A guide to finding the right property to rent There are lots of advantages to renting a home.

It will give you greater financial freedom than buying a property as well as more flexibility and independence.

 However, the process of renting a home can seem overwhelming to begin with.

Take a read of our step by step guide to finding the right rental property for you.

Do your research and set a budgetBefore you start looking for at properties, do plenty of research and work out how much rent you can afford per month.

Setting a clear budget means you will have a clearer idea of the kind of properties you can afford.

Find out whether council tax and bills for other utilities such as gas and electric are included in the price of the rent.

They’re often not included and so you will need to factor these costs into your budget.

Your research should also include finding out the council tax band for the types of properties you are looking for.

Taking precautions when it comes to deposits is important; before booking viewings, ask the landlord or letting agent what deposit scheme they use.

If you are looking at a house share opportunity, be sure to check if the property is HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensed or if the landlord will allow this.

Make a checklistBefore starting your search, it’s a good idea to have a checklist of things you’re looking for.

Do you know which area you would like to live in, is there a particular street you like? Does the property need to be near to your work or your local school? Do you need parking, how many bedrooms, furnished or unfurnished?Having a short checklist will help you to narrow down your search and hopefully find a suitable property much more quickly.

 Letting agentsOnce you’re ready to start viewing properties and know what you would like to look for, registering with a local letting agent should be the next step.

Be sure to thoroughly research letting agents to see which companies have a good reputation.

A good local agent will know what properties are likely to fit with your budget and your requirements and will often know of rental properties that are likely to become available before they come on to the market.

Check the landlord’s policiesLandlords will often have policies in place such as no smoking or no pets.

This should be made clear in the property advertisements so make sure your lifestyle doesn’t contradict any of the policies in place to save yourself valuable time when searching for a property.

ViewingsOnce you’re at a viewing, make sure to ask the accompanied viewer lots of questions to find out as much information about the property as you can - some information may not be in the advertisement.

Take into consideration that it can be very difficult to find a property that ticks all your boxes, so think about what compromises you would be willing to make.

Move quicklyThe rental market is incredibly fast paced, so once you have found a property that seems right for you, commit to it.

Keep in contact with the letting agent and the landlord as you must try and stand out from any competitors who also want the property.

Make sure you appear committed to securing your tenancy for a property.

 If you would like more advice about renting a property in York, please give our dedicated lettings team a call on 01904 629629.

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