Improve your chance to get the rental property you want

1. Your family pet(s)

Having three cats and two dogs will not make your search for a good property an easy one. Owners are concerned they will damage the property, mess to the grounds (especially in winter.) and make a noise nuisance for neighbors. In saying that, some owners will accept a smaller dog with fur rather than hair. Ie Spaniels do not loose hair as a Labrador will that is why a spaniel is regularly clipped It really makes more sense to wait till you own your own property then get pets.

2. Be straight up and honest

Start the relationship with the landlord by telling the truth, to questions on application forms. Some things are not a big deal if you are open about them from day one. The landlord needs to be totally comfortable with you and feel that you can be trusted before you will get any property.

3. Have good references

You will be asked to provide names and contact numbers of referees from your workplace, past landlords and personal friends. To save time, you should organize this prior to looking at properties and let the people concerned know that they will be contacted by your potential landlord. You will increase your chances by having great references by these people. After all, the landlord wants to know that you are responsible, settled, a good neighbor, will report maintenance issues and will pay you rent when it is due.

4. Proof of identity

When applying for a property, have a photo copy of your driver’s license or passport available. You need to prove to the landlord that you are who you say you are.

5. Smokers

You will not be able to smoke inside any properties. The options for you are to quit smoking or do it outside which may or may not be an option for all properties.

6. Credit checks

A landlord will do credit checks of your history to determine if you are a risk. The landlord wants to know that you will pay your rent on time every time. The credit checks will show the landlord a pattern of your financial management. It is harder to find a place if you have bad debts. If you have bad debts, sort them out !

7. How much rent can you afford to pay?

Most banks work on the principle that you should not be paying more than 30-35% of your gross income on debt. This should cover all Rent payments, Hire purchases and private or bank loans you pay out each week. If you are over committed to debt servicing, you will find it extra hard to make ends meet each week.

8. Your History

If your name appears on a tenancy web site of unpaid rent or you have had a Tenancy Tribunal decision rule against you then you are going to find it hard to find a property to rent. The landlord wants a settled type of person, who is consistent in their rent payments, will let them know if something is wrong with the property and a tenant that is a good neighbour.

In Summary

As a tenant, you need to be in partnership with the landlord. The landlord will want you to shine above the crowd so they will want YOU as their tenant in their property. You need to be organized and demonstrate that will look after the property as if it was your own, pay the rent on time and bring to the attention of the land lord any maintenance problems that may arise when they arise. It’s a two way street, The landlord needs to act quickly on any concerns you as tenant you may have and ensure the property is in good condition at all times.