Letting agent’s top tips for tenants when searching for their next home with or without a pet…
Edinburgh is such a desirable city to live in. It offers a great standard of living with an attractive balance of city center living and access to outdoor green spaces. In some cases, a short walk from your doorstep can mean escaping to Arthur Seat and returning to the Royal Mile for coffee and cake. At More Management & Lettings, we know and understand how hard it can be to find your new home in such a competitive market, and it can be made even harder if you are searching remotely or with a pet.
If you have rented before you should have a good understanding of what is likely to be asked of you, however, we know that letting agencies can work in weird and mysterious ways, and often customer service is not a priority. All too often, it is a difficult task to speak to someone, or even get a response to your email. Word of advice, for landlords & tenants, this difficult initial interaction suggests warning signs for a future tricky relationship. Understandably though, as a tenant trying desperately to find your next home, it can be hard to turn away if this particular agency is advertising a property that you are excited about. Experience tells us though that there will be other property opportunities.
Over the years, we have helped many tenants find their homes in Edinburgh successfully, without hassle or stress, which you can read in our Google reviews. We take pleasure in helping others therefore, with this in mind, we decided to share our advice with some key tips to help those planning a move or are currently trying to find accommodation in Edinburgh. We are sure that following the below makes the difference to set you apart from the pack.
Be Proactive – Have your references ready
Send all that are applicable to your own circumstances, with your completed tenancy application.
- PHOTOGRAPHIC ID – Copy of passport
- LANDLORD REFERENCE – In the form of an official letter/email from your most recent agency/private landlord.
- EMPLOYER REFERENCE (if applicable) – Your present or new employer giving details of your position, length of service, income, and security of employment.
- PROOF OF CURRENT ADDRESS – Proof of residence at your current address; this should be no more than 4 months old and preferably from the following: Utility bill, Council Tax Bill, or Credit Card Statement.
- CREDIT CHECK (UK only) – A copy of the full report and score from a reputable provider – e.g. Experian or Equifax are free providers.
- Students/Post Grads/Ph.D. must also provide copies of MATRICULATION CARD, COLLEGE, or UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE LETTER, and DETAILS OF STUDENT LOANS/BURSARY OR Ph.D.. INCOME
- Guarantor – depending on your circumstances this may be required, and in most cases UK-based only, each guarantor would need to provide points 1,3,4 & 5 above. Please note that guarantors must also sign the tenancy agreement.
- Immigration/Visa – Non-UK & Ireland citizens will most likely require a visa. Have your Visa/immigration paperwork available. Visa information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa or https://www.scotland.org/about-scotland/visa-and-immigration
Personalize your application
Assume that your application is one of many applications that will be assessed for the new tenancy. Personalize your application by sending a short bio about yourself and others you will live with, and why you are moving to Edinburgh. For joint tenancies, make sure each tenant completes a bio or creates a joint bio. Providing this gives a more identifiable, in-depth insight into your application, which will help provide extra reassurance towards being a reliable, responsible, and considerate tenant(s).
Tenants with Pets
Renting with a pet is an added complication to your property search. Often landlords are reluctant to be ‘pet friendly’ because of a bad experience. In reality, you are reliant on the agent/landlord being willing to fully understand your circumstances by asking the right questions, and then help by proactively matching you to the right property/landlord. Thankfully, there are many landlords who will be willing to welcome your adored animals, however finding the right landlord is no easy task. Make it really easy and efficient for the letting agent & landlord to get a feel for your pet(s) and how you care for them. Write a short bio and include some images detailing things like whether or not the pet is left alone in the home, and what you do if you do leave the pet alone. For example, you may place your pet into a crate as they feel more comfortable. This will help to convey a better picture of being a responsible pet owner. If you have rented with your pet previously, make sure that your agent or landlord makes specific mention in your landlord reference to how your tenancy was conducted and what impact your pet had, if any. You may also be asked to pay a slightly higher deposit and/or agree to some specific terms for the end of tenancy, such as professional cleaning of carpets/soft furnishings.
As a last word of advice. We are disappointed to learn that there have been instances where tenants, out of desperation we presume, are offering higher rates than the advertised rent. This is something that we feel should be avoided and any reputable agent or landlord should not agree to. This is not a fair reflection of the market, as a company we strongly advise against anyone capitalizing from vulnerable or desperate people who are simply trying to find a new home.
We hope that the above will help you present a more memorable application that will get you the edge and success in securing a property. Speaking as an experienced letting agent, we know the above makes a difference to us.
All the best with your property search, we hope to see you at your next viewing.
