Advice for Renting Property

You may be a seasoned renter or your first experience of renting your own home. Either way we are happy to help and advise you even if you are a Tenant with another Letting Agent!

Renting A Property

Renting property is often the best option for some people as it offers more flexibility than buying and less financial commitment. Our letting agents have over 20 years combined experience helping tenants find the ideal rental properties in Swindon, South Cerney and Cirencester.

This guide will help you understand the steps you should take to ensure a successful tenancy and to ensure the rental process is as smooth as possible.

Decide What You Want to Rent

You’ll first need to decide on a location. This will require some research to ensure there are properties in your desired location available in your price range. You’ll also need to decide whether you want to rent a furnished or unfurnished property.

Examples of things you’ll need to decide before starting your search include:

• The style of property – house or flat, for example
• The number of rooms and bathrooms as well as the overall size
• Whether there is a garden
• Whether there is parking
• Local amenities and transport links 

If you would like to know more about Swindon, South Cerney or Cirencester we have created bespoke area guides to help you make an informed decision about where you wish to live.

Choosing a Property to Rent

The first thing you should do is work out your budget. This includes obvious costs like paying the rent each month. Remember you’ll also have to pay a deposit and you may have to pay for other things as well, such as agent fees and paying a moving company to help with the move. During the tenancy, you’ll have to pay all the bills plus house insurance and you may also have to pay council tax. 

In most parts of the UK, it’s important to act fast and to be decisive when renting a property. We’re constantly updating our property portfolio as the rental properties we deal with in Wiltshire and the surrounding Gloucestershire area tend to let out quickly. In practice, this means booking a viewing as soon as possible when you see something that might be suitable and then making a quick decision on whether to apply for a tenancy.

Some tips when viewing a potential property to rent include:

• Check the storage space, but always ask permission if there is someone currently living in the property when you go to view it
• Look at things like mobile phone reception, available broadband speed, and the number of electrical sockets
• Consider the energy efficiency of the property – the more energy efficient, the cheaper the property will be to live in

Securing the Tenancy

A referencing check will be completed as part of your application. You might be asked to pay a holding deposit at this stage of the process too. Also, depending on your circumstances, you may need to provide a guarantor.

Once you pass the referencing check, you’ll need to pay the full deposit. This is usually one or two months’ rent and is held until the end of the tenancy.

Tenancy Agreement

Remember, the tenancy for the property is not yours until you pass the referencing check and pay your deposit.

You’ll also have to sign a tenancy agreement. Make sure you read the agreement thoroughly before you sign it as it sets out the legal obligations for both you and the landlord. It will also include rules, such as whether you can have pets or if you can use the property for work purposes.

As part of the tenancy agreement, there should be a list of all the items in the property and a note of anything that is damaged. Make sure you also check this thoroughly as it prevents you from being held accountable for damage to something that wasn't caused by you. It’s helpful if there are photographs as they provide further proof.

Finally, make sure you get contents insurance. The landlord is responsible for ensuring the building but you must ensure the contents.

Contact Forefront letting agents in Swindon to find out more on how we can help you find the ideal rental property.