Here are some of the most common obligations as a tenant:

• Repairs: the tenant is responsible for the condition of the interior of the property and for keeping it clean and well looked after. If you want to redecorate because you’d prefer a different colour scheme, you may be restricted in the tenancy agreement from doing this so get permission in writing from your landlord first. You will normally need to redecorate the property leaving it in its original condition when you leave. You must pay for anything that is broken or damaged in the property during the tenancy and your landlord can deduct the cost of this from the holding deposit if you do not repair or replace.
• Outgoings: unless the tenancy agreement specifically says otherwise, you are responsible for paying all the outgoings for the property including gas, electricity, water, council tax or other taxes etc. If you sign up for other services like telephone, broadband, SKY/ digital TV etc, you are responsible for payment of those services. If there are any accounts that the landlord has agreed to pay, this will be stated clearly on the tenancy agreement.
• Use of the property: you must only use the property for residential purposes and not for commercial or other business purposes otherwise you will be in breach of your tenancy and may put the landlord in breach of planning regulations. Only you and any other tenants named on the tenancy agreement can live in the property. You must not sublet any part of the property to another person or you will be in breach of your tenancy agreement. The landlord will want to prevent a tenant from letting anyone else live at the property as he will only want tenants whom he has checked and approved living there.
• Access: your landlord has a right to visit and inspect the property from time to time to ensure its being kept in good condition or to do any repairs and must give adequate notice of a visit. It is usual for a landlord to retain a set of keys to the property however they should not be used without your consent, except in an emergency.

Apart from the obvious things like condition, cleanliness and whether the space works for you, here are some additional points to consider:

• Kitchen - Is the kitchen big enough to accommodate a small dining table and chairs? This is a good idea if there is only one reception room/ lounge and turns the kitchen into a kitchen-diner.
• Bedroom size – how many bedrooms do you need? If the smallest bedroom is smaller than 6' 6" in any direction then it's not really a bedroom as you need to be able to get a single bed into a bedroom so you could use a small room as a study, baby’s room or store room. Think about what your needs are, what furniture you have and how it will all fit in.
• Bathroom - Is there a fitted shower? A bathroom is a lot more practical if there is a shower as well as a bath or shower inside a bath particularly for sharers.
• Gas appliances - Make sure any gas appliances work including any central heating and that there is a current CORGI Gas Safety Certificate in place for any gas appliances including hob, oven, GCH or gas fire.
• Furniture – If you don’t have any, ask if furniture is available. If part-furnished, check the condition of any furniture present and if you are bringing all your furniture make sure you can get it in so check door sizes.

Renting a property has never been easier and we can help make your move trouble free. It is important to match the right tenant with the right property ensuring you can afford the rent. If you are interested in renting one of our properties you need to be ready to provide references and a deposit which can be done online to secure a property. We offer a tenant referencing service which includes taking full references on your behalf and making credit checks for all the prospective tenants on the tenancy agreement. We need to ensure that you will be responsible and reliable tenants that will look after the property being rented and pay your rent on time. The checks we make include but are not limited to the following checks and only original documents will be accepted:

• Credit Checks: it is standard practice for us to carry out a credit check on every tenant.
• Employer's References: reference should include details of annual salary, position held within the company and terms of employment – the reference must be supplied on headed paper.
• Previous Landlord/ Letting Agent References: where appropriate we require a reference from your previous landlord or letting agent confirming you rented with them, length of rental, what type of tenant you were and if you paid your rent on time.
• Payslips: we require your last 3 months payslips (minimum).
• Bank Statements: we require your last 3 months payslips (minimum).
• Self Employed: accountant reference confirming turnover and net profit, period they have acted for you and if they feel you are in a financial position to meet the rental payments.
• Character Reference: supplied by a qualified professional person i.e. doctor or accountant, or other professional who has known you for at least 2 years. Ensure any headed paper confirms their qualification with full address and contact telephone numbers.
• Guarantors: where a guarantor is required we will need the same references on that person as stated above excluding the character reference. In addition they will need to sign a deed of guarantee.

We process the tenancy application on your behalf, prepare the tenancy agreement and /or inventory, liaise with the landlord and check you into the property. Tenant referencing fees are payable for this service plus a fee per additional tenant (for additional credit reference checks). Please contact us for further details.