Sample: How to check a rental before you pay
A sample guide with sections, boxes, a table and steps, for previewing the new blog layout.
Paying a deposit on a flat you have only seen in photos is how most rental losses start. This sample guide walks through the checks that matter, in the order you would do them.
Before you view
Start with the listing itself. A real listing names the street, shows the rooms in daylight and gives a price that sits near the area's going rate.
- Search the photos online to see if they appear on other listings.
- Ask for the landlord's full name, then ask the agent for the same name separately.
- Note the price and compare it with three similar homes nearby.
At the viewing
Go in person, or send someone you trust. Use the visit to test what the listing promised.
Checking who owns it
Ownership papers come in a few forms. Ask which one the landlord holds and check it at the land registry.
Document | What it shows |
|---|---|
Certificate of Occupancy | The state recognises the owner's right to the land. |
Deed of Assignment | The land passed from a previous owner to this one. |
Survey plan | Where the plot sits and how big it is. |
Paying safely
Only pay once the checks above are done, and pay in a way that leaves a record.
- Sign a tenancy agreement that names the rent, the term and the deposit.
- Pay into an account in the landlord's or the agency's name, never a third party.
- Get a receipt that carries the property address and the date.
If something goes wrong
Keep every message and receipt. Report the listing to the platform it came from, and report the loss to the police with your records.
