Looking for a home
Looking for private rented accommodation can seem like a daunting task, particularly if you haven’t rented before. There are however several ways you can look for a property. If you take time to properly prepare, giving yourself time to search, visit and vet properties (see our tenant checklist for help with this) you will be fine.
If you are currently homeless or are threatened with homelessness you should contact your local authority and arrange an appointment with a housing advisor, who will discuss the options available to you in more detail, but take a look at the housing advice section in the interim.
You should also be aware of our Accredited Landlord Scheme. Accredited Landlords have agreed to provide properties that meet our decent homes standards as well as treat their tenants fairly. You can find out if your landlord is accredited by checking if:
· their adverts use our accredited landlord logo
· they are on our accredited landlord list
Letting Agencies
Letting agencies are a good source of information when looking for a property. They will arrange viewings of properties that meet your requirements and act on behalf of your landlord throughout a tenancy.
Letting agents will usually require you to provide a damage deposit of at least one month’s rent, month in advance, possibly a fee for credit checks and an agency fee for setting up your tenancy as well as references from your previous landlords
Agency fees are non-refundable so it is important that you do not pay any fees until you are certain you wish to move into a property. You must also carefully read your tenancy agreement and ask questions about any aspects that you are unsure of.
Local Newspapers
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Property websites
There are also property websites that enable you to search for properties that meet your requirements. Many website advertisements list information about the properties and some provide links to pictures of both the exterior and interior of the property. They are a useful tool for comparing the properties offered by different landlords or letting agents. Property websites fall into two broad categories:
-
Comparison websites that contain adverts from a wide variety of letting agents. Users specify their requirements and contact the letting agencies that manage the properties they are interested in.
-
Room-finder websites that contain adverts for one or more rooms within a house of multiple occupation (HMO), usually placed by landlords or people living in the property. Website users usually contact the landlord of the property directly.
There are also websites that combine elements of both these models.
Noticeboards & shop windows
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Personal Contacts
It is also worth asking friends, family and work colleagues if they know of any rooms to let. Many people find places to rent this way, as often rooms and properties are let without being advertised.
Having trouble?
If you are worried that you cannot afford a property in the private rented sector, or fear that you may become homeless before you can arrange a tenancy, you should contact your local authority to see how they can help.
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Letting agencies are a good source of information when looking for a property. They will arrange viewings of properties that meet your requirements and act on behalf of your landlord throughout a tenancy.
Letting agents will usually require you to provide a damage deposit of at least one month’s rent, an agency fee for setting up your tenancy as well as references from your previous landlords.
Agency fees are non-refundable so it is important that you do not pay any fees until you are certain you wish to move into a property. You must also carefully read your tenancy agreement and ask questions about any aspects that you are unsure of.
Local Newspapers
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Property websites
There are also property websites that enable you to search for properties that meet your requirements. Many website advertisements list information about the properties and some provide links to pictures of both the exterior and interior of the property. They are a useful tool for comparing the properties offered by different landlords or letting agents. Property websites fall into two broad categories:
- Comparison websites that contain adverts from a wide variety of letting agents. Users specify their requirements and contact the letting agencies that manage the properties they are interested in.
- Room-finder websites that contain adverts for one or more rooms within a house of multiple occupation (HMO), usually placed by landlords or people living in the property. Website users usually contact the landlord of the property directly.
There are also websites that combine elements of both these models.
Notice boards/Shop windows
Try looking at adverts on notice boards in libraries, colleges, sport centres and shops. Many local newsagents will have accommodation cards in their windows.
Personal contacts
It is also worth asking friends, family and work colleagues if they know of any rooms to let. Many people find places to rent this way, as often rooms and properties are let without being advertised.
Having trouble?
If you are worried that you cannot afford a property in the private rented sector, or fear that you may become homeless before you can arrange a tenancy, you should contact your local authority to see how they can help.
You should also be aware of our Accredited Landlord Scheme. Accredited Landlords have agreed to provide properties that meet our decent homes standards as well as treat their tenants fairly. You can find out if your landlord is accredited by checking if:
· their adverts use our accredited landlord logo
· they are on our accredited landlord list
Letting Agencies
Letting agencies are a good source of information when looking for a property. They will arrange viewings of properties that meet your requirements and act on behalf of your landlord throughout a tenancy.
Letting agents will usually require you to provide a damage deposit of at least one month’s rent, an agency fee for setting up your tenancy as well as references from your previous landlords.
Agency fees are non-refundable so it is important that you do not pay any fees until you are certain you wish to move into a property. You must also carefully read your tenancy agreement and ask questions about any aspects that you are unsure of.
Local Newspapers
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Property websites
There are also property websites that enable you to search for properties that meet your requirements. Many website advertisements list information about the properties and some provide links to pictures of both the exterior and interior of the property. They are a useful tool for comparing the properties offered by different landlords or letting agents. Property websites fall into two broad categories:
There are also websites that combine elements of both these models.
Notice boards/Shop windows
Try looking at adverts on notice boards in libraries, colleges, sport centres and shops. Many local newsagents will have accommodation cards in their windows.
Personal contacts
It is also worth asking friends, family and work colleagues if they know of any rooms to let. Many people find places to rent this way, as often rooms and properties are let without being advertised.
Having trouble?
If you are worried that you cannot afford a property in the private rented sector, or fear that you may become homeless before you can arrange a tenancy, you should contact your local authority to see how they can help.
- Comparison websites that contain adverts from a wide variety of letting agents. Users specify their requirements and contact the letting agencies that manage the properties they are interested in.
- Room-finder websites that contain adverts for one or more rooms within a house of multiple occupation (HMO), usually placed by landlords or people living in the property. Website users usually contact the landlord of the property directly.
Letting agencies are a good source of information when looking for a property. They will arrange viewings of properties that meet your requirements and act on behalf of your landlord throughout a tenancy.
Letting agents will usually require you to provide a damage deposit of at least one month’s rent, an agency fee for setting up your tenancy as well as references from your previous landlords.
Agency fees are non-refundable so it is important that you do not pay any fees until you are certain you wish to move into a property. You must also carefully read your tenancy agreement and ask questions about any aspects that you are unsure of.
Local Newspapers
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Property websites
There are also property websites that enable you to search for properties that meet your requirements. Many website advertisements list information about the properties and some provide links to pictures of both the exterior and interior of the property. They are a useful tool for comparing the properties offered by different landlords or letting agents. Property websites fall into two broad categories:
- Comparison websites that contain adverts from a wide variety of letting agents. Users specify their requirements and contact the letting agencies that manage the properties they are interested in.
- Room-finder websites that contain adverts for one or more rooms within a house of multiple occupation (HMO), usually placed by landlords or people living in the property. Website users usually contact the landlord of the property directly.
There are also websites that combine elements of both these models.
Notice boards/Shop windows
Try looking at adverts on notice boards in libraries, colleges, sport centres and shops. Many local newsagents will have accommodation cards in their windows.
Personal contacts
It is also worth asking friends, family and work colleagues if they know of any rooms to let. Many people find places to rent this way, as often rooms and properties are let without being advertised.
Having trouble?
If you are worried that you cannot afford a property in the private rented sector, or fear that you may become homeless before you can arrange a tenancy, you should contact your local authority to see how they can help..
Local Newspapers
The EDP and Evening News newspapers both publish weekly property pullouts every Tuesday. You can also view their property adverts online by clicking here for the EDP homes site and here for the Evening News website.
Property websites