Moving On - Help Needed!

Orlee

Just a few questions,

I'm looking for a place to rent and this will be my first time away from home. Hopefully will be moving our next month so I'm trying to account for as many possible expenses as I can think of.

1) If I sign a year long lease on an apartment, can the landlord up the rent during the year or can it only be done when the lease is up? I just want to make sure I don't get caught with a rent increase unexpectadely.

2) If something happens like the rediators are leaking or the heating stops working, is it the landlords responsibility to get it fixed? (Obviously within reason, I gather if I kick a hole in the wall then it's up to me to get it fixed)

3) Should I be thinking about getting house/contents insurance?

4) Is it better to deal witha a landlord directly or a letting agent? What exactly does a letting agent do?

5) If anyone has any other advice I'd be grateful

Thanks in advance

Orlee

Just had a read through of the sticky on renting

Great stuff in there!

Still wondering about landlord vs letting agent and insurance???

Borzoi

Orlee wrote:

Just had a read through of the sticky on renting

Great stuff in there!

Still wondering about landlord vs letting agent and insurance???

Insurance for a tenants belongings is almost impossible to get I'm afriad. Though previously there may have been a student scheme with USIT

Dealing with the landlord directly is usually better for both sides, but osme prefer the agent to do it.

tHE vAGGABOND

1) It will often say in leases rent is x for the length of lease [or words to that effect] - But I have had leases where it says in plain english that the landlord can do what he wants with the rent, at a months notice..

2) Its the landlords job to get fixtures and fittings sorted out. What I have often done is give them a ring and say cooker is broken [or whatever] and get it fixed myself [for a price agreed with landlord] and just take said amount out of rent. In my experience they like not having to bother and getting it done for them

3) Never gotten insurance in a rented place - but I have lived with folks who had it. IMHO its only really worthwhile if you own stuff worth over 10k+, so clothes, a few books and a computer or two is not really worth it IMHO

4) Dont care - find the place you want to live in, in a location which suits you and deal with who ever is in charge of renting it

Advice: When you move in, and pay your deposit get an inventory of contents [which both you and landlord sign] - so when you move out in 2 years he cant take money off your deposit for that mark on the wall, which was actually always there [but at that stage you cant proove] When I was in london there was a small company who did this for you, no idea about here tho..

robd

Borzoi wrote:

Insurance for a tenants belongings is almost impossible to get I'm afriad. Though previously there may have been a student scheme with USIT

Not these days. I got my contents insurance from 123.ie. They have a drop down menu The property is: "Owned by someone else / Rented by you". Main reason I needed it was to cover computer equipment, watch and engagement ring under "All risks".

Also, I would never trust/rely on a landlord for this. Also the cover would be minimal anyway and wouldn't cover for loss outside of property as per "All risks".