Renting a property offers the opportunity to find a comfortable living space for you and your family without having to spend as much as you would investing in a property. It’s perfect for short-term situations and can also be great in the long term if everything goes well during your tenancy.

However, like most aspects of life, renting can come with its fair share of potential problems. By staying well-informed and being proactive, you can easily minimise the risk of encountering issues. Here we discuss some of the ways you can avoid these potential concerns to ensure a positive renting experience.

Read and understand the terms of the lease

One of the primary sources of rental issues comes from misunderstandings of the tenancy agreement. You can easily avoid these issues by reading and understanding the terms of conditions set out in the lease before signing.

Try to pay close attention to the fine details and clauses related to things like duration, maintenance responsibilities, and rent payments. If you’re unsure about anything, seek clarification from the landlord or ask the advice of a legal professional.

Conduct a thorough inspection of the property

Before properly moving into the property, it’s vital that you conduct a thorough inspection of the premises. Document any issues or damages, including taking pictures and videos. Doing so will allow you to establish a baseline condition and prevent any disputes involving responsibility for damages at the end of the tenancy.

Additionally, it’s important to consider protecting your personal belongings with renters insurance. This can also come in handy in case of accidental damage to the items provided to you by the landlord.

You should also regularly check the property for any issues during the tenancy so that the landlord can address any maintenance issues and fix these quickly. These should be dealt with respectfully and professionally to avoid them escalating into something major.

Know your rights as a tenant

Familiarise yourself with the rights and responsibilities of tenants in the UK. Being aware of these can protect you from unfair violations and practices by your landlord.

As a tenant, you have the right to live in a property that is both in a good state and safe for habitation. You should also have your deposit returned at the end of the tenancy, should there be no reason to have it deducted, and in some cases, this is protected. Additionally, you are protected against unfair evictions and unfair rent prices.

There are responsibilities for you as a tenant as well, which you must follow. For example, you have a right to be undisturbed in the property but must allow access to the landlord if they provide at least 24 hours’ notice and turn up at a reasonable time – unless it is an emergency.

Other responsibilities include taking good care of the property, paying additional charges agreed in the lease, paying for repairs caused by you or your guests, and only subletting if allowed by the landlord.