10 Important Questions To Ask Before You Rent a Property

  Jan 30, 2020       No Comments   

Moving into your new home can be an incredibly exciting time in your life, so it’s easy to forget to ask the right questions. Below you can find our list of 10 important questions to ask a landlord or letting agent before you rent a property.

• What furniture is included with the property? Is it furnished or unfurnished? 

You don’t want to move into your property on day one and find the place totally unfurnished if you weren’t expecting it to be. Trip to IKEA anyone? Equally, you don’t want to arrive at a property full of furniture you don’t like or weren’t expecting to be there! 

• Can you redecorate?

Want to add your own personal touch? It’s always worth asking if this is something that is permitted within the tenancy agreement. People tend to think that re-decorating is only allowed in owned homes. However, landlords are becoming more and more open to changes. Thinking about a fresh lick of paint? It’s probably best if you stick with neutral colours!

• What is the property’s energy efficiency rating?

Winters in the UK can be cold, especially if your property is poorly insulated. Make sure you find out what the property’s energy efficiency rating is. A poorly energy efficient property will only lead to higher energy bills and long cold nights!

• Have you had a lot of long-term tenants?

If the landlord or letting agent admits that most of the tenants have been short-term, this could be seen as a red flag. It could be a sign that the landlord themselves aren’t particularly great with their tenants or there may be problems with the property that makes people want to leave or break their tenancy agreement. However, if the landlord raves about all of their previous tenants being long-term, this could be a great sign that the area is a pleasant place to live.

• Why did the last tenants move out?

A reputable landlord should be able to answer this question with no issues at all. Tenants regularly move out of rented properties for a whole host of reasons, such as relocating, needing more space or they need to downsize. If for any reason, the landlord becomes extremely evasive when answering this question, you may want to avoid the property altogether. You don’t want to fall victim to maintenance issues or problems with rowdy neighbours.

• Who would be your ideal tenant?

This is a great question as it will see if you and the landlord are on the same page about things such as pets, noise levels and privacy. It’s also a great question as it will show if your landlord is following the law by not discriminating based on race, sex and age etc. If the landlord is taken aback by this question or acting strange, it may not be the best fit for you.

• Are bills included?

Typically bills are not included in rental properties. Bills such as gas, water, electricity and the Internet will be the tenant’s responsibility. However, bills included are not a total rarity with rental properties. So make sure to ask! When you do move in, make sure to take meter readings and contact the suppliers.

• How long is the tenancy agreement?

There is no minimum length of time in which a tenancy agreement must be – it was 6 months, however, this was removed by the Housing Act 1996. Typically, tenancy agreements will be fixed term (12 months) or periodic (week by week or month by month). So it’s always worth asking how long or what type it will be.

• Do you have an inventory and damage list?

This is incredibly important. You don’t want to get to the end of your tenancy agreement and find out that you have an outstanding balance to pay for damaged or missing furniture. All furniture and damage must be accounted for on an inventory and damage list. It’ll save you a potential massive headache at the end of your agreement. 

• Do you use a Tenancy Deposit Scheme?

As of the 6th of April 2007, all landlords must put your deposit in a government-backed tenancy deposit scheme (TDS). The aim of the scheme is to ensure that you get your deposit back providing you:

• meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
• don’t damage the property
• pay your rent and bills

Your landlord or letting agent must put your deposit in the scheme within 30 days of getting it. There are two different types of TDS, Insured Scheme and Custodial Scheme. Click here to learn more about both.

How can Prem-Lets Help?

Here at Prem-Lets, we have a fresh and enthusiastic approach to property lettings that is built on solid foundations and professionalism, ensuring people want to and continue to deal with us. We feel this is proven as landlords and tenants alike return to us year in, year out, allowing us to build up a great personal and working relationship with them to ensure they get the best service and customer care from us.

If you wish to send us an email about any enquiry you may have please use this form.