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<\/p>\nWith properties in London at a premium, there is the powerful temptation to jump head-first into the first good looking property without care or thought as to the consequences.<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
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You don\u2019t need to be a genius to recognise that throwing caution to the wind like a pair of underpants at a nudist colony is a bad idea, especially when it comes to the issue of rental arrangements. Remember that letting contracts are rather serious agreements to sign in to, and not every landlord is going to be interested in your welfare. If you suddenly find that your contract has you over a barrel, or that the landlord somehow things that black mould and rotting mattresses are London\u2019s hottest choice of interior decorating, your options for getting out of your contract are often limited and rather difficult to accomplish.<\/p>\n
The most irritating part is that landlords can often get away with some really dodgy practices too, as laws typically favour them over the tenant depending on the contract signed. Assuming there\u2019s even a contract at all.<\/p>\n
So, if you\u2019re looking at letting agreements, the best solution is to just avoid bad landlords like the plague. This means you need to learn how to tell them from the good ones.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re not trying to insinuate that independent landlords are going to be dodgy. As with anything else, you\u2019ll great ones and bad ones. However, if your landlord is leasing their property through a registered letting agency, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, or the Association of Residential Letting Agents, then you can be assured that they\u2019re more likely to be on the level.<\/p>\n
The whole point of being with a letting agency is that they act as a sort of overseeing body that makes sure the landlord is fulfilling their requirements as the property owner.<\/p>\n
Believe it or not, most bad landlords aren\u2019t doing it ‘For The Evulz’, or to make your life miserable. A lot of the time it\u2019s because they really don\u2019t know any better, and they are ignorant as to what exactly is required of them to rent out a property. A landlord who drops in out of the blue for an inspection probably isn\u2019t trying to catch you out \u2013 they probably have just never been told that they\u2019re supposed to give adequate notice.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\nA letting agency avoids this, as landlords who registered through them will be informed in detail about what they can and cannot do, and if they mess up then the tenant can go to the agency to lodge a complaint. That they\u2019re registered means that they\u2019ve also passed a qualifying standard, and they\u2019ve also been trusted by a larger body of letting agencies to do their jobs properly.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t make the mistake of thinking you have to impress the landlord. They\u2019re actually courting you because they need your tenancy to fill an empty property. So do not miss out on the opportunity to grill them for information.<\/p>\n
When you get down to it, you want to make sure the property is worth the expense and stress of living there. You want to make sure it\u2019s affordable, safe to live in, comfortable to live in, and that you\u2019re protected in the event of emergencies, such as a fire or a break-in.<\/p>\n
When conducting the initial interviews, take the time ask questions such as:<\/p>\n
– If the landlord asks for a deposit, is it protected?
\n– Does the property have fire alarms? (If not, the landlord must provide them)
\n– How long is the tenancy for? Ideally, you want a landlord who wants a long tenancy.
\n– Are utilities included in the rent? Who\u2019s responsible for them?
\n– In the event of a utility breakdown, who do you contact?
\n– In the event the property becomes unfit to live in, are you still required to pay rent?<\/p>\n
If you wanted, you can also ask them for a reference from a previous tenant, although they\u2019re not required to give one out if they lack one or don\u2019t want to. These questions can also help determine whether the landlord in question is one you can trust, as we\u2019ll discuss in more detail below.<\/p>\n
Note:<\/b> Be sure to take our Matching Test<\/a> with the flatmates or live-in Landlord of the property, to make sure that you are compatible enough to live together.<\/span><\/p>\n So just to recap; as you\u2019re inspecting a property you\u2019d like to rent, you will probably have questions to ask. Things such as \u201cDoes the property have a history of damp?\u201d, \u201cWhat are the neighbours like?\u201d, \u201cAre pets allowed?\u201d, \u201cAre utilities included?\u201d, and so on and so forth.<\/p>\n If your landlord is a good one, they\u2019ll be quite upfront with the information, answering honestly and quickly. After all, as a tenant, you are entitled to <\/span>certain<\/span> information. If it turns out, for example, that your property is directly beside a room in which the occupants are prone to blasting out Black Sabbath from dusk to dawn, you may want to learn of it before you sign anything. A good landlord understands this, and they shouldn\u2019t be too offended by the asking.<\/span><\/p>\n If, on the other hand, your prospective landlord seems strangely tight-lipped, vague, or just flat out refuses to respond to questions, something is up. This goes double if the landlord responds aggressively to the line of questioning. This should raise alarm bells. After all, if your landlord is deliberately keeping something from you, or is suddenly extremely touchy about it, why exactly? What are they hiding? What else might they be keeping from you?<\/p>\n At the end of the day, you\u2019ve got to ask yourself this question: do you really trust a landlord who\u2019d knowingly keep you in the dark? Enough to sign a legal contract with them?<\/p>\n What Questions is the Landlord Asking You?<\/b><\/p>\n Because you\u2019ll be living <\/span>in<\/span> your property, your landlord will likely have questions for you too if they\u2019re going in privately. Pay close attention to the sorts of things they ask you.<\/span><\/p>\n Good landlords will often make standard inquiries such as \u201cHow long have you had your current job?\u201d, \u201cDo you smoke or drink?\u201d, \u201cDo you own pets?\u201d, or \u201cWhat are your hobbies and interests?\u201d These are details that can help them gauge how you might behave as a tenant \u2013 if you admit you play the drums, for example, they now know you have a hobby that could make lots of noise for the neighbours \u2013 and decide whether you\u2019d be a good fit for the property.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be offended if a landlord asks you questions about how well you\u2019ll look after the property. That\u2019s actually a very good thing! It means they\u2019re concerned about keeping it in a liveable state, which also means they\u2019re probably not intending to milk you for a quick pound and then throw you out of the door when the tenancy is up.<\/p>\n A landlord should also ask you for things such as character references, the details of any guarantors, proof of ID and rights to residency, and a credit check. That\u2019s all pretty standard stuff.<\/p>\n If the questions are personal and not really things the landlord needs to know about, however, consider this a red flag. No landlord should make enquiries about your personal relationships for example, nor should they ask questions about friends or family. Questions about religious beliefs, political leanings, or the like should also never be a topic associated with rent.<\/p>\n They\u2019re none of the landlord\u2019s business, and you don\u2019t have to answer.<\/p>\n Also, if a landlord asks for a non-refundable deposit, a cash deposit without a receipt, or for rent to be paid cash in hand, run. Get out of there. Nothing good will come of that, and you\u2019re basically guaranteed to be screwed over.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t just investigate the landlord either. If they\u2019ve been around the block a few times, they\u2019ve probably already become familiar with the usual processes behind tenant application and inspection. If they\u2019re crooked, they probably know enough about it that they know what answers to feed you.<\/p>\n One thing they don\u2019t have as much control over is the other tenants, whether current or past.<\/p>\n If there are others in the property you\u2019re looking to rent, be sure to grab them and ask a few questions about how they enjoy living there. Feel free to talk about the house in general. What\u2019s the bathroom like? Is the place easy to clean? What are people\u2019s sleeping schedules?<\/p>\n Keep an ear out for details about the house that the landlord is responsible for. Has there been any damage to the property that has taken ages to be fixed, like a busted window? Are there essential appliances that <\/span>haven\u2019t been replaced despite no<\/span> longer operating? Is the landlord easy to contact, and are they happy to be contacted if you have any trouble? Does the landlord make any unexpected visits, or do they visit too frequently?<\/span><\/p>\n The current tenants of a property are a fantastic source of intel on the landlord, and will probably be the most upfront and reliable. If you’re looking for somewhere with another tenant already in place to give you the lowdown, let us help you find a flatmate<\/a> today.<\/p>\nHow Quickly, And How Thoroughly, Do They Answer Questions?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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<\/div>\nWhat Do Past Tenants Say?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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