Tips for tenants

Your Visit

Before you embark on your hunt for the perfect room or flat, it makes sense to do a quick check list of the kind of things you're looking for in a home for the next year or so.

Is it in the right location i.e. is it close enough to your work and do you feel comfortable walking around the area on your own? If you feel threatened, forget it. Also, if you don't have a car, what are the public transport links like? If you're the kind who enjoys going into town at night, make sure it's not going to cost you a fortune in taxi fares.

Do you love spending Saturday mornings reading and lounging in a bath full of soapy bubbles? If so, don't bother going to see properties which are shower-only. Is central heating important to you? Perhaps you're a light sleeper? If so a room overlooking a busy main road would be torture. Do you mind living with a chain smoker?

Would your prospective landlord mind if you practised your violin between 7 and 7.30pm every evening? In turn you'll turn a blind eye to their monthly seance. Living with another human being involves a lot of compromise. Just try and ensure that if you're not compatible, you can at least be tolerant of each other.

Also – and this is a biggie on the list of tips for tenants– is it just the room and utility bills you're paying for? In some instances it can be the entire flat rental which means if there's a handful of you and someone moves out you might be expected to make up the shared deficit for the empty room until a new flatmate is found.

Finding that Room

It's not easy looking for a room to rent. With the difficulty in getting a mortgage these days more and more people are looking to rent property and house sharing in turn has become an increasingly popular option. In other words, you're going to have competition.

So it makes sense to make an effort when going to view the room you intend to spend the next 12 months or so in. That means being as smart as possible. We don't mean turning up in a three piece suit, but being presentable and not reeking of last night's curry and beer fest.

It's also a good idea to post photos of yourself and a small description of your hobbies, likes and dislikes etc on the HousePals website. Prospective tenants who post photos on our site get far more views and if you're smiling in your photo – even better! No-one wants to live with grumpy.

The description saves time too because if you're a vegetarian for instance, you don't want to be sharing a kitchen with an amateur chef whose signature dish is steak Tartare. Be as honest as possible, it'll save tears in the long run.

Safety First

To put it bluntly you're going round to the home of someone you've never met before and who you don't know from Adam. You're going to feel a tad vulnerable if nothing else. So why not take a friend with you? Not only will you feel less vulnerable, they'll also be able to help you afterwards when you try to decide whether to move in or not as they'll probably have noticed things you didn't first time round. Another one of our top tips for tenants is that if you want to revisit the property don't feel shy about asking. In fact, at HousePals we recommend it.

If you can't persuade a friend to accompany you then do give a friend the address of where you're going and when you expect to be home. Tell them they should expect a call from you when you get back.

Say you love the room and the property on the spot. The vibe feels right and the shared garden is fab. A good way to ensure you're right up there in the list of possibles is to carry references with you when you go to visit. A recommendation from a former landlord, a letter from an employer and a credit reference from your bank will do wonders for your chances. It also shows you're organised and thoughtful – all qualities a good flatmate should have!

Your Deposit

In order to safeguard your deposit the government has introduced the Tenancy Deposit Scheme where your landlord has to lodge your deposit with an independent third party approved scheme. This assures that any dispute over the return of your deposit is resolved fairly and amicably by a panel of advisers.

The scheme attaches certain conditions. This includes your landlord informing you how much he has paid and to whom along with details of the scheme within 14 days of receiving your deposit. He must also let you know how much of the deposit he intends to return ten days before the end of your tenancy.

Safety

Finally, just make sure your prospective landlord is above board in terms of legislation for gas, electrical and fire safety. These days rented properties have to comply with certain standards so it's important to know your tenants rights. Gas appliances for instance, have to be checked regularly by a qualified fitter. Electrical appliances should be quality approved and again, installed by a certified electrician. All bedding, stretched fabrics and sofas etc should be fire-resistant and pass the 'match' and 'cigarette' test.