Moving House: Renter’s Advice!

When I went to University, I live in student housing the first year and then after that I rented with some friends. I also then moved out of home once I had returned and had a steady income and rented with friends until I moved to Italy and rented also. I have now been back in the family home for almost two years but this will soon be just a distant memory as my mum and soon to be ex-step dad are finally divorcing after years apart and selling the house in order to go their seperate ways. It makes all us children sad to think that we will no longer have what for so many years now we have deemed our family home but it is time to move on. Once the house is sold we will be moving out and have decided to rent rather than buy and so my mum has been turning to me and asking me all about what it is like to rent and all sorts so I thought I’d give her and anyone else who will soon be renting a little guide of hints and tips on what a renter needs to remember…

Remember the bills

Okay, so you look around and find somewhere you want to move into and it’s within your budget – brilliant! However, have you worked out whether it is in your budget once you add in the bills and have you found out how much council tax you’ll be paying and what band you are in? This can have a serious affect on how much money you are able to spend on rent!
We all want to live in the nicest place but you need to make sure that you live within your means as this can lead to much more trouble if you get behind in rent and other payments!

Make sure the inventory is accurate

So when moving into a property that you are renting you will quite often get a list or “inventory” of what is in the house and the condition of each item and this will often include fixtures and fittings as well as carpet too – please make sure you go around and check the inventory is accurate as once you have signed you accept the inventory as it is even if it is wildly out of date or inaccurate. A lot of inventories supply photos too but it is good to take some of your own that are dated for when you move in and when you leave. You can also ask the letting agency to do a pre-exit visit where they go around and check the property for everything that needs doing in order to get your full deposit back! If you are using an Estate Agents then ask them for one and if it’s private then ask the landlord – you are entitled to an inventory list!

Don’t ignore the small print

Make sure you know what kind of agreement you are signging – is it a single tenant agreement to just you or are other people signing and creating a multiple lease – who is going to be culpable if something happens to the property. You also need to ensure you find out how much notice both you and the landlord have to give in order to vacate the property!

Insurance & Deposits!

It is really important to get HomeLet insurance whether you are a renter or a landlord as this will help protect you should the worst happen. You will be required to place a deposit so make sure you also get the terms and agreements on the deposit and how you get it back. A landlord should return this to you within 10 days of you leaving the property – they cannot keep it for general wear and tear, however they can keep money back from your deposit for actual damage!

Here’s a handy little sheet with some extra hints and tips. Remember to check over everything before you sign anything as contracts are a lot easier to get into than they are to get out of. I have to admit I am not looking forward to renting again but it is a needs must situation and hopefully if I follow my own advice then we should be okay. Have you got any hand hints and tips for renting?

This is a collaborative post – all opinions are my own