Ten Top Tips for Renting in Glasgow for the first time

Photo: New Building With property prices in the West End of Glasgow being so high; many first time buyers have difficulties getting into the property market and onto that all important ladder. Renting is now becoming more popular as it?s just so hard to buy a house for the first time now; renters are renting for longer periods of time and the average age of the first time buyer has shot up to 30 plus. Read on to see the top ten tips for renting a flat for the first time in Glasgow.

  1. As you can imagine, the location of your first flat in Glasgow is paramount and the location will affect the price of the flat that you are looking to rent. If you want to be in the city Centre then you can expect to pay an extremely high monthly rent. You may be looking for transport links, nightlife and also low crime rates; these are all important factors to price and to the quality of the first flat you will rent. There will be guides in local estate agents and on the internet to different areas, so make sure you check these out.
  2. When looking for your first Glasgow flat you need to think about the price of the flat per month; not only this but you will have to factor in all utility bills, food and any other luxuries such as digital television, furniture etc. Get a budget and stick to it; otherwise you may find yourself in trouble.
  3. IF you decide to share then you need to make sure you choose who you?re going to live with very carefully. You will not feel comfortable with people you don?t like so it?s always best to meet up first before deciding on whether to move in.
  4. To find your perfect accommodation sign up with letting agents to receive regular updates and information; you could look online to search for flats and make sure you get all the local advertising newspapers for any rental listings in there.
  5. When you?re going to view your first flat in Glasgow then it may be advised to take someone with you; someone who can be objective and see any flats in the building or the area. Look for structural problems, damp and such like. If any work is needed then make it go into the contract that you want the work doing before you actually move in; otherwise you may be waiting a while and living in a building that needs serious repairs.
  6. When you writing your budget; you also need to include any deposits or fees you may have to pay before you move. The deposit is usually around 2 months? rent and is refundable should you move out at a later date. Under new and recent law; the landlord has to put the money into a tenancy deposit scheme; this is to ensure safety and security on both sides. Remember that you might have to pay a credit search fee before your application is taken on.
  7. Always check the small print in any contract that you sign; how long your tenancy is, how much notice is needed and what bills you?re needed to pay.
  8. Write an inventory when you move into your first Glasgow flat; showing exactly what was in it when you took it over and if you see any damage or any repairs needed ; take photographs with the dates on them and keep them safe, this may be needed if the landlord tries to say you did the damage.
  9. Make sure you know all the laws and the rules where your first flat is concerned; you need to know what the landlord is capable of doing under law and what you should be expecting from them.
  10. If you?re thinking of taking that next step and buying your first property then go back to your local estate agency and take it from there.

Good luck!

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