First time renting, what are the main pitfalls and what questions to ask?

Wanderer2010

Hi there, Im looking to rent an apartment soon and have had a few viewings by now so I kind of know what appeals to me and what doesnt but I dont want to come across as green to the landlord/agency and up to now I have only been asking the standard questions like "are the bins included, whats the heating, do you take rent allowance" etc but I feel there are probably more intelligent and probing questions to ask which would reveal a lot more about a property.

Calling all seasoned renters, what kind of questions are the best to ask/not ask when looking for a decent apartment to rent? I know you get good and bad properties everywhere and I dont expect the first place to be my last place but any advice on things to watch out for would be much appreciated in terms of extra expenses, anti social complaints, energy ratings and so on.

Thanks!

murphaph

As a first time renter are you sure you are eligible for rent supplement? Normally you have to have been paying the rent from your own means for at least 6 months before you can apply. If you don't need rent supplement then under no circumstances should you ask a LL about taking it as you will be crossed off most of our lists straight away I'm afraid, certainly in the higher demand urban areas anyway.

Wanderer2010

murphaph wrote: »

As a first time renter are you sure you are eligible for rent supplement? Normally you have to have been paying the rent from your own means for at least 6 months before you can apply. If you don't need rent supplement then under no circumstances should you ask a LL about taking it as you will be crossed off most of our lists straight away I'm afraid, certainly in the higher demand urban areas anyway.

Im working full time so I wouldnt be eligible for it. What I meant was I ask how many people in the building/block are on rent allowance as due to a high volume of scum claiming the allowance the last thing I want is to come home after a hard days work and listen to Mister and Mrs Lazy degenerate upstairs playing music until 3am and slamming doors.

Wanderer2010

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Im working full time so I wouldnt be eligible for it. What I meant was I ask how many people in the building/block are on rent allowance as due to a high volume of scum claiming the allowance the last thing I want is to come home after a hard days work and listen to Mister and Mrs Lazy degenerate upstairs playing music until 3am and slamming doors.

Jesus!

Eldarion

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Im working full time so I wouldnt be eligible for it. What I meant was I ask how many people in the building/block are on rent allowance as due to a high volume of scum claiming the allowance the last thing I want is to come home after a hard days work and listen to Mister and Mrs Lazy degenerate upstairs playing music until 3am and slamming doors.

WOW, this one needs to be framed or something. I was going to advise but I can't possibly do it in good conscience after that haha.

whippet

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Im working full time so I wouldnt be eligible for it. What I meant was I ask how many people in the building/block are on rent allowance as due to a high volume of scum claiming the allowance the last thing I want is to come home after a hard days work and listen to Mister and Mrs Lazy degenerate upstairs playing music until 3am and slamming doors.

Best of luck with that !!!

keeponhurling

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Im working full time so I wouldnt be eligible for it. What I meant was I ask how many people in the building/block are on rent allowance as due to a high volume of scum claiming the allowance the last thing I want is to come home after a hard days work and listen to Mister and Mrs Lazy degenerate upstairs playing music until 3am and slamming doors.

Just ask the landlord directly, "So, is there much scum in this area/building?","Do you see many wearing track suits around here ?" etc.

The_Conductor

Calling social welfare recipients 'scum' is not acceptable.

Regards,

The_Conductor

Wanderer2010

^ I really resent getting a warning for my earlier comment and would like this to be removed. The fact is, although my use of the word scum probably wasnt the most clever, there are lots of tenants on rent allowance who are troublemakers, having very loud parties, slamming doors and being a nuisance etc. Its a valid question for a working person to ask when renting a property due to the high amount of undesirables on rent allowance. Not all of them but enough to want to protect yourself in your new home.

As a matter of fact, the very FIRST thing the agent said to me at my last viewing was "Hi, you will love this flat, and although we tried it for a while, we are now refusing any rent allowance tenants", so already he got the point in before I could ask, which means its clearly an issue. Im not for a moment saying all people on rent allowance are bad but to be given a warning for something which is common knowledge and which is said by a lot of agents before you even view the property is profoundly unfair.

Sun in Capri

Wow indeed..............

Plenty of people who work and rent who cause mayhem for neighbours and landlords.

The_Conductor

Wanderer- I only gave you a warning- normally you'd earn an infraction for making comments like that- it was a slap on the wrist, nothing more.
If you're still not happy- there is a dispute resolution process detailed here

You cannot tar an entire group of people- based on the actions of a few- and to apply such a derogatory label to them is not acceptable. I 100% most certainly am not reconsidering the warning I issued to you, as you are wholly unapologetic for your stance.

Regards,

The_Conductor