Check the landlord is registered with Rent Smart Wales
All properties are required to be registered with Rent Smart Wales, by law, in order to protect tenants. You can check if your landlord/house is registered here.
Check that you have been provided with a copy of your contract
Landlords/agents usually provide one copy of a Standard Occupation Contract to the lead tenant. You should make sure you have this along with copies of any other documentation.
Check that the landlord/agency has protected your deposit
All deposits are required to be protected by a Deposit Protection Scheme by law.
Check that the property has an HMO License if it needs one.
Most shared student houses in Cardiff are deemed as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO's). HMOs have additional Licensing, Safety and Amenity Standards, checked and enforced by SRS. These include minimum requirements for bathroom and kitchen facilities, room size, fire protection and security.
Make sure you have a copy of the Required documents and information
- a contact address for your landlord
- information about the deposit protection scheme used by your landlord if you have paid a deposit
- a copy of the annual gas safety check dated within the last 5 years
- an electrical installation condition report dated within the last 5 years
- an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) dated within the last 10 years
If the above have not been provided, contact your landlord or lettings agent to request them.
Collect your keys on time and organise this in advance
Landlords and agencies vary in their key collection protocol, so call ahead and check. Make sure you know when the keys are available to collect - some require a ‘booking’ system and some allow you to just turn up whenever you are available. Some also require one person to collect all keys and distribute them to tenants. Make sure you know that you can collect your keys before you travel, and that the landlord/agency will be open or available when you arrive.
Check the inventory and take your time with it
Most landlords/agents will supply an inventory – a paper list of everything in the house, noting the condition of it. If they do not, you should create your own and hand it in. The Inventory is a record of the items in the property and the condition. It is really important that this is accurate so that you are not charged for damage that you are not responsible for. It is also important to check that all appliances and locks work. Report any defects by email immediately.
Take photos of everything
Before you move any possessions in, take pictures of EVERYTHING. Focus on the flaws – anything which is broken, or imperfect, like marks on the walls, scuffs on the sofa, damage to furniture, or dirty seals around the kitchen or bathroom. Try and get the photos as high resolution as possible. When you’re done, email the photographs to the landlord/agent as proof of how the house looked when you arrived.