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Renting a property.

Getting your foot on the property ladder these days is proving very difficult for some of us due to high property prices, and not being able to afford a mortgage. Renting a house or flat is sometimes the only way to fly the nest and have your own independence.

Renting is a written or verbal contract between the tenant and landlord. For this agreement to be valid you must both agree on the use of the property, agree to pay the agreed amount of rent and to vacate the premises when the contract comes to an end.

Deposit.

Tenants are expected to pay a deposit at the beginning of the tenancy agreement . A receipt for the deposit will be issued along with statement of when it shall be returned or, if there is any damage on departure, what it could be used for.

Repairs and Renovations.

Depending on the contract that has been agreed, usually the landlord is responsible for repair work. The landlord has a number of responsibilities and must :

* Keep the outside and any common parts in good repair

* Maintain all heating, sanitary and hot water systems

* Maintain any supplied electric and gas installations and equipment, except those supplied by the tenant.

* Ensure all drainage systems are in good repair

* Ensure all gas appliances are tested annually by an approved engineer. The tenant has a right to have a copy of the engineers report.

This article was written by Tracey Aldous