Renting for the first time ........ an education!

For many young adults leaving home for further study this is likely to be the very first time that they rent a property and enter into a Tenancy Agreement, so here are a few tips that both students, parents and guardians might want to consider.

Who will you be sharing your tenancy with?

1. Choose wisely, you may be renting with a person or persons for at least a year.

2. Consider how your fellow tenants conduct themselves and how their actions in the property may affect you.

The Tenancy Agreement – LOOK OUT FOR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY CLAUSES.

1. Read the Tenancy Agreement VERY carefully.

2. Are you responsible for your fellow tenant’s rent if they default on payment?

3. What is your responsibility if your fellow tenant(s) damage the property? Are you liable?

4. Obtain a photographic inventory on the day you move in, take photographs of any damage in the property and ask your landlord or letting agent to get repairs carried out as soon as possible.

Guarantors and their liabilities

1. Guarantors may need to provide evidence of income and are generally liable to pay the rent if the tenant defaults.

2. A tenancy agreement should make clear the responsibilities of both tenant and guarantor as both will be bound by its terms.

It goes without saying that you should try and rent through a reputable Letting Agent or a reputable and responsible landlord. Since April 2007 your landlord or acting agent must protect the deposit that you pay under the terms of your tenancy agreement by placing it in a government approved tenancy deposit scheme.

Regulatory Requirements

Your landlord should provide you with the following:

1. A Gas Safe Certificate for the property that you are renting showing that all of the gas appliances have been checked by a qualified Gas Safe Engineer. EG Boilers, gas hobs, gas ovens, gas fires.

2. A copy of the EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) to prove that the Electrical Installation has been checked and tested. These are valid for 5 years.

If you’re going to rent an HMO (House of Multiple Occupancy) your landlord has additional responsibilities in terms of fire safety, general safety, water supply and drainage, gas and electricity, waste disposal and general upkeep of the property. Always make sure that you see the required certification and that it is up to date.

That’s the boring bit over with, GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EXAM RESULTS and have a WONDERFUL SUMMER BREAK!