Before you move in
 

Before you move home make sure that you have spoken to ALL of the letting agents that cover the area. Simply use our SpeedSearch! button - that's the hard part taken care of, now you can sit back and wait for them to contact you. But what about when they do - what should you do?

 

	View a range of properties and have the letting agent show you around all areas of the house, both internally and externally.
	Have a list prepared of the key features you are looking for in the home, i.e. number of bathrooms, size of rooms, decor etc. This will let you score them homes and remind you of good and bad points.
	Plan your budget, and stick to it.
	Drive or walk past the house before a viewing, it can sometimes be the case you make your mind up before going in to the property.
	Check the externals of the home as best you can. Check for broken or missing roofing tiles, excess litter, damage to windows, doors and locks, and for noise.
	Ask to see safety certificates for items such as Gas boilers.
	Check the plumbing by turning taps on, make sure that if you are told it has gas central heating it doesn't in fact have an immersion heater.
	Raise any concerns or reservations you have with the letting agents or landlord, it may be a case that work is planned.
	If work is planned for the property then ensure that it is carried out at your convenience, and if it isn't see if the landlord will offer some sort of reduction in rent for inconvenience.
	Investigate if bills are included in the price or not. If they are, check what bills are included and what you are liable for.
	Investigate what fees the letting agent may require you to pay and what documentation you have to produce.
	Look at the local area and consider schools, doctors, local facilities etc.
	Look for where the morning and evening sun will be, this can make a big difference to your heating bills!
	Expect to pay a deposit of at least a months rent.
	Check for restrictions such as sub-letting, pets, children etc.
	Establish what is covered under the term maintenance - boilers, refrigerators and so forth.
	Check the availability of parking.
	Use our SpeedSearch! tool to set you on your way!!

Services and fees

Services offered by lettings agents usually break down in to three parts:

The basic service is the introduction of a Landlord to a tenant. The cost to the Landlord for this service is normally a percentage of the total rent over the term of the tenancy and is charged up-front. The commission for this service is normally between 7% & 11%.

Tenants are charged a so-called "administration fee" up-front. This includes the processing of the application, and usually involves prospective tenants undergoing credit searches. Fees can vary widely, and can range from £50.00 - £300.00. Often fees are non-refundable, unless the landlord withdraws from the process.

Many agents will offer to collect the rent from a tenant for an additional 2-3% commission calculated as above.

Full Management is the term most often used to describe the day-to-day management of a rental property. Many agents provide this service on properties which they have let for a commission of between 7% and 11%. This part of the commission is normally charged monthly.

A renewal fee will normally be charged if the tenant extends or renews their tenancy. This tends to be at a slightly lower rate than the original introduction fee. Additional charges are often made for drawing up the Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement and protecting the tenant’s deposit to comply with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme legislation. Renewal fees can vary in cost, form £30.00 to over £100.00.

An increasing number of letting agents are charging an ever-expanding range of fees, especially toward tenants. A typical breakdown of these fees is listed below -

Administration fee - see above
Inventory fee - A fee often imposed by the letting agent, involving a physical check of the proposed rental property
Tenancy extension/renewal fee - see above
Exit fee - similar to the inventory fee, a final inspection carried out by the agent/landlord

Regulation

There are currently no statutory arrangements regarding the regulation of letting agents. Around half of UK lettings agents are currently self-regulated. The principle organisations for lettings agents are the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). These have codes of practice and compliance controls which govern the activities of their members.

The English government also provides its own accrediting body for letting agents, this body is called NALS (National Assured Letting Scheme).

In Scotland all landlords must be registered with the local authority. Whilst agents are not required to register, they are actively encouraged to do so.

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