Applying To Rent A Property From A Letting Agent Or Private Landlord

After you have found some good deals home UK and have decided to rent one, the next step to take is to actually apply to rent the property from a letting agent or a private landlord. When you apply to rent a house, you will be asked by either the landlord or the letting agent to provide documents and other information that will prove that you are going to be a good tenant. Ideally, you should have all your documents ready even while you are still searching for a place.

What documents are you required to show landlords?

In most cases, letting agents or landlords will ask for documents that will prove your identity, your credibility, and your ability to pay the rent. For instance, you may be asked to show the following:

a)      recent bank statements

b)     your bank details

c)      proof of employment from your employer

d)     pay slips

e)      a copy of your employment contract

f)       proof of benefit awards, if you have any

Some landlords also ask for some sort of reference from your previous landlord, if any. And if it is your first time to rent a home, a reference from a guardian or your parents will do.

Do you need a rent guarantor?

If you are a young person or a student who is renting for the first time or if you don’t have any documents to show your ability to pay the rent, you may be asked to have a guarantor. The guarantor will then need to sign a document wherein he or she agrees to pay the rent in case you fail to do so.

The document that your guarantor will sign with the landlord or letting agent is legally binding, and your guarantor has to be aware of it. Also, a guarantor has to be a resident in the UK and is an owner of a property.

Do you need to undergo a credit check?

It is the right of a letting agent to run a credit check on tenants applying to rent a house or a flat after you have found good deals home UK. They do this by asking a credit reference agency to check whether you are a good payer or not. Your permission is necessary before a letting agent can do this.

Should there be any problems with your credit check, it will still be possible for you to rent the property provided that you have a guarantor.

What is my home worth?

Before entering any tenancy agreement, make sure that you’ve done enough research to find the property that perfectly suits your budget. One way to do this is by visiting ratedrents. Through ratedrents, you will be able to know the actual value of a particular home and you will be able to rate my property. This will help you decide which property you can afford and should rent.

Important Things You Should Understand about Joint Tenancy

Renting a private house is not that affordable to many, especially in the UK. This explains why many people decide to have a joint tenancy instead. A joint tenancy is where you and your housemates sign a single tenancy agreement with a landlord or an owner of a rated home for rent. In a joint tenancy, all housemates have the same responsibilities and rights as a tenant.

Rent Responsibility of Joint Tenants

All joint tenants are individually and jointly liable for paying the rent. What this means is that if one of the housemates fails to pay their share, or just leaves the house without notice, the other tenant/s should pay the rent for them. If everyone fails to pay the rent, the landlord may require any one to pay the entire amount.

Tenancy Deposits

Should you decide to move into a private house for rent, it is required that you pay a deposit that will cover any unpaid rent or damage to the property. When making the payment for the deposit, make sure that you give the payment straight to the letting agency or the landlord. This way, your money will be put in a tenancy deposit scheme to ensure its protection.

What happens to the tenancy deposit when a joint tenant moves out?

If, for instance, another person is moving in to replace another tenant who has moved out, that person may ask that you pay the deposit to them, which is not a very good idea here. If the tenant who decides to leave has caused any kind of damage to the property, or perhaps left some unpaid bills, it is possible for the landlord to deduct such costs from the deposit in the event that you move out.

If you want to be sure your money is protected, you may ask the landlord to provide a new tenancy agreement that includes the new tenant.

How to leave a joint tenancy?

If you wish to leave a joint tenancy and try looking for another home ratings, it will be good if you could discuss with the other tenants first. If your housemates decide to stay, then it will be better for them to negotiate another agreement with the landlord.

It is also possible for the remaining tenants to look for another person to replace the other tenant who is moving out. In this case, the landlord may create a new tenancy agreement for the new tenant, or may simply accept the rent from the new tenant.

Finding the Best House for Rent

When it comes to finding an affordable place to rent, you should check out ratedrents. There you will find a huge listing of private properties in the UK, along with the average property rating in specific areas.

Pitfalls of Private Renting You Should Know About

If you are out there to find great homes London, the costs involved in renting a property is not the only thing you should be concerned about. Before committing to any tenancy agreement, you should at least be aware of the possible problems that may occur. This way, you can be better prepared to deal with them. 

What happens if you fail to pay the rent?

It is your responsibility to pay the rent on time. If you fail, you should also not ignore your rent arrears as this is grounds for your eviction and you can also lose your deposit because of this. Your landlord will have the right to get an order from the court to make you pay.

Under what circumstances can you be evicted?

You can be evicted from your rental home if you have broken the terms of the agreement you signed with your landlord. Being unable to pay your rent is another reason you could be evicted.

How can your landlord get the money you owe him?

It doesn’t matter whether you are evicted or not, your landlord will have a way to get the money from you. First, your landlord may ask to speak to you so you could both come up with an agreement as to how you will pay your rent.

Another action your landlord may take is the legal way. Landlords can apply to the court anytime for money judgment. This is often referred to as a county court judgment. Here, the court will set how much you should pay your landlord and how your payment mode should be. You will be given 14 days to respond to such a claim. You should then be prepared to pay court costs if you lose.

Do you understand everything in your tenancy agreement?

If you have a fixed contract, that means you have a fixed commitment. In most cases, tenants are made to sign a contract that commits them for at least 6 months or a year. Should you decide to leave before the end of your tenancy agreement, you are still required to pay the rent.

In some contracts, there is a ‘break clause’. This part of the agreement gives a tenant the option of giving notice to leave prior to the end of the fixed term. If your agreement does not contain this clause, you should talk to your landlord if you want to leave the property early.

What is my home worth?

Before entering any tenancy agreement, make sure you understand everything in it. You should also choose a property that you can afford. You can use ratedrents to learn about the average rental rates in various parts of the UK.

Costs of Renting a Property in London

If you’re planning to rent a flat or a private house, you’ve got to make sure that you can afford it. Since UK is known to be one of those countries where rental rates are sky-high, it is important that you find good deals home England. You can do this by doing some thorough research so you may find a place whose rent is just within your budget.

Before signing any tenancy agreement, you would also want to know the different costs you have to pay before you move in. There are some regular ongoing payments also that you have to prepare for.

RENT

The biggest housing cost you have to prepare for each month is your rent, so you should be able to work out what you can afford. Check for rental properties in the area you want to live to know what the average rent is. This requires effort on your part but it is a necessary step to finding good deals home London.

TENANCY DEPOSIT

In most cases, letting agents and private landlords ask tenants to pay a tenancy deposit before they could move in. In terms of the amount of deposit, it is often equivalent to one or two months’ rent.

You should also get back this money at the end of your tenancy provided that there are no damages to the property that you have caused, or that you haven’t missed any payment for the rent.

RENT IN ADVANCE

Aside from the deposit, tenants are often asked to pay rent in advance. In most cases, this is a month’s worth of rent. Some landlords may ask more than this, but you can try to negotiate it with the property owner.

LETTING AGENCY FEES

If you decide to rent a property through a letting agency, you can expect to be charged some fees that will cover such things as references, credit checks and administration. However, if you are simply viewing a property with the help of an agent, you should not be charged anything for this.

COUNCIL TAX

It is also common for people who are renting a property to pay council tax to the council, but it is possible for you to include such payment in your rent. The amount of tax you will pay will depend on your council as well as the banding of the property you’re renting.

These are just some of the costs you will have to pay for as a tenant in a private property. Obviously, these costs will require that you have enough money so you could move in and maintain your tenancy as well. If you want to find the best rates and good deals home UK, visit ratedrents. 

Can You End a Tenancy Before the Fixed Term Ends?

If you’re planning to rent a home in UK, you should be familiar with how the private renting industry works. Since it is likely that you will enter a fixed term tenancy after finding some good deals home UK, it would help if you gain some knowledge on how this kind of tenancy can be ended.

If you agreed to a fixed term tenancy with your landlord and you wish to leave the property before the tenancy agreement ends, it is possible for the landlord to require that you continue to pay the rent for the entire duration of the tenancy. In short, you cannot just end your tenancy by informing your landlord about it.

Ending Your Tenancy In Advance

In most cases, tenancy agreements do not indicate anything about a tenant’s right to end it early. Thus, it is important that you know if your landlord will be willing to negotiate with you about this, although your landlord is not obligated to do this.

On the other hand, it is also possible for your landlord to willingly let you go by way of “surrendering the tenancy”. For this process to be possible and valid, you and your landlord must agree to it. Keep in mind that you should put all your agreement into writing just in case a dispute arises in the future.

Leaving on the Last Day of the Contract

Usually, a tenant can leave on the last day of a fixed term contract even without informing the landlord. It is still important, however, that you check your tenancy agreement first to know if you can do this, too. There are some agreements that say something like:

- you must notify your landlord of your intention to leave on the last day

- once the fixed term expires, the tenancy will continue as a contractual periodic tenancy

The amount of time that is required for you to give the notice should depend on what is indicated on your tenancy agreement.

Leaving Before the Fixed Term Ends

‘Abandonment’ is the term that is used when a tenant leaves without giving notice. This kind of setup won’t end the agreement, even after you have already left the property and looked for another rate my property. In this case, your landlord may continue to charge you your rent until your fixed term agreement ends.

How to Look for the Right Property

After searching for a couple of properties in the area of your preference, the next thing you want to do is know what is my home worth so you can make the right decision. You can get all the information you need in ratedrents. In this site, you will find a huge list of all rented properties in the UK, plus their corresponding rates. This will surely make it easier for you to locate a comfortable and affordable home.