Top tips for first time tenants for a smooth tenancy
If this is your first time living in a rented property, here are a few essential tips to help you along the way.
Perhaps you're taking your first steps into 'adult' life, leaving your parents or your student accommodation and renting your first own property. Or maybe you are selling your home and need to rent a property as a stopgap between sales. Either way, if this is your first time living in a rented property, here are a few essential tips to help you along the way.
- You are to look after the property as if it is your home - in a tenant-like manner. You must be respectful and considerate of the property and the landlord and treat it as if it was your own.
- The landlord will be responsible for repairs to the building but not repairs to your own belongings or appliances. If something goes wrong with the property, you must report it to the landlord as quickly as possible to prevent the issue from worsening. But, if your appliances or furniture are broken, this would be your responsibility.
- Accidents happen. If you break something, be honest, but be prepared that you may have to pay towards the repair if it was your fault.
- You must be responsible for minor maintenance on the property - change lightbulbs, and unblock plug holes. Keep on top of the outside space and maintain the garden areas, cutting grass and keeping everything free of weeds. You're not living in a hotel, and there is no concierge. These minor tasks arise due to your living in the property, so you are expected to deal with these things yourself.
- Report issues promptly - if you spot a leak somewhere, report it quickly. This will prevent the damage from getting any worse. The landlord can not know there is a leak, so you must keep them informed. You are the eyes and ears in the property, seeing these things every day. If you leave things too long, the repair and damage will be significantly more and will cost your landlord much more money to repair, not to mention the upheaval for you having to have contractors in the property fixing it.
- Rent - of course, this is the most obvious one - pay your rent on time, every month. There are virtually no exceptions to this one.
- Utilities - possibly not as obvious, but as a tenant, you will need to pay your utility bills. Your landlord will have to forward the debts to you so the landlord will not pay them, but it is giving them more to inform the providers of your whereabouts.
Being a tenant can feel strange at first, particularly if you have owned your own property. What is expected of you, and what should you leave to your landlords. I am sure you are also acutely aware that, although you have moved into the property, it isn't yours. But your landlord will want you to feel at home, and it doesn't take long to settle in and feel comfortable.
If you are thinking of renting a property, register with us for information about new properties as they are launched to the market so that you don't miss out.