Any advice for first time flat renters?

9 comments

1. **For specific questions about London, you can also visit /r/London.**

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2. Check your lease agreement to see if it prohibits you from leasing out the parking space

3. Take picture of EVERYTHING and send them via mail to both landlord and agency. That will save you a lot of troubles when you move out, believe me. The landlord will claim that you damaged everything and try to saddle you with nonexisting damage.

   Forget about your deposit. You will never get back, not even if you leave the property in a better state.

   Do not accept any promises, the landlord will never keep them.

4. Take pictures when you move in, before you’ve put any furniture in or done anything. Save them onto your phone or laptop or whatever just in case you need them when you move out. Could save you a lot of stress and money! Make sure they’re saved with clear time stamps too, and literally take pictures of everything, even if you don’t think you need it.

5. If you’re going to take out a broadband and/or TV package, go through TopCashback or a similar cashback site. Not sure on current offers but a lot of the time you can get up to £100 back in cash. Granted it takes a few months but it’s free cash which we could all be doing with!

6. Assume the deposit is gone the moment it’s paid. When you eventually get most/all of it back, it’s holiday money!

7. Take photos when you move in.

   If there is an inventory, triple check it to make sure it is correct and identifies all issues, no matter how minor.

   If there is not an inventory, then do your own. Note anything that is damaged, stained, etc. Take a note of what is in the flat and how many. Send this to the agency. Even if they don’t accept it, it is an evidence log you can later rely on in a deposit dispute.

   Write down the landlord/agency’s emergency number. Make sure you know where the water, gas, and electric shut offs are.

   Report any new problems as soon as they arise. Then you can’t be accused of negligence if it subsequently causes damage. You don’t want to find that slightly damp spot under the sink that you couldn’t be arsed to report was a massive leak that has now caused loads of damage.

   Understand your rights on deposit, eviction, rent raises, repairs, access for landlord, etc. Shelter is a fantastic resource for this. Citizen’s Advice also not bad. Also /r/LegalAdviceUK is good for questions.

   Read through the tenancy agreement line by line and make sure no surprises.

   Make sure you take out your own contents insurance.

   Consider changing the locks (locks are cheap and v easy to change – loads of youtube guides). You’re not obliged to give the LL/agency a key. But be aware thay while you have every right to do this, it’s quite an aggressive move and may sour your relationship with the LL early. Keep the old locks and put them back in when you leave.

8. Enjoy being poor. #Poverty

9. Always take photos and make sure your deposit is in the TDS 30 days after you have moved in.

   Take photos of all of the meters. Make sure you let the utility companies know when you moved in.

   And all Mail that isn’t for you, cross through your address and write ‘not at this address’ and re post it through a postbox. This will stop an bailiffs coming for previous tenants!

   Also introduce yourself to your immediate neighbours with a little card with your contact details on. Don’t need to be too friendly, just so they know who you are and who they are.

   Make sure your fire alarms all work!