House to Rent in London

When you go look at a potential house to rent, it is crucial to be as prepared as you can. This article will try provide you with a few basic things to look out for when viewing a house to rent. When viewing a house you have to keep in mind that your looking for somewhere that you will feel happy and secure in as you could be stuck there for a substantial amount of time, so you must make some sensible decisions by critically analyzing every aspect of the flat.

Although you are only renting the house and not actually buying you still have to keep in mind that the house you are viewing is a realistic place for you to live. A different house will provoke a different emotive response, but it's the critical observations of how the house fits in to your lifstyle is important. This includes looking at the condition of the local area and its facilities and security, the state of the inside and outside of the house and work out any extra costs that will be needed in the future to fix or maintain any potential problems. Everybody has there own preferences of things their looking for in a house and these can change if you're looking at flats, studio flats, houses, or even just a room.

The first rule I always abide to is look out for very clean homes when viewing a house because from my experience this reflects massively on the landlord. A landlord who has taken the time and effort to organise and present a spotless flat at viewing sessions, he will often turn out to be a helpful and reliable landlord. Make sure the agent is clearly explaining all the costs that you will be expected to pay as this will clear up any doubt and give you reassurance.  If the landlord lets you know what sort of condition the flat will be like when you move in, along with different procedures then you can be confident you are dealing with a honest and experienced landlord.

Ask the agent to speak to their existing tenants to get a reference of their experience. You have to be happy and reassured that the person you renting from is going to be reliable. Have a chat to the current neighbour's by knocking on their door asking them what it's like staying in the area, and people often like being asked their opinion on things.

Make sure you look at a copy of the agents lease at an early stage. If you leave it till last minute to sign a lease when your ready to move in then you leave yourself being open to having the lease being in favour of the agent. If you look at the lease early and your not happy with it at the reservation stage then you can back out from the contract and look at other options.

Just because its the cheapest price doesn't mean its the best option. Its never a good idea to rent a house based solely on it's price. If you have that mentality you will suffer the consequences further down the line. You must be careful as things are usually to good to be true so you must check every aspect of the deal you're signing. Landlord and agents do alot of research before letting out a house to homeowners and when committing yourself to rent a flat you also must do your homework. Always remember that picking a suitable good landlord or agent is just as vital as picking a good home.

London is very diverse so flats vary in price and property type. If you choose to rent a London house instead of buying, the cost of living can be alot cheaper, and gives you alot less responsibility to pay big mortgage payments enabling you to have a much more easy going less stressful lifestyle. When choosing a house in london you must be careful about the location you choose to live in. If you choose to live in central london, you will have to cope with busy streets and lots of noise, alternatively if you want a quiter lifestyle you should choose a quieter residential road.

You must also decide whether you want a furnished flat. If you go for a furnished flat make sure you check the list of furniture that came with the house so you can't be liable for anything that goes missing. If you don't get furniture with the apartment, think about the expenses of buying new furniture. I would recommend inspecting flatss before signing any lease. I would also advise meeting the previous tennants to ask about re-occurring maintenance costs. An important issue to find out is whether the gas been checked within the last year, as yearly inspections are required by law.

Although you shouldn't be be charged for the agent finding you a flat, there may be administration costs, so make sure you disscuss this with your agent. When you find a house that you like and want to rent you have to provide the letting agents with the relevent documents and bank details. Usually you will need to get a reference containing their contact details.

The first payment is usually a deposit of one months rent, which needs to be paid before you actually move in. The deposit is held by the landlord so if there is any damage to the flat they will keep it. When your references have been checked and the deposit is paid, you will then be able to sign a tenancy agreement. This is a legally binding document between you and the landlord. It contains information like the rent price, length of your stay and your rights as a tenant, you must make sure you read it thoroughly.

You must contact your agent if you are unclear about anything, and they should be able to provide you everything you need to know. When all the legal documents have gone through, which usually takes a week you can get moved in. When you first move in, before you start unpacking all your belongings and furnititure you should give property a clean as there usually is some unpleasant left mess somewhere in the flat.

You must make sure that you know where the gas and water mains are located. You will also need to contact your utilities companies and transfer all of these accounts into your name. This will require upto date bills to use as identification. Try set up your phone and internet connection as quickly as possible, as it can take a while to get it fully working. You will also have to redirect your mail by making sure you change everything to your new address. Check that the smoke alarm and burglar alarm is working ok and is fitted with new batteries. If the flat you are moving to is unfurnished then I would recommend getting professional help so you don't cause any damage to the flat.

Try pay your rent on time to make life easier for yourself by maintaing a good relationship with your landlord. Any problems with anything you should just get in touch with your landlord. If you want to do any changes to the house then you must contact your landlord for permission. Always consider your neighbours, and keep the house in a satisfactory condition. When the tenancy has finished the landlord has a right to take back the house as long as they give two months notice to the tenant. If you owe two months rent or more, the landlord is legal obliged to ask you to leave.