Most tenants have to give 1 or 2 months notice to leave their current property, so give yourself this time to look for the right one for you. Some properties are new to the market and may be ready to move into straight away, which can be ideal for the applicant living with family or friends.

 Make a checklist of your top priorities and those that you are prepared to compromise on. Be specific on your search for the must haves i.e. Location, pet friendly, garage, garden and parking etc.

Try to be as flexible as possible when arranging your appointment. Quite often the property you really like the look of may be snapped up quickly.

 Have your passport/ID and details of employers and landlords available to make the referencing process quick and easy. You will need an gross salary of approximately 30x the monthly rent in order to pass referencing.

The refundable deposit is usually one and a half times the months rent, and this will be protected throughout the tenancy. At the end of tenancy the deposit will be refunded subject to the final condition of the property at checkout, including the level of cleanliness.

The first months rent is due on or before the day you move in, to be paid with cleared funds. Thereafter the rent due date is the same date every month for the duration of the tenancy. The rent due date can be moved by prior arrangement.

Payments accepted – Cash, Bankers draft, BACS, personal cheques must be cleared before start of tenancy. Credit cards are NOT accepted.

Make a cup of tea and take the time to read through any clauses in the agreement that may be particular to the property. Remember that once signed this is a legally binding agreement.

Read through the inventory, this is a detailed account of what the property contains and a report as to its condition and level of cleanliness. It is expected that you return the property to the same condition and be no worse at the end of tenancy. If you do not believe that you can not meet the standards of cleanliness at the end of tenancy, then we would recommend that you use a professional cleaning agency.

Whilst living in the property the landlord has entrusted you with probably their most valuable asset. To aid an easy tenancy make sure you report all issues to the landlord or agent, pay the rent on time and look after the property as if it were your own.