Elijah From ensuring you chose the correct home to understand the legal process and your rights as a renter, renting a house may be a difficult experience.
As a result, having a trustworthy letting agent or landlord who can walk you through the entire procedure is critical.
As well-known letting agents in Tewkesbury, we’ve put together a list of five things tenants should know about renting.
You have the right to live in a safe, well-kept environment:
Smoke alarms are mandated by law on all floors of all rental houses in England. On the first day of the tenancy, all alarms and detectors must be tested and proven functional. Carbon monoxide detectors must also be installed in any room where solid fuels are burned.
If your landlord is in charge of repairs, they should be completed in a reasonable timeframe. What is reasonable depends on the nature of the problem; a broken boiler, for example, should be repaired sooner than a faulty switch.
Your landlord is also required to present you with a variety of paperwork. For example, all landlords must provide you with an energy performance certificate, a photocopy of the Gas Safety document and a log of previous electrical inspections.
Tenants are also assured of the safety of appliances and electrical systems. You must verify the presence of a portable appliance test (PAT) marking on your appliances.
The contract must be read carefully:
To understand your rights and responsibilities as a renter, you must carefully read your formal rental agreement. Rental contracts are divided into three categories: Assured Tenancy, Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) and Joint Tenancy.
Before the tenancy begins, you and your landlord must agree on the inventory. As an added precaution, try to take pictures of the house before you move in. If a dispute arises at the end of the tenancy, this will make things easier.
Finally, double-check that you have the correct contact information for the landlord or agent. However, it is your landlord’s responsibility to provide these to you.
Deposits should be safeguarded:
When you will be ready to move out, you’ll surely do everything in your power to obtain as much of your rental deposit back as possible. You may require that money to put down as a deposit on your next house or to save for a down payment on your own home.
This is why a tenancy agreement’s deposit is one of the most crucial components. It should specify how much of a deposit is necessary and how it will be safeguarded.
My Deposits, Deposit Protection Service (DPS) and Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) are the three government-approved programmes that help secure your deposit.
Security deposits for homes with annual rentals under £50,000 have been restricted to five weeks’ rent, while deposits for homes with annual rentals of £50,000 or more will be six weeks’ rent.
You are in charge of maintaining the property:
As a tenant, you have to pay rent on time and also make certain that your property is well-kept.
Attempting any repairs or beautifying without first contacting your landlord or agent is not recommended. Contact your landlord to schedule a repair if you detect any problems. It’s also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the operation of the boiler and other significant appliances. In case of an emergency, you must know where to find the fuse box, stop cock and meters.
Your landlord, of course, has responsibilities as well. Maintaining the appliances and furniture they’ve provided, doing repairs, organising annual gas safety tests, etc. are all things they can help with.
Allow for enough notice:
If you want to end your tenancy, you must give the notice period specified in your rental agreement. Remember that unless your tenancy agreement contains a break clause, you will be responsible for paying rent for the duration of your term.
You may have to pay rent even after you’ve moved out if you don’t give sufficient notice. Other bills, such as council tax, may also need to be paid. If you are unable to provide the required notice, you may be able to reach an agreement with your owner to terminate your tenancy early. This is referred to as “surrendering your tenancy.”
There are, of course, a slew of other considerations to make when renting a home. Nonetheless, these five pointers should hopefully assist you in having a pleasant tenancy.
