Rising rental prices what can I do?

The cost of renting has made it very difficult for tenants to find a home. It can cause family breakdown and mental health issues.

Here is a guide that might help you stand out from the other tenants and secure that perfect rental property:

• Secure a guarantor;

This provides assurance to landlords and agents that you will be reliable in paying the rent.

• Have references from previous landlords;

Finding a good tenant can seem like a lottery when searching for tenants, so if you have references on hand to verify this, it can be very attractive to landlords.

• Have your payslip and, or, combined salary on hand to provide to landlords;

This shows an agent or landlord that you are able to afford the rent and bills for the property.

• Sign up with local agents;

By signing up with local estate agents, they will be able to keep your criteria on hand and can notify you when an eligible property is coming on the market.

• Begin looking for a new tenancy a substantial amount of time before you need to move out;

To ensure that you are able to find a suitable property, leave plenty of time to allow you to view properties and account for the high demand in the current rental market.

• Calculate your budget inclusive of bills to ensure the property is affordable; and

If you have not considered your budget when signing a new tenancy agreement, when the council tax and other bills start to accumulate, it may become apparent that the agreed rental price is not feasible. To avoid falling into arrears and future turbulence with your landlord, ensure that you have created a budget prior to signing the contract.

• Build up a deposit.

Almost all rental properties require a deposit that is, at least, one month of rent or more. This should be considered when you begin your search for a property to ensure that you are prepared to lay down a deposit for the property.

If you are experiencing issues with your rental property our team of experts is on hand to help. Details of our property litigation team can be found at housing@newboldsolicitors.com or www.newboldsolicitors.com

by Lorna Williamson