My top 5 Tips for Renters in Manchester

As someone who’s rented for over a decade in the UK, I’ve made my share of mistakes and have seen others do the same. Unfortunately, everyday renters in the UK sign contracts they don’t quite understand, are unaware of their rights and obligations, and aren’t sure of their options in case things go south. So here’s my two cents on the matter.

My top 5 tips for renters:

1. Know your Rights

Do you know who’s holding your deposit? What’s fair “wear and tear”? And what happens when the boiler breaks? Unfortunately, not all landlords are on the up and up, and tenants need to make sure they’re on top of things. When things go wrong, being a tenant can feel like a full time job; understanding your rights, communicating with the landlord or the agency, and contacting a third party if it comes to that.

What happens if your landlord is in violation of the contract? Who do you reach out to? What if it’s an emergency like a cracked window or no water? My advice is this: if you’re looking to rent, do it from a reputable agency with a highstreet presence. A agency that’s always there with their doors open. Do you really want to rely on a single landlord who doesn’t even live in the city? I have in the past. Never again.

2. Double and Triple check the property

I can’t stress enough how important this is: Ask for one more viewing, take your time, take lots of pictures and send them to people you trust. Think of it like a game if it helps – the landlord is covering up all the flaws, and your job is to find them. The heating, the water pressure, the washing machine, and even the funky smell at the main entrance. Whatever it is, you’re playing inspector and you need those questions to be answered.

Think about it this way: when you buy a property, you pay a professional surveyor to do that work. But it’s the same thing – you need to know what you’re getting yourself into.

3. Get References

I’ve always been fortunate in that regard, but I’ve heard enough horror stories from friends to know how important references are. Which means a long-term strategy when you rent in the UK: do your best to part on good terms with your landlord and agency. Have everything in writing. Keep records of your bank statements. Have a file on your computer with everything you might need in that space. it’ll also come handy when you’re looking to buy one day.

Bonus tip: if you’re sharing with people, be the one to pay the bills. At the very least, pay one of the bills from your account.

4. Understand your budget

Most people have a clear budget when hunting for a new place to rent. However, they seem to stick to that number for better or worse. And that can be a mistake.

Suppose you’re willing to go as high as £1000 on a one bedroom flat. You’ve done the math, and you’re just not entertaining anything above that. That’s all well and a good, but consider the following: what if it saves you on travel? are there any bills included? Any communal areas like a discounted gym or space to work? Sticking to your budget is one thing, but it should be part of a larger picture.

For example, renting a place right near your work could save you not only on travel, but probably on Starbucks and Nero spend! These things really do add up.

5. Get everything in writing

This is the one tip that’ll save you a lot of stress and potentially a lot of money: all communication should be done by emails. You want to get everything in writing. If you must call because it’s urgent, that’s fine: you first send an email detailing everything and then call.

One of the most heartbreaking mistakes I see my friends make is call about the big stuff, and neglect to have it in writing. Suppose there’s a leak in your flat: you immediately call the agency because obviously this is a big deal. They fail to deal with it properly until serious damage is done to the property. While you alerted them and they failed to take action, there’s no proof of that on record. So when the time comes to negotiate the deposit, you have no leg to stand on. All you have is a log of a 3 minute call to your agency.

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This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.