Renting a property for the first time can be very daunting be a daunting experience but knowing the process can help put at ease a lot of those fears. Concept Spaces Lettings Agency can help with every step of the way from finding your perfect home to getting you moved in. 

Step 1: Decide on Your Budget and Area

One of the most important things about renting a property in London is to narrow down where you want to live and areas that are of interest to you.

Most often than not, your budget and requirements will dictate where you will end up living. What you can afford and what you want are two separate things. To try and find a two bedroom flat in Notting Hill in £300 per week with two bathrooms, and private garden on a tree lined street is simply not going to happen.

You will very quickly realise that you will need to have realistic expectations and difficult compromises will have to be made.  
 


Step 2: Be Clear on When You Need to Move

Having a clear idea about when you need to move by will help save you time.

There is no point in looking at properties available today if you are looking to move in a month. The property will be let before then and your offer will not be accepted unless you are prepared to pay for rent in the interim period. If you know when your contract comes to an end, then its pretty clear when you want to move by.

However, if you are in a periodic agreement where your landlord requires a months’ notice then you will want to look for properties coming available in a months time. This can cause a logistical problem. Not only are you now looking for the right property in the right budget but it has to come available when you move out of yours. Again you may have to compromise and pay one weeks of rent in two places. 
 


Step 3: Register Your Interest

London is a big city with people who are constantly on the move. As a result the rental market is fast moving. Properties advertised in the day can be let by evening. The best properties can be let to registered applicants before they are even advertised. Click Here to register your details.  
 


Step 4: Consider a Managed Property

Renting unmanaged flats means that you will have to deal directly with your landlord for any maintenance issues and any emergencies. Not all landlords are easy to get in touch with or knowledgeable on how to get things fixed quickly. 

Increasingly, prospective tenants are looking to rent fully managed properties as busy individuals want complete peace of mind. Renting a managed property has the benefit of you having a dedicated Property Manager to handle any day to day maintenance issues, a 24 hour emergency line should you have a immediate need for a plumber, for example and a the knowledge that your property meets Gas safety, Electrical Safety, and Furniture and Furnishings regulation.
 


Step 5: Viewings
 
Viewings can be a very tiring but exciting affair. In order to avoid disappointment where you know a property is available it is best to arrange an early viewing.

In any given day one can only do approximately 10 viewings from 10am until 6pm. Remember its time consuming to get around London, and you have to also spend time looking at the property without rushing yourself. Therefore, most people will take time off work to do as many viewings as possible to make an informed decision before putting offers forward. 

We can either meet you at the property or chauffeur you to your viewings. We do viewings anywhere between 10am – 7pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 2 pm on Saturdays. However, we understand everyone’s situation is different and if required we can, for a small fee, arrange viewings outside our opening hours where necessary. 
 


Step 6: Making an Offer

Once you have found something you like, there is no time to waste. In the first instance, we take verbal offers and put them to the landlord which include any conditions such as furniture requirements, maintenance issues, when you would be looking to start your tenancy and monthly rental. If the landlord is happy to proceed we request you put the offer down in writing.

Make sure that in your written offer you:

1. Fill in amount per week.
2. Put in the correct property address.
3. Put your move-in date.
4. List any special conditions – including any maintenance issues, additional furniture, removal of furniture, pets, children.
5. Your vocation and annual salary.

We then communicate this offer to the Landlord.

N.B Please note that once an offer has agreed it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to change any conditions such as requesting additional furniture, or removal thereof, painting, changing move in date etc. Any conditions need to be agreed before in line with the offer.



Step 7: Offer Accepted

When your ofer is accepted we will need to collect from you:

1. Holding deposit to take the property off the market and proceed.  
2. Reference forms.
3. Arrange all tenancy related documents in line with any condition.
4. Collect your move in monies = One month of rent in advance + Agreed Deposit. This will have to show as "cleared" monies in our account before we can hand over the keys.

 
Step 8: Getting Your Property Ready for Move In

What an agent does to get the property ready before the tenants move in depends if the property is managed or unmanaged. However, we will always advise the landlord on unmanaged properties to either instruct us or to arrange themselves. How fast or slow we go will sometimes depend entirely on the landlord and third party contractors.

1. A third party professional inventory clerk will prepare an inventory and meter reads.
2. The property will be professionally cleaned, if the property has not been professionally cleaned by previous tenants.
3. The property will have a valid gas certificate and the boiler has been serviced.
4. All furniture will meet fire safety standards.
5. All fire alarms must be working.
6. Property will be in line with pre-agreed conditions.
7. Manuals for appliances are left at the property.
8. Keys will be made ready for pick up.

Step 9: Completion

On completion you will be given a full set of keys. Where the property is managed you will be provided with details of your property manager, and emergency numbers.

Congratulations! You are now ready to move into your new home.