Renting a Room

If you think that maybe an apartment all to yourself is both excessive and a little expensive, then perhaps you would like to consider renting a room in shared accommodation. These are not normally available through letting agents so alternative sources must be used.

Looking for a room

The best place to start your search is the local newspaper as listings are regularly updated. Some local newspapers are free whilst others can be purchased at newsagents. These papers are published on a weekly basis, generally on a Friday.

Alternatively there are many house sharing websites on the internet. These vary in their usefulness and the services that they provide. Most of them require some form of registration. When registering it is worth considering how the website will use the contact details you provide. Many of them will email updates to you unless specifically told not to.

www.spareroom.co.uk is a useful site which allows you to search for available rooms by area. Details can be viewed without registration however if you wish to get in contact with the advertiser you must register with the site which is free. 

Another useful site is www.flatmateclick.co.uk. Profiles are very detailed but only a small number can be viewed without registration. If you decide to register your profile will be uploaded to the website for other members to view. Once registered you can view unlimited profiles and use search engines to find the best available matches.

Once basic details have been exchanged the next step is generally a face-to-face interview with the landlord. These will generally take place at evenings or weekends around the work schedule of those involved. Try to arrange the meeting at a time when you can meet all of the other occupants. Its important to get a feeling for the general atmosphere of the property and whether you are likely to get on with your fellow sharers.

Questions to ask

Below are some questions you may like to ask the current tenants or landlord. Not all of these questions will be appropriate for your situation, you may wish to just ask a few of these. Don't be afraid to ask about anything you feel is important, it is much easier to identify a potential problem at this stage rather at a later date when you may already have committed yourself.

• Who owns the property?

  If the current tenants rent the property from a live-out landlord then check that the tenancy agreement allows for a change of tenant. This may be considered as sub-letting and can be specifically disallowed by some tenancy agreements.

• Does the rental include utilities, council tax and phone bills?

  If these are not included, as is often the case with the telephone bill, how are these dealt with?

• Does the property have a source of broadband internet and how can you access this?

The majority of properties for rent in the UK will have an internet connection however it is important to understand how you can link your computer equipment to the service e.g. is the connection wired or wireless and is signal available in your bedroom?

• Are any other household expenses shared?

  Some households will purchase basic groceries, such as milk or bread, or cleaning products as a group. This information can help you to budget for household expenses.

• How are household tasks, such as cleaning, shared?
• Is smoking allowed by the landlord/ current tenants and in what areas?

  Often smokers will agree not to smoke inside the property or in certain rooms as a courtesy to other tenants, even if smoking is allowed by the landlord.

• What is the relationship with the landlord like?

  If the landlord/owner does not live in the property, it is useful to know what kind of relationship the current tenants have with him or her. Some landlords will deal directly and informally with tenants or alternatively there may be a management company to deal with any queries. Particularly important is ease of contact in the case of an emergency, for example a burst pipe or a broken washing machine, and the speed with which problems are resolved.

• Are pets allowed by the landlord?

  Are there currently any pets at the property? Have pets previously lived at the property?

• How do you like to socialise within and outside the house?

  If you are joining an established household it is useful to know if the current occupants socialise much within the flat, for example, is an average evening spent quietly watching television or should you expect lots of visitors. It is unlikely that other tenants will change the way they socialise to suit you so it is important to feel happy about this.

• What are you looking for in a tenant/flatmate?

  Don't forget that this interview is a two-way process, both parties need to feel happy that they are suited to sharing so it is useful to know what the current occupants expect of you.

The next step

Once you have found a suitable place to live you will need to come to an agreement regarding the terms of your tenancy. Exactly how this is done varies greatly, from an informal spoken agreement to a signed tenancy agreement.

If you are happy to proceed without a tenancy agreement, make sure that you have discussed everything that you feel is important. Don't be afraid to ask for written clarification of key points if it makes you feel more secure. The most important terms to agree on are those regarding money and the length of your stay.

If you are asked to sign a tenancy agreement, make sure that you read it thoroughly and agree with all the terms it contains. A basic guide to tenancy agreements can be found here. Once you sign such a document it becomes legally binding so you may wish to take advice before you do so.

Hopefully at this point you will have agreed terms and be ready to move into your new home. Enjoy!

3.1.1.5 - v1.0