responsible for the Deposit.
The Tenancy Agreement may show the agents details as the person responsible for managing the Tenancy, however if at any time you require contact details for the Landlord, even an address abroad, then the agents are required under legislation to provide you with the same within 21 days of your request.
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