Finding and moving into your first rented property is a significant milestone and it can be an exciting time, but it can also be daunting.
There’s a lot to thing about, but making sure you understand your rights as a renter will allow you to navigate that step towards independence confidently.
Eamon Sheridan, a housing adviser with the charity Housing Rights, shared some helpful tips for first-time renters starting their journey, including university students.
Recommended for you: Average rent in Belfast surpasses £1,000 a month
Understanding your lease
The first step is making sure you understand the terms of your lease and what it means for you. In particular, Eamon says that students moving in to a HMO with flatmates should be aware if their lease will be jointly and severally liable.
“This is a term that means that if you join a tenancy with multiple people, every person signed up to that lease is responsible for the whole of the rent,” he explains.
“If someone was to leave their tenancy halfway through, the remaining tenants are still liable for the whole rent so their affordability could be impacted by the higher cost.”
He added that the person leaving should be aware that they will still be locked into the contract.
Recommended for you: You’ve got your A Level results and your university place, what next?
Make sure your deposit is protected
With a new lease, comes a rental deposit. This is a fixed amount of money you pay your landlord before moving in. You should get it back when your tenancy ends, but your landlord may keep some or all of it, for things like missed rent and repairs.
Your deposit should be no more than one month’s rent and it should be registered with an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).
“Everyone, not just students, should be getting told by their landlords within 28 days and up to 35 days, that your deposit is protected, where it is, and under what scheme,” according to Housing Rights.
“You should also be getting a tenancy information notice that should include your landlord’s details, and their address and your deposit information.”
Take an inventory when you move in
Eamon suggests taking a “a full sweep” of the property before you move in. “The biggest deduction we see particularly for students is damages to the property,” he added.
“Do a full check of the address, photograph and video everything, keep everything saved and then do the same thing when you’re moving out.
“Your obligation as a tenant is to leave the property in the same state as you find it in. At the end of your tenancy if your landlord applies to get certain damages covered, those videos and photographs are how you defend yourself against any bogus claims for damages.”
Recommended for you: Watch - Belfast punters react to the ‘outrageous’ price of Guinness
Repairs
When it comes to repairs Eamon says that the “general rule” is that landlords are responsible for structural issues and emergency repairs.
He added that repairs to damages caused by tenants may not be treated as a priority and any costs could be deducted from the deposit.
There are no set rules on how quickly repairs should be carried out, but Eamon says you must give your landlord “reasonable notice”. If you are still not having any luck, then Environmental Health (EH) can enforce repairs.
He recommends keeping a written record of all your requests, this can be emails or texts, to share with EH.
Landlord access
There may be instances where you’ll need to grant your landlord access to your property, such as when they need to carry out repairs or maintenance, but that does not mean your landlord can have unfettered access to the property.
“When you’re renting any property you’re a tenant and that means that your have exclusive possession of the address. That means you can ask anyone to leave and that includes your landlord,” Eamon explains.
“They should give you notice before they come in, and again this can be very case by case, but any notice at all should at least be 24 hours especially if it is in the scenario of an emergency repair.
“If the landlord has shown up to the property and isn’t telling you why they need access then you can refuse, you don’t have to let them in. And if there is any reason why you think a viewing of the property is not necessary you have a right to ask them what the purpose of the viewing is.”
What else should you be aware of?
Your landlord is legally required to give you the following certificates and paperwork:
- a tenancy information notice
- an energy performance certificate
- deposit protection information
- a gas safety record (if applicable)
- a fitness certificate (if applicable)
The law is changing for smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms in private rentals in the north, meaning that landlords must install and keep in working order smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms in all properties they rent out to tenants.
They must do this by September 1 for all new private tenancies granted on or after this date, and by December 1 for existing tenancies granted before September 1.
Landlords are legally required to provide fire extinguishers in houses that are licensed and considered by the council to be HMOs. Landlords are not required to provide fire extinguishers in other types of rental properties, but it is recommend to have one especially in the kitchen area.
You can contact Housing Rights via their helpline on 028 9024 5640 or through their online chat.
More information and advice is available on their website www.housingrights.org.uk.
