A guide to renting

When you decide to look for a property to rent, do remember that you could be spending as much time living there as many people who own their own property will, so take that into consideration when you are choosing the:

• Area
• Size of the property
• Overall condition of you new home-to-be

When it comes to finding your new des-res there are many different agencies around who will all try to be competitive and ensnare you as their next tenant. If you do not know the area and don't have any friends or family who can recommend a good agent to you then you will need to spend a little time finding the best agent/landlord for yourself.

Check your local papers, go online and take a trip to your local high street to see which companies offer the service you're looking for and have any properties you would like to view.

Some agencies are very helpful on the phone and will give you all the information you need, but remember to ask some key questions:

• Do they charge a fee if you rent a property through them?
• Will you deal with them with regards to the property or, once you sign the contract will you be in direct contact with the landlord?
• If you decide to renew your tenancy agreement/contract, what, if any, will the fees be?
• What will the deposit be and how will you go about getting it back when the agreement ends?

When you do go and view a property, take a good look around. Check inside the cupboards; turn on the kitchen/bathroom taps to see how good the water pressure is. Switch on the fan to make sure it works, open windows to see how loud it could get in the summer when you're lounging around. Try out as many of the things that you will be using as you can, because although the landlord must fix anything that you report, it would be better to have to done before you take occupancy, or to make sure there are no major problems in the first place.

Once you have decided on a property don't be afraid to make an offer on the advertised rental price, particularly if you can move into an unoccupied property and have good personal and financial references, even if you only get the rent downby £10 per month that's a monthly treat, or extra to go into your savings each month.

Once you're all ready to move in, get your friends and family to help you give the place a good scrub before you unpack all your lovely trinkets and things, it wouldn't do to get your clothes and shoes out only to shove them back into your case because there are cobwebs and grotty corners to clean.

Explanations of main rental agreement terms:

Contract

Otherwise known as a tenancy agreement. This is a legally binding agreement between the tenant and landlord, which, if not provided as soon as you agree a moving in date, should be provided within 28 days of you asking. The landlord is committing a criminal offence if you do not receive a contract within 28 days of asking.

The contract or agreement will include:

• The length of time you agree to stay in the property
• The length of the tenancy – if it is a fixed term
• The length of notice period that must be served when you choose to leave
• The date the tenancy starts
• The monthly or weekly rental amount agreed
• When the rent is due and whether it is to be payable in advance
• The amount of deposit required
• What type of tenancy it is
• Whether the rent includes council tax and/or other amenity payments
• What the tenancy includes – usually referring to an inventory
• Your responsibilities as a tenant
• The obligations of the landlord
• The tenant's name
• The landlord's name
• The address of the property

Deposit

This is the amount of money required – usually 4–6 weeks rent – to secure the property as your home. You will also have to pay one month's rent in advance and then each monthly payment on a date agreed with the landlord/letting agent.

Furnished/Unfurnished

This tells you whether or not the rental property is furnished. Furnished properties should include white goods – fridge, freezer, oven, washing machine – in the kitchen, sofas in the living room and beds in the bedrooms. Unfurnished property usually has basic kitchen white goods and little else, although it is worth asking if the landlord can provide a bed or sofas before spending a lot of money, or discounting the property.

Inclusive

This describes whether or not bills are included in the total advertised rent. Inclusive should include council tax, water, electricity and gas bills, but its worth checking that all four are covered. If the advert does no state that it is inclusive of bills or charges then assume that you will have to pay for this on top. As a tenant you will always be required to pay for your own television license and contents insurance as well as a telephone line and any cable/satellite television subscriptions.

Types of Tenancy Agreement/Contract

The most common rental agreement or contract is an Assured Shorthold tenancy. This is an agreement that allows you to live in the property for a certain amount of time usually six or twelve months, for an agreed and set amount per month. Don't worry if you are hoping to make a rented property your home for longer than 12 months – provided you are a good tenant, abide by the agreement and pay your rent each month on time – the landlord/letting agent will renew the contract at each six or twelve monthly intervals, although you may incur a small administration fee each time this is done.

Assured Tenancies are very similar to an Assured Shorthold tenancy in terms of what rights a tenant and landlord has, except they give the landlord the assurance that the tenant must leave the property at the end of the specified time, unless a renewal is discussed and signed.

An Assured Tenancy, which is rarely used since 1997 when the law was changed to state that that new tenancies will be Assured Shorthold Tenancies unless the parties agree otherwise, makes it harder for a landlord to evict a tenant even if the landlord feels that the tenant is not abiding by the terms of their agreement. Without a set rental period a landlord must prove that they are entitled to possession of the property.

Inventories

An inventory is a list of all the furniture, fixtures and fittings in a property before you move in, and these must also be in the property when you move out – something to consider when you're thinking about wallpapering the cupboards to brighten the place up! It is also usual to have a schedule of condition that indicates the state of the items on the inventory as well as the state and cleanliness of the property. The landlord/agent will take an inventory and schedule of condition before you move in. Then, if both parties are happy with the inventory and report, each must sign and date the report and retain a copy for their records.

When it is time to move out the inventory and schedule must be checked and signed again by both parties, this is usually instrumental in determining whether or not the tenant receives the deposit back in full.

If the landlord fails to provide an inventory then you should arrange one yourself, or request thelandlord/agency to do so as it could be an important tool in making sure you receive your deposit back in full when the agreement comes to an end and you decide to move out.

Tenant's obligations

As a tenant, when you sign the contract you are agreeing to certain responsibilities with regards to the property.

You must abide by any rules set down in the contract which usually include keeping the property in good condition, so if you must have that Halloween party make sure the fake cobwebs will come off and that any food colouring is kept away from the new cream carpet the landlord had fitted before you moved in!

You are also agreeing to pay fuel bills, council tax (unless the contract states it is an agreement inclusive of these bills) and for any service such as a television licence, telephone connection, internet and cable/satellite television. Most rental properties will not allow pets – but do check the contract – and you will not be allowed to sublet the property to other people.

Don't worry about the big things such as damp, broken floorboards and leaky water pipes, these are the landlords responsibility and will be either dealt with by him/her or through a contract held with the appropriate amenity provider.

Landlord's obligations

Again, by signing the contract the landlord agrees to certain rules with regards to the property and your tenancy in it.

While the tenant is responsible for keeping the property in good conditions, the landlord must ensure the property is safe to live in so all gas and electricity safety checks must be up-to-date. There should be a record of the last time the boiler was checked and confirmation that a registered gas fitter has tested any gas fire.

If there are any problems with the front door or damp then again this is landlord territory, as soon as you become aware of any problems you must contact your landlord or letting agent immediately so that they can do their best to rectify any problems as soon as is possible.

The contract should also state that the landlord must give you at least 24 hours notice before he enters the property, unless it is an emergency.

Any contracts for the gas, water and electricity should have been addressed by the landlord and any contact numbers and contract details for these services should be provided as soon as you move into the property.

Where To Turn When Things Go Wrong With Your Landlord

If you feel your landlord is not behaving in line with the agreement then you can and should act. Often it could just take a few phone calls to the landlord or letting agent explaining exactly what the problem is and what needs to be done about it. If this doesn't work then you can seek advice on your legal position and if you feel confident that you understand exactly what needs to be done and exactly where the law stands you can then contact the landlord or letting agent again explaining that you know exactly what your legal rights are and what the landlord must do to continue to abide by the contract and the law.

The Citizens Advice Bureau could be of help here, as could a local law society or your local council may also have a helpline to help even if you are a private tenant.

Shelter also has a good contacts library for when things go wrong between tenant and landlords. Of course, if things turn nasty or violent then you may have little choice other than to contact the police, if this is the case seek legal advice as soon as you can - the links above will again be useful for this, or the police may be able to offer help or provide contact details of someone or an organisation who can.

Amenities and rates

Every property in the U.K. is subject to council tax, and, if you are responsible for paying this bill you must contact your local council as soon as you move in, or as soon as you know when you will move in, to find out the monthly cost and arrange a payment method.

The Government website for citizens should have all the information you need including phone numbers to call and methods of finding out who your local council is if you don't already know.

A TV licence is required no matter what type of television you watch and is again your responsibility unless otherwise stated in your contract. Contact the TV licensing company and they will tell you how much an annual licence is and what your monthly payments will be. Their site should have all the information you require and will also allow you to arrange everything, including setting up your monthly direct debit, over the internet.

When it comes to gas, water and electricity it can be a little more complicated as there are several providers in the UK. However, the landlord/letting agent should be able to tell you who you need to contact to arrange payments. Once you know what fuel bills you will need to pay – many newer build flats won't have gas – you should take meter readings as soon as you move in and inform your relevant supplier(s) of them and arrange your choice of payment method, usually monthlydirect debit.

The cost of your services should be available on the relevant web site, or the provider should send out a detailed breakdown for you as a new customer. If you do not receive a guide within a month of moving in you should give them a call and they should send the information to you.

If you feel that you could benefit by changing providers, check you contract or contact your landlord/letting agent, before you do anything.

Uswitch.com is a good price comparison site and also has details of all the major amenities providers in the UK. Things that you should consider if you are able to and want to change your fuel provider is what type of fuel you use the most, if you are in a newer all electric property then the safest and cheapest service for electricity regardless of the provider's reputation for its gas provisions should be the most important.

For water providers there are many to choose from in the UK, the UK Net Guide lists them all and gives you brief explanations as to which regions they supply. It also has links to the provider's websites which will give you more information about each company.

Additional information

If you have any concerns about your contract or any other part of the renting process there are several places you can turn for advice:

• The Citizens Advice Bureau's online advice centre
• The Association of Residential Letting Agents could also be useful
• The National Association of Estate Agents
• The Channel 4 guide to renting may also include some extra tit-bits

Moving Out

When it comes to moving out of your rented home there are several things to consider:

• Why are you moving?
• Where will you move to?
• When/how will you receive your deposit back?
• What the notice period is?
• Do you need to book a van or removals help
• Personal contents insurance?
• Making sure you notify the relevant parties, council, TV licensing, amenities

If you are moving because you have saved enough or decided to buy a new home, because you need to move for work or family reasons then congratulations and good luck. You should sit down and think about your reasons for moving and if they are because you are feeling bored or a serious relationship has ended and you feel you need a change, do try and consider that there are many other things you could do which would not be as stressful, time consuming or expensive such as a new hair cut, a make-over, a holiday or even looking for a new job.

If however you have decided that you are definitely moving, make sure you do as much research and organising as you can before the big day arrives. If you are staying inthe area and are happy with your landlord/letting agent let them know as soon as you decide, they may have the perfect property for you which could mean no fresh deposit – they could simply transfer your deposit with no need for you to worry about it. They may even have a list of companies they use for removals or hire vans and at a preferential rate.

If you are moving away from the area and need to use a different landlord/agency then take your time if you can and try not to repeat any of the mistakes you may have made when you moved in to your current/first property.