Guide · Renting and letting
A tenant's guide to renting well
Good tenancies are made at the start, in the checks and the paperwork. Here is how to rent somewhere you'll be glad you did.
Good tenancies are made at the start — in the checks you do and the paperwork you insist on — so renting well is mostly about getting the beginning right.
Renting is meant to be the flexible, low-commitment option, and it is. But a little care up front is what keeps it that way, rather than letting a rushed decision turn into months of friction.
Look past the styling
View a rental the way you would a purchase: check for damp, test the water and power, look at the state of the fittings, and see the neighbourhood at the hours you would actually live there. You are going to live in this place, so look past the presentation at the daily reality. Confirm what is included and what the running costs really are, ideally by asking to see recent bills.
Budget for the whole commitment
Keep rent to a share of your income that leaves comfortable room for everything else — and remember that advance rent and a deposit are both due up front, often a large sum together. The affordable figure is the one that still works when an unexpected bill arrives, not the maximum you can just about cover each month.
Record the condition, then be a good tenant
On the day you move in, record the property’s condition in writing and photographs, and for a furnished let go through the inventory item by item. That record is what protects your deposit at the end. After that, being the kind of tenant a landlord wants to keep — paying on time, reporting repairs promptly and in writing, treating the place well — makes everything from renewals to references easier.
Know your rights, and use the agreement
A tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment of the property and to the terms in the agreement — which is exactly why a clear written agreement matters so much. Read what you signed, particularly the notice terms and anything about rent increases, so nothing later comes as a surprise.
Handle the end, and any dispute, calmly
Ending a tenancy well is mostly about following the agreement: give proper notice, return the property as you found it allowing for fair wear, and use your move-in record to settle the deposit. If a disagreement arises at any point, go back to the agreement and your records first, keep it in writing and factual, and raise issues early. Evidence and a calm tone settle far more than argument does.
Questions people ask
How do I rent well as a tenant?
Rent well by checking the property and the agreement carefully before you sign, recording the condition on move-in, and then being the kind of tenant a landlord wants to keep. Good tenancies are mostly made at the start, in the checks and the paperwork.
What should I check when viewing a rental?
Check the same things you would when buying — damp, the state of fittings, water and power, and the neighbourhood at different times — plus what is included and what the running costs are. You are going to live there, so look past the styling at the daily reality.
How much of my income should rent take?
Keep rent to a share of your income that leaves comfortable room for everything else, remembering that advance rent and a deposit are due up front. The affordable figure is the one that still works when an unexpected bill arrives, not the maximum you can just about cover.
What do I do if something needs repair?
Report repairs to the landlord promptly and in writing, keeping a record of what you reported and when. Prompt, documented reporting protects both the property and you — a small problem ignored can become a big one blamed on the tenant.
How do I handle the end of a tenancy?
Give the notice your agreement requires, return the property as you found it allowing for fair wear, and use your move-in record to settle the deposit. Ending a tenancy well is mostly about following the agreement and having kept your evidence.
What rights does a tenant have?
A tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment of the property and to the terms set out in the agreement, which is exactly why a clear written agreement matters so much. Your rights are largely what the agreement and the law provide, so know what you signed.
Can my rent be increased during the tenancy?
Whether and when rent can rise depends on your agreement, which is why the review terms are worth reading before you sign rather than discovering later. If the agreement is silent or vague on increases, clarify it up front.
How do I handle a dispute with a landlord?
Go back to the agreement and your records first, keep communication in writing and factual, and raise issues early before they harden. Most disputes are settled faster by evidence and a calm tone than by argument.