Student - House Hunting Checklist
House hunting checklist
Use our house hunting checklist as a basic guide to help you research your new property.
1. Money
- Can you afford it? Do the rental payments coincide with your student loans?
- Is there a holding fee and how does it work?
- What’s included in the rent and is it clear from your tenancy agreement?
- How much will it cost to heat the house?
- Holding deposit - what is it for and is it refundable?
- Get a receipt for any money paid
2. Inside the house
- Do the bedroom sizes meet your needs? If you are going to be sharing, is every one of you happy with all of the bedrooms?
- Are there curtains in the bedrooms? Are they lined or thick enough?
- Is the interior of the property well maintained and are there any signs of damp or mould?
- Is there enough furniture for the occupants and is it all in good condition?
- Does any of the furniture belong to existing tenants and therefore won’t be there when you move in?
- Check whether the furniture / soft furnishings meet with fire regulations where relevant
- Is there sufficient space in the kitchen to store and prepare food?
- Is the fridge/freezer big enough?
- What sort of heating is it and is it adequate to heat the size of property and rooms so it will be warm enough in winter?
3. Outside the property
- Does the house/garden look well maintained?
- Who is responsible for keeping the garden well maintained and clear of rubbish?
4. Safety and Security
- Is a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate displayed for the gas appliances in the property?
- Is there a copy of the Electrical Certificate?
- Are there smoke detectors?
- Is the house secure? Are the external doors solid with adequate locks and no cracked window panes?
- Does the property have a current HMO Licence for the number of people seeking to share the property? Ask to see a copy of the tenancy agreement and if in any doubt seek advice from Warwick Students’ Union
- Ask the landlord if the property is in a flood risk area. You can also sign up to Flood risk alertsLink opens in a new window
5. Agreements
- Have you been given a copy of the tenancy agreement, and at least 24 hours to read it and seek advice?
- If you have agreed anything verbally with the landlord, for example: additional furniture, repairs, dates to pay rent; please make sure you get written confirmation (preferably in the agreement) with the landlord’s signature
6. Housemates
- Think before you choose your housemates. On occasion we find when students sign too early they sometimes fall out and no longer want to live together