First-Time Renters: What To Know Before You Rent

Move-In Day: HomeHaks Top Tips On Ways To Help Your New Tenants

Moving out of home is one of the biggest life changes you’ll ever experience. It’s stressful, exciting and can be overwhelming at times.

 

First-Time Renters: What To Know Before You Rent
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We’ve all heard horror stories about first time renters making mistakes that cost them dearly. Whether it’s not having a good understanding of your rights as a tenant or falling prey to scam rental advertisers looking to make a quick buck, there are plenty of pitfalls waiting for you!

 

That’s where our tips come in handy. Moving out involves a lot of organisation, especially for first-time renters. We will walk you through everything from finding the right place to live, how to manage finances and what to watch out for when signing a contract.

 

Location

Location, location. Where you want to live, work, or study has a big impact on your location preferences for the rental search process.

 

When thinking about where to live, don’t just focus on the things you need in an apartment or house; think about what’s around too and how that may impact your commute time. Is there public transportation or cycle routes nearby? How far away are the supermarkets and services? What kind of gym options do locals have at their disposal? These are important questions since they can totally change how much fun living there would be day after day!

Rent Cost

You may already have an idea of how much you would like to spend on rent. There is a general rule of thumb to spend 30% of your annual income on rent. That said, it’s not entirely applicable to everyone. For example, someone who earns €100,000 may not want to spend €30,000 on their rent. Similarly, if you are on a lower salary it might not be feasible to put 30% of that towards rent.

 

Analyse your financial situation for starters, and ask yourself what you can afford. It also doesn’t hurt to compare rent prices with your friends. See what they put towards rent and use that as a guide!

 

Budgeting

When preparing to rent for the first time, it’s important to embrace the concept of budgeting ASAP. It’s unavoidable, but in the long run it’s the best thing we can do to feel financially secure! Setting up a budget is essential for any tenant. Make a list of monthly expenses/regular bills and set aside a personal allowance.

 

This may be the first time that you’re paying the bills yourself, so it’s important to know what they will cost ahead of time to save yourself any worry. Using a rent/ budget calculator is a great way to start figuring out your expenses.

 

Gas, Electricity and Bin Collection

Gas/electricity should come as no surprise since these things exist in every home. Depending on the setup, you may need to register the bin collection unless the landlord has done it for you.

 

If you have no idea what the bills are going to be like, try getting an estimate on sites like Bonkers.ie which compares different suppliers’ rates. These utilities are then shared between all housemates in the house, sometimes monthly or every other month. You can also ask your friends/family what they usually

 

Broadband

Other necessities may include broadband internet service, especially if you’re now working from home! Sometimes broadband may require installation at an additional fee depending on the supplier and/or location restrictions. When choosing how much broadband you’ll need, take into account how many people will be using it.

 

Some areas cannot support every provider, which may affect your budget plan. Talk this over with your landlord if possible – they might already know about some hidden costs or previous issues!

Reading the Contract

You may be racing to put your name on the dotted line, but it’s essential that you read through your contract carefully before signing anything. One thing to keep an eye out for is what type of tenancy agreement you are committing to. It will normally be a fixed-term tenancy or a periodic tenancy.

 

Fixed-term, as the name suggests, refers to a fixed period usually about 6-12 months minimum. A periodic tenancy does not have a fixed length of time. There is lots of information about these agreements which can be read about in detail here.

First-Time Renters: What To Know Before You Rent
Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

RTB

In Ireland, all private residential properties must be registered with the RTB. The Residential Tenancies Board provides a dispute resolution service to protect both landlords and tenants. They provide “high-quality information and assistance to the public, tenants and landlords on their rights and responsibilities“. It’s advised that first-time renters check that their property has been registered so that your rights are protected.

 

Pet Policies

Depending on the property, it may or may not be permitted to bring pets on site. If you don’t come across any explicit pet policies, just ask the landlord what their feelings are about it!

 

Applying Without a Rental History

Don’t let a lack of a rental history hold you back. Everyone has to start out somewhere! First-time renters can still include character references as part of their application. This helps to establish how reliable you are, and how you will treat another person’s property!

 

Find references from people willing to vouch for you such as previous employers, colleagues, even school principals! The idea is to find someone who knows you well and will speak highly of you.

 

HomeHak Services for first-time renters

Moving out for first-time renters is an exciting adventure, and soon you’ll be obsessing over how to decorate and fill it to make it your own. With a bit of self-determination and positive action you will absolutely find something you love! To do this you just need to express to the landlord that you would be the perfect tenant, i.e., someone reliable, responsible, and punctual.

 

Homehak, a tool for tenants and landlords alike, is a great way to express these traits. With Homehak’s help you can create a Tenant CV that contains all the information a landlord would ever need from you, so they don’t have to search around themselves or get short on time. This makes life easier not only for landlords but also applicants who are trying their best to impress them!

6 Reasons to Use A Tenant CV

landlord signing agreement

Struggling to find a home in today’s competitive rental market? In this guide, we will show you why using a Tenant CV will give your a competitive edge over other applicants.

 

Finding a new home can be as important as scoring your dream job. It’s your base where you go to unwind, recharge your batteries and steel yourself to take on the world outside. Your home is your sanctuary where you should feel safe and where memories are made and shared. It is a representation of you. You deserve a big say in where you are going to live! So how can you influence where you live and avoid wasting time on tenant application forms for properties that don’t suit you?

 

Take control with a  Tenant CV that will help you put your best self forward, get noticed and secure the dream home that will suit your lifestyle. 

 

A good Tenant CV is a profile that expresses your attributes when searching for a new home and promotes you as a suitable tenant. A great Tenant CV goes further by including your particular requirements in a home. This takes some frustration out of the rental application process. Providing all useful and essential information for the homeowner upfront. while also outlining your own needs.

 

Many of us are familiar with the famous quote “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”.  Here are our top 6 reasons to prepare yourself for a competitive rental market with a Tenant CV. One that that best reflects you and what you need in a home.

 

tenant-cv-rental-application-new-home

 

6 Ways A Tenant CV Can Aid Your House-Hunting

1. Define Your Needs

If you don’t want to join the 59% of people that find it difficult to find a suitable home, you can start by reflecting on and defining your needs. By identifying what is most important to you, you can skip the frustration and waste of time on pointless viewings. Ask yourself questions, do you want to be close to work? Do you need a garden? Are there any amenities that are essential to you?; and then make it known on your Tenant CV. If something really is important to you then make it clear. Great homeowners value long term tenancies with good tenants and if they can accommodate you, more often than not they will.

 

2. Express Yourself & Stand Out

Once you have defined your criteria for a home, it’s time to show the agents and homeowners why you are the best candidate. A Tenant CV simply puts more power in your hands. It enables you to present yourself beyond the restraints of a standard tenant application. A profile of yourself with your living objectives will convey your individuality. It helps the reader understand what type of tenant you are likely to be. If you’re comfortable with it and you’re using an online Tenant CV tool, include a short video to showcase your personality. 

 

Homeowners look for evidence they can trust the people renting their property.  An impressive Tenant CV is your best opportunity to present your evidence and separate yourself from the crowd, so you get selected ahead of your competition.

 

3. Demonstrate Trustworthiness & Organisation Skills 

For homeowners and letting agents, the top priority is to find someone who is going to look after the property and pay the rent reliably on time. According to a survey conducted by DKM Consultants in 2014 for the RTB, some primary reasons agents choose not to rent to tenants in Ireland are because they are worried about property damage, rent being paid on time, or they don’t trust the applicant. Selecting the right tenant has a lot to do with human nature and finding reasons to like somebody. 

 

Preparing a great Tenant CV allows you to demonstrate that you are an organised responsible person by answering key questions and providing relevant information. Not only can a resume showcase your ability to care for a property, but it can also demonstrate your ability to pay.  Paying bills on time and maintaining order requires you to be on top of things. What’s more, you can also include any written references in your Tenant CV.

 

4. Address Potential Doubts About Your Tenant Application

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel an explanation will help people to understand you, but you don’t have the chance to get your point across? A Tenant CV is a means to explain things that might otherwise be perceived as negative in your application. Some examples are changing jobs, relocating often, or perhaps being a first-time renter. Being a first-time renter can be a positive thing, as it’s your chance to kick-start an excellent rental history.  The Tenant CV is a great tool to explain peculiarities like this in your objectives to a potential homeowner.

 

5. Save Time

Oftentimes homeowners and agents will invite the first 20 ad respondents to a property Viewing. You need to be fast if a great property pops up on a property website. Having all your key information on hand will help to submit an application ASAP!

 

A Tenant CV prepared in advance greatly simplifies and accelerates this process. Usually, homeowners are happy to accept a good tenant CV, as long as the information is true and the references stack up. You can shine even further by including pre-written references and getting your identity independently verified in advance. This will reduce time on tenant background checks and increase your chances of being selected. Make the landlord or agent job easier when it comes to narrowing down applications and they will look kindly on you.

 

In addition to streamlining the application process, outlining your wants and needs in a home on your Tenant CV means that you can save time viewing unsuitable properties. 

 

6. Turn Competition Into An Opportunity

It’s no secret that house and apartment hunting can be competitive, but considering the above, you can use competition to your advantage! You just need to take the initiative to put yourself on top. Whether you’re a 1st time, or 10th-time renter, being prepared and taking measures to stand out will help establish yourself as an impressive candidate. It’s like applying for that dream job if you’re proactive and go above and beyond; you should validate why you should be chosen. 

 

landlord signing agreement

Tenant CVs: The Key Takeaways

In this guide, we have looked at how rental resumes allow you to define your needs, express yourself, demonstrate trustworthiness, explain doubts, save time and get ahead of the competition. It’s clear that a Tenant CV is a tool that will give you a competitive edge when searching for your new home.

 

Like practising for a job interview, those that are prepared are more likely to succeed than those that aren’t. There’s no doubt that securing viewings or a lease can be challenging; but by having a Tenant CV on hand, you can be more prepared than others. A strong Tenant CV will impress agents and homeowners and ensure you stand out in a pile of applications. 

 

The sooner you find a home that’s right for you, the sooner you can start living and be happy!

 

 

 

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