The world of renting is a complicated one, full of rules, laws and myths. It’s important that you learn the ins and outs of becoming a good tenant before you become involved in the monthly rent and negotiating tenancy agreements.
1. Once you’ve chosen your house and agreed to move in, you should expect to pay a few small admin fees. However, it is illegal for a landlord to ask for money in return for showing you around a property.
2. A standard part of the rental process is the deposit. There is no limit on how much a landlord can ask you for a deposit (however in Scotland it’s illegal to ask for more than 2 months’ rent). Unlike buying a house however, as long as the property is in a good condition at the end of the tenancy, you’ll receive the deposit back.
3. Seek permissions from the Landlord to decorate and perform DIY. You could be avoiding a nasty shock when you move out as you might have to pay to have the work reversed.
4. Does your landlord just randomly show up at the house? Legally they cannot drop by, unless they have given you 24hrs notice.
5. Maintenance issues like burst water or gas pipes, leaky radiators and broken boilers are the responsibility of the landlord. Tell them right away rather than attempting to fix it yourself which could cause more damage and see the responsibility fall on your shoulders.
6. There’s only a small difference between untidy and dirty. Technically you’re staying in someone else’s home, so it makes sense that you should clean as often as possible. In some rare cases a court order can be obtained to evict you if the house is poorly kept.
7. If you’re going on holiday for longer than 14 days, then you need to inform your landlord. If something happens whilst you’re away then it may invalidate your insurance.
8. Contrary to belief, a landlord cannot raise your rent whenever they like. If they wish to raise it during a fixed tenancy period, then they must have your permission first.
9. Dreaming of owning a pet? You may have a pet in the house as long as you have asked permission and as long as it isn’t forbidden in your tenancy agreement.
