How to Rent a Property in the UK? A Step-by-Step Guide and Tips
Are you ready to embark on the exciting journey of finding your dream rental home? Before you dive in, there are crucial steps you need to know to make your renting process smooth and stress-free.
From understanding your right to rent and calculating affordability, to exploring different types of houses and choosing the perfect location – we’ve got you covered.
Before you start looking for a rental home
Right to Rent
Before you start the renting process, the first thing to find out is if you have the right to rent in the UK or not.
If you’re a UK citizen, this isn’t something you need to worry about – although your landlord will still have to check that you have the right to rent, as they have to do with every tenant.
However, if you’re not a UK citizen, you must get a ‘Right to rent share code’ if you have EU-settled or pre-settled status, a biometric residence card or permit, or an eVisa.
Right to Rent is a government policy requiring landlords to check the immigration status of tenants before renting. Landlords must verify documents, like passports, to ensure tenants have the legal right to live in the country. You can get a share code from the government’s website which landlords or estate agents can check your status with.
Can you afford it?
Then you need to know if you can afford it.
If you qualify for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, you could receive assistance covering your entire rent or a portion of it. Specifically, if you’re renting from a private landlord, you might be eligible for support up to the Local Housing Allowance rate to ease the financial burden of rent.
Whether or not you qualify for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, you must calculate what is an affordable rent for you. The government believes that 35% of your take-home pay is what many people can afford, but letting agents and landlords will generally calculate it as 30%.
You can also use an affordability calculator to help you work it out!
Now you know how much you can afford, so you can start your search!
What sort of home are you looking for?
Now for the fun part – looking for your new home! And there are a few types to choose from…
- Flat/Apartment: A small part of a larger residential building, all one one level.
- Detached House: A standalone property, offering privacy with more space, including gardens and driveways.
- Semi-Detached House: Similar to detached houses but with a shared wall.
- Terraced House/Townhouse: Rows of attached homes, a common sight in the UK, provide affordability at the expense of some privacy.
- Cottage: Tiny, charming houses with thatched roofs are often used as vacation homes—a picturesque but potentially pricey choice.
- Bungalow: Single-story houses with wide hallways and open spaces, perfect if you struggle with stairs.
- Mansion: The epitome of luxury, featuring lush lawns, large rooms, and all the amenities you can dream of. Reserved for the wealthy.
You can also search for a shared house with other house or flat mates.
Looking for your new home
If you don’t know where you want to live or just moved to the UK, you can use a “Where Can I Live” tool like Rightmove or commutetimemap.
With a tool like this, you select more than one location you’d like to be near and your property requirements and budget, then the tool will list the places you can consider.
Of course, in places like London, you should also check the zone differences between those places to see how much you’ll pay for commuting, and that’s not the only criteria you should consider.
If you have kids, you can use Locrating to see the details about the schools around you, use Police websites to check the crime levels and government websites to check the flood risk.
If you are already in the UK, check out the area and the community, and talk to people around before searching for a place. If you are outside the UK at the minute, you can check out the places via Google Street View and talk with people on Facebook groups.
How to search for a new home
There is more than one way to search for your next home. Online property portals are definitely the most popular. Websites like Rightmove and Zoopla have most of the properties in the market and are a great place to start.
Another way to find properties is to go directly to letting agents in the area and give your details to them so they can contact you whenever properties match your preferences and budget. You can create one-page information about yourself and your preferences to share with letting agents for a fast process.
Please be careful and don’t pay anything upfront, primarily online. Many rent scams are going on, mainly directed to low-budget accommodation. If the ad looks unbelievably good compared to other ads, the probability of it being a scam is high.
When you’ve found the right place
When you’ve found a property you like, it’s time to make an offer.
When making an offer on a property, paying the asking price doesn’t guarantee acceptance, especially at the moment as demand is outstripping supply so competition is fierce.
Consider factors beyond price to enhance your offer’s appeal in a competitive market. A quick move-in date and a longer tenancy commitment can be advantageous. Financial incentives, like paying more rent upfront, may sweeten the deal. Keeping your offer simple, acting promptly, and being transparent builds a positive relationship with your landlord. Honesty about aspects like pets and children is crucial.
Be prepared for rounds of offers and counter-offers if your initial offer isn’t accepted. Patience and persistence can secure the property that aligns with your needs.
If your offer is accepted, then you’ll often be asked to send a holding deposit, typically amounting to a week’s rent, which is collected to temporarily reserve the property, allowing the agent or landlord to perform reference checks without the property being available on the market.
And now it’s time for your reference check! When renting an apartment in the UK, a reference check is a process where your background and financial history are assessed by the landlord or letting agent. This typically includes verifying the your employment status, income, and rental history, and conducting a credit check. The aim is to ensure that you have a reliable financial standing and a history of responsible tenancy.
You need to provide identification such as:
- A passport
- Proof of immigration status
- Financial status, like details of employment or bank statements
- References from your current landlord if available.
Try to provide the right documents they are quickly and be as transparent as possible.
If you fail the reference check, you might still rent the property if you pay some of the rent upfront or some landlords might ask someone to guarantee your rent.
Now it’s time for the paperwork!
You’ll be asked for a deposit, which will be held for the duration of your tenancy. Your landlord has to secure this in a government approved scheme and give you proof of this protection within 30 days of receipt – so be sure to check your paperwork to make sure that you have it.
Ensure you possess a written tenancy agreement and thoroughly review it to comprehend your rights and responsibilities before signing. Seek advice if any concerns arise, and under the Tenant Fees Act, you can walk away from unfair terms without forfeiting the holding deposit.
Before moving in, establish an inventory or check-in report with your landlord. As an added precaution, take photos for easy resolution in case of a deposit dispute. If satisfied, sign the inventory and keep a copy.
Upon moving in, record meter readings and photograph them with the date and time, preventing charges for the previous tenant’s bills.
Verify you have accurate contact details for your landlord or agent, including an emergency telephone number. Legally, you’re entitled to know the name and address of your landlord.
Landlords must provide you, with the latest copy of the government’s “How to Rent” guide, a valid gas safety certificate, EICR and EPC, as well as that deposit paperwork. They should also ensure that all the smoke alarms are in full working order before you move in.
After you move in
Now you are in your beautiful home, but there are things you should do to keep it yours. There is talk of getting rid of no-fault evictions, but that’s been pushed back (so no-fault evictions are still available to landlords.
When you rent a home, you are always responsible for paying the rent on time. If your rent is more than 14 days late, landlords can charge you an interest maximum 3% higher than Bank of England base rates. It will also create friction between you and the landlord – if you fall into rent arrears, that’s a reason for your landlord to evict you! So talk to them. Most landlords are helpful when you have an occasional financial problem and, if you’re a good tenant, they will want to help you over this bump in the road.
You are also responsible for your bills such as council tax, gas, electricity and water, if it’s not otherwise stated in your agreement. Having smart meters can help you keep an eye on your energy bills – which is really important at this point, given the rising cost of energy bills.
You should also look at getting a TV licence, which covers you to watch or record live TV and use BBC iPlayer at home and on the go.
You are also liable to look after the property and ask your landlord before attempting repairs or decoration. You also need to be considerate to the neighbours and don’t let anyone else who is not on the agreement live in the house.
Landlords are responsible for maintaining the structure and exterior of the property, and ensure that the property is free from any hazard. If something is not working or there is a problem, report it to your landlord or agent as soon as you can. Big issues can be prevented if you alert your landlord when they’re just small problems.
If the landlord or letting agent doesn’t resolve your complaint, you can always contact your local council. We advise you to try to talk to your Landlord first to keep the relationship on good terms.
At the end of the fixed period
If you want to extend your tenancy after any initial fixed period, you can:
- Sign a renewal agreement for a new fixed-term
- Let it become a rolling or periodic tenancy
- Or leave the tenancy
In every situation, you must contact the landlord or letting agency so that you won’t have a legal problem on your hand.
At the end of the tenancy, the deposit must be returned within 10 days of you and the landlord agreeing on how much you’ll get back. If you paid your bills, didn’t damage the property and met all the terms of your tenancy agreement; then you should take all of the deposit back.
If you’re not happy with the amount of deposit that your landlord wishes to keep, you can raise a dispute.
Congratulations! You’re now armed with the knowledge to kickstart your renting journey in the UK! Remember to check out all the helpful links, tools, and resources mentioned in the video.
