What to look out for when renting

As a tenant, there are a few things one should always be aware of when renting. We look at some key examples of these below.

Whether you’ve been renting for years or are a first-time renter, regulations change and new laws are introduced, so regardless of how long you’ve been renting your home for, it’s always good to have a little reminder of the following key points.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Check that the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are in working order when you move in and throughout your tenancy.

Every rented property in the UK has to have smoke alarms installed in certain spaces. In England, alarms must be installed on every storey of the property, in Wales every storey should have an alarm and all alarms must be linked with easy other. Scottish properties should have linked smoke alarms in every frequently used room and every hallway or landing and should also have a heat alarm in every kitchen.

A carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in any room/hallway which contains a fixed combustion appliance including gas/oil boilers (in Wales, but not England or Scotland, this includes gas ovens and hobs). Additionally, these alarms must be checked on the commencement of each new tenancy and repaired when a fault is reported.

Gas safety

When you move into a property, your landlord is responsible for providing a gas safety record. This is produced when a Gas Safe engineer has checked and must be renewed every 12 months to show that all gas appliances in the property are safe.

Electrical safety

All landlords should have the electrical installation in their rental property inspected and tested by a qualified professional to ensure that they are safe to use. Landlords will usually demonstrate safety with the provision of an Electrical Installation Condition Report. Typically, these are renewed every five years.

If you’re currently thinking about moving and are looking for a new rental property, here are some additional aspects to look out for:

Scams

Scammers are becoming more and more clever, which is why we recommend that you always do your research and use established and trusted letting agencies, like us. If a deal is too-good-to-be-true, it probably is, and if someone is pressuring you into making a decision quickly, it could be a scam.

Be especially cautious with property listings in social media groups and transactions through platforms like Facebook Marketplace. Stick to verified listings on trusted sites like our official website, Rightmove, Zoopla, and PrimeLocation. If uncertain, reach out to us via our contact page or visit your closest branch.

Safety deposit schemes

Whether you live in England, Wales or Scotland, most deposits must be safely protected by a Government approved Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme (TDP). If you move out of your current property and after all the checks have been completed, the deposit will then be returned to you with any agreed upon deductions for any repairs that may need to be completed

In England and Wales, landlords can choose from the following three schemes:

Scotland has the following three schemes:

Our nominated scheme is mydeposits (or mydeposits Scotland in Scotland), which is operated by Tenancy Deposit Solutions Ltd.

There are many other important aspects you need to take into account, whether you’re looking to move or simply need a refresh on current regulations. Keep these 5 key factors in mind as a start and check with your agent or landlord if you have any questions, to ensure your home is safe.

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