As a contract-holder, there are a number of things to know and do before you move ahead with renting a dwelling. While landlords and agents have various legal obligations and a duty of care to look after you, it is also your responsibility to ensure you are well informed and in the best possible position to take up an occupation contract.
So, if you have never rented a dwelling before, here are 7 things to know:
Begin by reading the Rent Smart Wales guide
This is a comprehensive guide that outlines your rights and responsibilities, with information to help you understand the renting process. You can find the guide here.
Make sure you rent from a professional, reputable landlord or agent
Landlords are not currently regulated or required to undergo training, so if you find a property that’s being advertised and let by the landlord directly, make sure you’re happy to proceed with them. Ask if they are a member of a landlord association, such as the NRLA.
If you are renting through an agent, you should know that they must belong to either The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme, giving you a route to redress if you have any problems with them. The best agents will also be members of one of the self-regulating industry bodies, the biggest being Propertymark. Both the ombudsman and professional body logos should be clearly displayed in the agent’s branch and online.
It’s worth checking the legal basics are in place before you even view a dwelling
It's worth asking the landlord or agent if things like the Gas Safety and Energy Performance Certificates are available. It’s also worth asking which scheme they will be using to protect your deposit. Checking these should help reassure you that they are reputable and letting legally.
Be on time for viewings
From the moment you enquire about a dwelling, the landlord or agent will be assessing your suitability as a contract-holder so create a good impression by arriving on time. And if you can’t make an appointment or are running late, call whomever you’re meeting to let them know.
Have paperwork ready for reference checks
Your landlord or their agent will carry out referencing, credit checks and an affordability assessment, so make sure you’re prepared with the relevant contact/account information to mitigate any unnecessary delays with referencing.
Note that you cannot be charged for any of these checks, and you must give your written permission for a credit check to be carried out.
Check how much notice you will have to give if you want to leave
Legally, you cannot leave within a fixed term. So it is your responsibility to understand what notice you’ll have to give if you want to leave, and it’s important to check whether there’s a ‘notice clause’ in the occupation agreement.
To make sure you rent a legally and safely let property that you’ll be happy to call home, just get in touch with our local experts.
