Tenant Guide
When you are ready to look for your next rental home, at Homesforth we are here to help you find your ideal property whatever your budget and your requirements are.
When you register with us we will go through the process with you ensuring that we understand your needs and requirements. This is to ensure that we find your ideal property as quickly as possible.
One of the first things that you must do is to make sure that you are financially prepared for the costs ahead. Renting requires credit checks, referencing, security deposit, a month’s rent in advance and a tenant contract of a minimum term period (usually 6 months) so it is important to gather this information before beginning your search to avoid disappointment.
Finalise your figures and decide on your budget, it’s now time to start your search.
Begin your search on our website to see which properties fall within your location and budget. It is also a good idea to register with us as you will receive emails as soon as we add properties that fall within your search criteria.
Once you have seen a property that you are interested in and would like to do a viewing, you will be assisted to the property with one of our experienced team to have a closer look and to answer any questions that you may have. We will also at this stage be able to provide you with further information about the property itself and the local area that you wish to live in.
Once you have seen a property that you are interested in and would like to do a viewing, you will be assisted to the property with one of our experienced team to have a closer look and to answer any questions that you may have. We will also at this stage be able to provide you with further information about the property itself and the local area that you wish to live in.
Here are some things to consider when viewing:
- How much is the rent and is it negotiable?
- Are there any additions included in the rent? Bills etc.?
- If bills are not included, it is good to get a rough idea of how much the council tax, heating and energy bills are, so that you can incorporate this into your budget.
- What is the total amount for the deposit and where will this be stored?
- What is the total length of the agreement?
- Is there a notice period if you choose to leave the property early and are there any charges?
- Who will be your emergency contact?
- Ensure that the landlord has the correct insurance for the property, you will most likely be responsible for the contents' insurance.
Are you a suitable tenant?
Now you have found your perfect home and wish to apply for tenancy, our team with go through the necessary paperwork making sure the process runs smoothly and quickly.
Once you are ready to sign the rental agreement this is an important stage as this is a legal document for both you the tenant and the landlord. Ensure you are happy with all parts of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (AST) before signing and do not hesitate to ask any questions.
On the day that you move into the property you will have a walkthrough with either the landlord or the agent who will carry out an inventory checklist. This is another important document as if anything gets damaged by fault of the tenant, money will be deducted from your deposit to cover the costs to replace/fix the damaged item. It might be an idea to take photos as you go around which are dated to include in the inventory.