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In this day and age, a lot of people rent and will be renting for the foreseeable future. Getting on the housing ladder can be super expensive and for a lot of people, it’s just not an option. Let’s stop seeing this as a negative though – renting can be as good a way as life as any. It’s low maintenance, generally cheaper and gives people a little more freedom.
As well as finding the right property to move into and make your own, it’s also important to find the right kind of landlord. A bad relationship with your landlord can really taint your experience of living in a property and possibly even drive you out of your home for good.
You might have found the property of your dreams to rent, but you might be stuck with a bad landlord as a result. The property might outweigh the cons of a bad landlord but when searching for your rental property, there are a few things that you can look out for and have in mind to ensure that you end up with the right kind of landlord for you.
There’s no one-size-fits-all with landlords. Some have a lot of properties scattered around a certain area or the country, or perhaps a whole apartment complex. Some might have a handful of properties and others could just have the one.
You need to decide which of these kind of landlords would suit you best. With a landlord with a huge amount of properties – often called a corporation landlord – it can be difficult to pin down just one point of contact, which can make communicating issues quite tricky and things may take a little longer to be resolved. On the other hand, they will have bags of experience and their properties are likely to be of a high quality.
With a smaller landlord, you’re may have a more personable relationship. You might be given a mobile number to reach them on if you encounter any problems, and it can be a comfort to know exactly who you’re dealing with. This can come with its issues as well though. A respectful landlord should know when you step back and leave you to your own devices. No one wants their landlord to be looking over their shoulder all the time, right? Although most will know their boundaries, you might feel a little like you’re under a microscope when you’re the only tenant.
Just as a landlord can run background checks and get references for you, you can do your research on your landlord. A good and reputable landlord will be accredited by one of the major landlord associations in the UK such as the National Landlord Association or the Residential Landlord Association. If a landlord is a member of one of these professional bodies, then you’ll know that they had to undergo an education course in order to earn their membership, and they have to abide by a certain code of conduct in order to retain their membership.
Whilst this is a really good indication of a good and competent landlord, nothing is guaranteed. If you’re familiar with the term ‘rogue landlord’ then you’ll know that there’s more than enough horror stories out there to put people off renting. Try and get in touch with someone who currently rents from the landlord or has rented from them in the past, as nothing is more valuable than a first-hand account of the way a landlord operates.
Along with all of this, it’s also important to just use your common sense when working out if a landlord is right for you or not. When you meet the landlord, be prepared with questions so that you can get to know them a little better. You could ask them how long they’ve been a landlord for, why they decided to be a landlord and what they look for in a tenant. Ideally, they will be comfortable chatting with you and letting you get to know them a little. Having a certain level of ease between you means you’ll be happy to go to them with any issues, which is really important.
When you ask a landlord a question, they should answer it property and not withhold any information or avoid certain topics. They should be honest when telling you about any temperature fluctuations, phone reception issues or noisy neighbours. If all they seem to care about is getting you to sign on the dotted line, then you might be better off looking elsewhere.
Don’t just simply trust that your landlord knows what they’re doing. Be aware of all the correct processes and protocols that they should be following. Clue yourself up on the basics to ensure that you’re being given all of the right paperwork, that your tenancy agreement includes everything it should and that you’re given all the right information about where and how your deposit will be protected.
Alongside this, you should check that your landlord has all the correct insurance in place to protect them against financial issues such as major repairs and legal fees. If not, this could impact you. Generally speaking, most landlords will be required to have landlord insurance in place before they take out a mortgage on a buy-to-let property but it’s always worth checking. Landlords can compare landlord insurance with a number of companies online, so it might be worth reading up on the kind of cover that landlords should have.
Remember, you’re putting your trust into a landlord and entering into a legally binding agreement with them, so you need to make sure that they’re the right landlord for you. Make a mental note of your personal preferences and all the basic guidelines that a landlord should be following so that you don’t get the wool pulled over your eyes. Good luck and happy renting!
This is a collaborative post with CIA Landlord Insurance.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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