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Important Questions to Ask Before Renting a Property

Choosing a new home to rent is an important decision. As well as the property itself, you need to make sure the landlord is right for you and that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Before you go to view your potential new home, take a look at our checklist of essential questions to ask your new landlord.

How much is the rent?

The first question you need to ask a potential landlord is how much the exact rent will be. A lot of properties are advertised using the rental cost per week, so make sure you check what the bill will be at the end of every month.

Are any bills included?

Sometimes, the landlord will pay for bills like council tax, the internet or even gas and electricity. Though it’s more common for the tenant to cover these costs, it’s well worth asking if the property owner is planning on paying them.

How much is the deposit?

The deposit for your new rental property could be as much as two or three times the monthly rent. This makes the deposit a very important financial consideration, with a high deposit potentially making your chosen property unaffordable.

Who’s responsible for paying for repairs to white goods?

Generally, your new landlord will be responsible to paying for repairs to your fridge, washing machine and any other white goods. However, they are not required to do this by law so make sure you check who’ll be footing the bill if one of your appliances malfunctions.

What furniture will be staying?

Ask your landlord if the property will come furnished, unfurnished or part-furnished. If you’ll be renting it with furniture, make sure you check exactly what will be staying when you move in.

Will there be any management fees?

Though high fees are being phased out, there may well still be some associated fees when you rent your new home. Talk to your landlord and your letting agency to find out what you’ll be charged both initially, and during the rental period.

How long is the lease?

One of the most important questions you need to ask is how long the lease will be on your new property. Leases can be as short as six months, though most will be one or two years long. If you’re planning on really settling into your new home, you might want to arrange a lease that’s even longer.

Is there a break clause?

Sometimes leases will have break clauses built into them. This means that you, and sometimes your landlord, can break the contract after a certain amount of time if you want to move on. Though this can be beneficial if you don’t know how long you’ll be staying in the property, it could make your tenancy less secure, so it’s important to check the conditions.

For more information on finding properties to rent, or to start a search for your new home, take a look around our website today.