In This Guide
Choosing an area
Getting in
Leaving
Lettings agents
Living
Looking for property
1. Introduction
2. Furnished v Unfurnished
3. Renting privately
4. Online search
5. Offline search
Renting introduction
Tenancy agreements
Viewing property
Looking for property
Offline search
Print
Contents
Prev Page
Next Page
If you have enough time and enough money, there are enough places to look for property to keep you occupied full time. Searching online is one of the easier ways to do it, but you are generally spoilt for choice if you don't have much joy with that route.
There are a whole host of printed publications that can be a useful
resource in finding that perfect place:
- Free local press. Excellent for finding a range of local lettings
agents.
- Regional newspapers such as the Evening Standard, The Liverpool
Echo or The Manchester Evening News will contain a mixture of
private landlords and lettings agents.
- Classifieds such as Loot and diamond free ads also contain
a mixture of private landlords and lettings agents.
- National press have property sections on specific days, though
the rental homes tend to be for relatively high monthly sums.
- There are specialist property publications, often with a regional focus, that are dedicated solely to advertising properties for sale and to let in the area.
Once again, bear in mind that not all adverts are genuine. Many lettings agents and private landlords will place adverts for non-existent properties, or homes that they have already let. They do this simply to try to attract you to their other properties.
Going direct to the lettings agents can be one of the most fruitful
methods of finding a place. There's quite a few tricks and tips
involved in dealing with lettings agents. Click
here to learn more.
As with choosing an area in which to rent, one of the best ways
to go about finding property is to actually go to the place you
are interested in and have a look around:
- Try to spot 'To let' signs. Many of the houses that are available
at the time will have them. Then it's just a case of giving
an agent a ring and having a look around.
- You might well find lettings agents locally that do not advertise anywhere. There are still quite a few independent estate agents who have no website and don't actively promote their property portfolio, relying on word of mouth and passers by for their custom.
The easiest - if most expensive - way to find a property to rent
is to get someone to do it for you. If you are moving in relation
to work, it is possible that your company may organise this for
you. Even if they don't you can find plenty of relocation agents
in the private sector. There are some on the web too, You
can find them in SiteFinder.
Community centres, supermarkets, libraries, newsagents may all
carry adverts from members of the public. Aside from massage services,
second hand goods for sale, rooms to let are one of the more common
adverts found.
Some areas have accommodation centres run by the local council.
They will have lists of local lettings agents and private landlords
and some may even keep a list of properties that are available
to rent. Many landlords will often contact local accommodation
agencies as a cheap or free way of advertising their properties.
Do not assume that just because a landlord is listed here that
they will be a good landlord.
Personal contacts friends, family and colleagues can all be an
occasional source of knowledge about people with rooms or properties
available to rent out.
Prev Page
Next Page
Contents