As a tenant it’s vital that you choose a landlord and letting agent that you can trust. At Ara Lettings Ltd we appreciate that you are looking for a home not just a property. We operate as an ethical business and believe in complete transparency so you can avoid unwelcome fees or legal hiccups throughout your tenancy. We aim to provide the very best service to all our customers.

We believe that renting privately should be a genuine choice for anyone looking for a home. We do this by vetting all the properties that we are asked to let and manage. They have to come up to a minimum standard and we have to be satisfied that the Landlord will comply with all legal requirements, deal with all repairs promptly and keep the property up to standard.

When you start the search for your ideal home it is worth considering your requirements:

• Think about the location you’d like to live in
• Consider your ‘must have’ list- what do you really want?
• What’s your budget? Would you pay more for the right property?
• How long do you need the accommodation for? Is it a stop gap or a long term solution?
• When would you like to move in? Work backwards and start your search around six to eight weeks before this.

Our Top Tip:

Budget carefully – allow for the cost of Council Tax and all utilities.

Every landlord must provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for any new occupation contract. This Certificate gives the property a rating based on such factors as loft insulation, double-glazing, boiler age, efficiency, etc. and more, and is valid for 10 years. The level of energy efficiency of your property will affect your energy bills so it is worth checking this out.

You will be asked to give references to your prospective landlord and letting agent to confirm that you have rented in the past without any major problems. As part of this process Ara Lettings Ltd may also request further details:

• Referencing criteria
• Three years’ address history
• Landlord details for any property rented in the last three years
• Confirmation of earnings per annum that are equal to the monthly rental fee multiplied by 30
• If you’re retired, then your (joint) pension per annum will also need to equal 30 times the monthly rental
• No adverse credit in the form of a county court judgment, bankruptcy order or similar
• If you’re self-employed, either an accounts reference or to provide evidence of the last three years’ Tax Returns

Once the deposit is paid in full, the property is secured. This deposit is held as the landlord’s cover for any damage that need to be repaired at the end of the tenancy.

If Ara Lettings Ltd is managing the property on behalf of the landlord, the deposit will be held by the Deposit Protection Service (DPS). However, if the landlord manages the property themselves, we’ll inform you what deposit scheme the landlord will be using and the terms and conditions of that scheme will form part of your Tenancy Agreement.

A Occupation Contract is a legally binding document that sets out the terms of the tenancy and is drawn up to ensure the rights and obligations of both the contract holder(s) and the landlord are adhered to. All relevant parties will be asked to sign this document, which agrees the responsibilities of the landlord and tenant.

Tenants often overlook the need to take out contents insurance when renting a property.