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Social media forums, particularly Facebook groups, are awash with requests for advice on how to secure a rental in the UK.
This all stems from South Africans who are increasingly finding it difficult to secure a rental property, particularly in the most desired of towns and cities.
The UK rental market has always been a competitive one, but with interest rates going up and landlords trying to pass on the costs of their mortgages to their renters it’s become even more hotly contested and very expensive. In some cases, newcomers to the UK are being priced out of the most desired locations.
So, what’s the solution? Here, Tabitha Cumming, a property expert from The Lease Extension Company offers some tips on how to get ahead of other bidders keen on the same property:
Build a relationship with a letting agent
Registering with letting agents can be done swiftly online, but if you build a meaningful relationship with them you’re more likely to be top of mind when a property becomes available.
‘Try not to just look online and visit the letting agent’s physical location to view what’s available. They are trying to ensure that they have a good tenant at the property and could even call you before a property is listed if they know that you’re looking for similar places,’ says Cumming.
Be open to options
Following your decision to move abroad you may have a preference in mind about where you would like to live. This may be a nice leafy suburb next to a good school and close to the major commuter lines. But if properties in your desired location get snapped up quickly you may need to be more flexible with your preferences.
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‘Despite how you may love where you live or it may be close to where you work, keeping your options open when it comes to location could help you to find a property quicker, and potentially cheaper. If you are worried about being too far away from things that are important (e.g. work, family), try searching by travel time and investigate nearby transport links,’ says Cumming.
Act quickly
Be ready to pounce at a moment’s notice when an opportunity becomes available. It may be tough to do this while you’re working full time so if you are serious about your property hunt try and take some time off to do a more intensive focus on the endeavour.
‘You should also be available to view properties straightaway and be ready to put in an offer. Consider signing up to email alerts with local letting agents to find out first about properties near you,’ says Cumming.
Be prepared to sign up for longer
The longer your contract is the more appealing you will come across and, of course, the better it will be for your landlord too. ‘Be as flexible as you can with the terms of your offer, as this will make you more attractive than other potential renters,’ says Cumming.
Offer an incentive
‘You can make yourself stand out from the competition by offering to pay a larger deposit or several months of rent upfront,’ advises Cumming.
It’s a good idea to offer this kind of incentive if you have a bad credit score, for instance. ‘Paying or offering extra rent in advance will help to reassure a landlord about the rise of missed payments,’ says Cumming.
Ultimately, the key to securing the rental property of your dreams is to be flexible and ready at a moment’s notice. ‘You will be able to secure a property much quicker if you have all your documents ready that prove you are allowed to reside in the UK. Letting agents and private landlords are legally required to check the immigration status of all individuals who will be leaving in the property. This is known as the “Right to Rent” check and it must be carried out before your tenancy begins,’ warns Cumming.
Don’t forget to bring along your passport and any residence documents as evidence that you have the right to live and work in the UK – whether that be permanently or temporarily. ‘You can also prove you have the right to rent if you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme or a biometric residence card or permit. If your documents are currently with the Home Office, the landlord should be able to still check your right to rent on the government website or via the dedicated helpline,’ points out Cumming.
