Letting & renting

For landlords

• Set the rent on evidence: what similar homes nearby actually let for, not the highest asking rent online.
• Screen properly: credit check, affordability (rent of no more than about a third of income), employment and previous landlord references.
• A written lease that sets out the rent, escalation, deposit, who maintains what, and the notice periods.
• The deposit must be kept in an interest-bearing account, with the interest going to the tenant, under the Rental Housing Act.
• Joint inspections at move-in and move-out, with photographs, so any deduction from the deposit can be shown.

We offer tenant placement and ongoing management. See our rental services.

For tenants

• Have your documents ready: ID, three months' payslips and bank statements, and a reference from your current landlord. Good homes let quickly.
• Read the lease: escalation, what you are responsible for, pets, and the notice period.
• At move-in, list every defect in writing with photographs. It protects your deposit.
• Ending a fixed-term lease early: under the Consumer Protection Act you can usually cancel with 20 business days' notice, but the landlord may charge a reasonable cancellation penalty.

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