Renting a flat — what to check before you sign

With renting, unlike buying, a mistake is not paid for once — it is paid every month for as long as the contract runs. The most expensive problems come from things that could have been settled in five minutes during the viewing.

Before the viewing

• Ask what the utility bills come to in a winter month, not on average. The gap between a flat with central heating and one heated only by electricity can exceed the difference in rent.
• Check whether the advertised price includes utilities, internet and building maintenance.
• Ask who owns the flat, whether you are dealing with the owner or an agent, and what the agent's commission is.
• Ask how long a contract is expected and whether it can be extended.

What to check on site

• Damp: look at the corners of external walls, behind furniture and in the bathroom. A single freshly painted patch is a reason to ask what was there.
• Windows: open and close every one. A draught in winter is a cost you pay, not the owner.
• Water: run the tap and the shower at the same time and check pressure and hot water.
• Heating: ask to be shown how it works and what the bill comes to.
• Electrics: check there are enough sockets where you need them and whether the fuse box is ancient.
• Noise: if you can, walk past the building in the evening too. Quiet in the afternoon means nothing.

Photograph everything that is already damaged before you move in and send the photos to the owner in a dated message. It is the only deposit protection that reliably works.

The contract

A verbal agreement exists, but it will not help you in a dispute. A written contract protects both sides and is not a sign of distrust — it is a normal part of the transaction.

• The rent and the exact payment date each month.
• The deposit amount and the conditions under which it is returned.
• Who pays for what: rent, utilities, building maintenance, repairs.
• The length of the contract and the notice period for both sides.
• Who covers faults in the plumbing, wiring and appliances — normally the owner, but write it down.
• A list of the furniture and appliances that stay in the flat.

The deposit

One month's rent is standard. What usually causes disputes is not the amount but what counts as normal wear. Settle that in advance: faded paint after two years is normal wear, a broken door is not.

Warning signs

• Being asked for a deposit or a "reservation" before you have seen the flat in person — in classified ads this is almost always a scam.
• An owner who refuses a written contract.
• A price far below the market for that location, combined with pressure to decide immediately.
• Refusal to show you the utility bills.
• Someone who cannot prove they own the flat or are authorised to let it.

If anything in the conversation is pushing you to hurry, that alone is reason to pause. A flat genuinely available at a fair price will still be there tomorrow.