When you have found a suitable property and are thinking about signing a tenancy agreement you should check the following;

• How much you will be expected to pay upfront
• That you fully understand the terms and conditions of the contract
• That the deposit will be protected in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme (*see below for further details)

You should also ensure that you are provided with the following;

• Receipts of all financial transactions
• A copy of the signed contract
• The name and address of the landlord/letting agent
• Written confirmation of any verbal agreements
• A list of contents, also known as an itinerary

NB It is your responsibility to return the property in the same condition as when it was let to you, allowing for fair wear and tear. When moving in it is a good idea to record the condition of the property, taking photographs of any existing damage.

Once you have found somewhere you will usually be asked to sign a tenancy agreement. The following information should be included;

• Name and address of the landlord or letting agent
• The dates of the fixed tenancy
• The amount of rent payable and the date on each month that it should be paid
• Your responsibilities as a tenant (ie you must not damage property, annoy the neighbours etc)

IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT AN AGREEMENT IN ANY WAY DO NOT SIGN IT. SEEK ADVICE FROM THE STUDENT SUPPORT OFFICE.

You should make sure that you are clear about the period of notice on any contract you sign. Notice periods are usually one or two months.

Some contracts may have a break clause in them that allows you to terminate your contract early. For example a twelve month contract may have a break clause after six months, meaning that you can give notice after this point.

NB. If you do not have a break clause in your agreement and you try to leave early you may lose money.

You will usually have to pay a deposit to cover any possible damage to the property or breeches of contract. It is usually the equivalent of six weeks rent.

However for international students this can be considerably more. See our section on deposits for international students.

Provided that you have kept to your tenancy agreement the deposit should be returned to you in full once you have vacated the property and an inspection has taken place.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

In order to safeguard your deposit you should ensure that your landlord or letting agent puts your deposit into a Tenancy Deposit Scheme - TDS (this was made a legal requirement in April 2007).

Information on Tenancy Deposit Schemes can be found on the Shelter website.

Once you move into your property, your landlord or letting agent should supply you with the following information on how your deposit is being protected within 14 days;

• The contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme
• The contact details of the landlord or letting agent
• How to apply for release of the deposit, and
• What to do if there is a dispute of the deposit.

If you do not get this information you should request it from your landlord or letting agent. If they still refuse to give you this information you can apply to your local county court to either get the deposit paid back or make your landlord/letting agent put the deposit in one of the scheme.

The Student Support Office can provide further advice about the tenancy deposit scheme or any other issues to do with deposits.

Unfortunately students can experience difficulties when renting accommodation. The types of problems students encounter include;

• Disputes in getting deposits back
• Problems with landlords (ie not carrying out essential maintanence work)
• Mice or other pests
• Noisy neighbours or noise complaints

If you encounter any of the above, or have any other difficulties you may wish to seek expert advice as to what are you rights as a tenant. The following organisation will be able to assist;

Shelter

Citizens Advice Bureau

Queen Mary's Legal Advice Centre

Information and advice can also be found on the Directgov website.