1. What can you afford?

Before you even look at a property, workout what you can afford by looking at what your outgoings are likely to be. For instance, you should expect to incur costs like:

• The monthly rent which may be payable monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or even annually
• The tenancy agreement costs, an agent or a lawyer, whoever you decide to deal with will charge a fee for constructing the tenancy agreement
• Security deposit to ensure compliance with the duties and obligations under the tenancy agreement
• Deposits for water, electricity or even telephone services payable to the relevant authorities who provide them

Other costs like insurance for your belongings should also be anticipated as the landlord is only under duty to insure for the physical structure.

2. Check on the neighbourhood

• Consider how secure the area might be; whether the roads are well lit and which ones to avoid for safety reasons
• Listen out for noise; roaring traffic, barking dogs, and noisy neighbours could be an imminent source of nuisance
• Check out what amenities exist in the area amenities; is there a local shop, hospital or college?
• Find out about public transport. Is it easy and close by? Is it regular? How much is it?
• Look for available car parking. Even if you don’t have one your self, it may make it easy for others to visit

3. What to look for in the property

Check out the property’s state of repair and if repairs are needed ask if the landlord would be willing to do them before you move in.

Think about safety:

• Check out how the windows the windows and doors lock and whether they are burgled
• Look around the precincts: check whether the fences and walls are secure and whether they would require additional security

4. Work out the total cost

• Check out how much the deposit is. Ask the landlord to confirm how much it is and when you will get it back
• Double-check the rent details. How much is it and when is it due, who you pay it to and how.
• Ask the estate agent about administration costs. If you used an agent there may be extra costs when you sign the tenancy agreement or when it runs out in the future.
• Work out how much anything that isn’t provided will cost you may have to save up to get everything you need.

5. Tenancy agreement

Before signing, read, and if necessary get professional advice on, any documents you have to sign. Areas of the lease to look out for include:

• length of the tenanc
• mode of rent payment
• what the deposit is
• who will hold it and how it will be held
• how you will get it back
• how much, and who will pay for work at the end of the tenancy, such as the property inspection, renewing the agreement or cleaning the property

6. Moving in

This can be a very exciting moment and it’s easy to forget a few important things:

• insure your own belongings
• make your own notes of the meter readings both for water, electricity and telephone so as not to pay bills for services you did not consume.
• Finally make sure you know how all equipment in the property works and you have their manuals.

7. Looking after your rented property

Except for normal wear and tear during the period of the tenancy, be expected to make good any damage done otherwise it comes out of your deposit. So return the property to the landlord at the end of the tenancy in the same condition as at the start, allowing for fair wear and tear.