Top Tips for First-Time-Renters

Set Your Budget

It's easy to get carried away when setting out to find your first rental property. You'll see the perfect home and think your budget can stretch to that but it's important to remember that the monthly rent is not the only cost you'll be facing when selecting your first rental!

It's important to take into account the other costs that you'll face like the deposit, utilities, council tax, insurance and any furniture or other home essentials you'll need to buy before moving in.

So be sure to write all these costs down when looking just so you know what you can afford and avoid any unexpected costs which might blow your budget out of the water!

Choose Your Location

Once you have an idea of your budget you have the more exciting task of choosing where you want your new home to be! Now this will depend on a number of factors but most importantly: convenience, leisure and affordability.

It's important that you think of each of these factors when choosing where your next home will be. Things to consider include where you work, where your friends and family are, what's available in the local area and what the average rental value of properties is in the area.

For more information on some of the local areas and what there is to do check out our handy local area guides!

Choose Your Home

There are a number of decisions that you'll have to face once you've decided on the areas you'll be searching for your next property. Furnished or unfurnished, a flat or a house, the number of bedrooms, the decisions will be endless!

Our top tip would be to keep in mind the things that are really important to you and prioritise these when making your decision. You're unlikely to find a property with everything just the way you imagined so you may have to compromise on some of the less important aspects of your dream home. To make this easier we'd recommend making up a checklist of the things you really want out of your home and this will make the small things easier to let go!

Research Who Your Renting From

One thing you may not have considered is who is managing the property you are viewing. No matter how amazing and perfect the house maybe if it isn’t managed properly your tenancy could become a nightmare. You want your time living there to be easy where should things break down, they are fixed quickly and correctly.

Do as much research on the letting agent or private landlord as you do on the property itself – we can’t tell you the difference it will make if your new rental home is managed properly.