Renting Directly From a Private Landlord

Renting directly from a Landlord can save you money as the Landlord will not have to pay a Lettings Agent for their services. This saving is sometimes but not always, passed on to the Tenant. In addition, as a Tenant you should not have to pay an Administration Fee.

The passing over of the keys to a property by the landlord to the tenant and the tenant moving in to a property actually constitutes the setting up of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement (AST) through the action of both parties i.e. an inferred contract. This is if the rent is paid by an individual and is less than £25,000.00 per annum and paid to a landlord who does not live in the same building. Although this is the case always insist on a written tenancy agreement for your protection and peace of mind.

Private Landlords are not required to subscribe to a professional body or adhere to a code of practice. They are still bound by law such as the Housing Act 2004 and so tenants do have some protection. If you are renting directly from a private landlord ensure that you are given a copy of a current Gas Safety Certificate and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before agreeing to move in to a property. These are legal requirements and the Landlord must therefore provide them. Do not move in to a property that does not have a Gas Safety Certificate as it means that the gas appliances have not been checked and could be dangerous. The EPC is also a legal requirement and gives you information on the energy efficiency of the property. This could help you save you money on heating bills when deciding between properties you may wish to rent.

Find out as much as you can about the Landlord prior to signing a contract. You can ask for references from the previous tenant or the current tenants of another property that the landlord may own. You don’t want to be stuck with a Landlord that refuses to carry out necessary repairs or one that just turns up at the property without notice etc.

If the Landlord agrees to carry out work prior to you moving in either wait until the work is completed before signing a contract or include a comprehensive list of work to be done in the contract.