What do you look for when finding a house to rent?
Many people assume that most aspects of the rented property will be taken care of by the landlord, but that isn’t always the case. Often this can leave you with a large cost if you haven’t done your research properly before signing on the dotted line. There are many things that people don’t always consider when looking, but not to worry, we have the top three things you need to look for when finding a home to rent.
1 – Council Tax Band
You have just found a house that has seems to be a great rental price but council tax can turn it into a nightmare cost. Houses with popular postcodes are generally going to be quite a high band. If you were to be in band H, for example, you would be paying £2,536 – a sum that would affect most households in terms of their monthly outgoings. We recommend that you look into council tax before moving into a property, so that you can work out your finances and budget appropriately.
2 – Bills
Another big issue that many people face when renting a property is the bills. This is an issue that needs to be asked about; otherwise it can become a massive problem further
down the line. Sitting down and working out whether you can afford this change is a great idea.
Some landlords will offer bills to be paid in with the cost of the rent. It is imperative that if you get bills included; that you check precisely what is included and whether with the amount of rent you pay this is something worthwhile. You want to make sure that you’re getting a fair deal and to see who pays what. However, it is not always the best idea to go with your landlord as you may be able to find a cheaper deal somewhere else or you may be paying for more than you use.
3 – How much housing benefit could you be getting?
The word benefit can nowadays carry negative connotations but this is not always the case. Housing benefits are there to help people and is always worth checking how much you could be claiming. You should never feel as if you shouldn’t be taking them, because you may struggle throughout each month trying to get the rent together. You can go online and easily check how much money you could be receiving and it is something everyone should at least check if they qualify for.
If you take into consideration these few simple steps then you should be able to happily afford your move. If you or your landlord spots any defects that you would like to get checked over, feel free to give us a call on 0800 880 6024 and we will be able to provide you with friendly advice without obligation.
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