Finding somewhere to live

 

Private rented accommodation is owned or leased by private landlords and rented out for profit. The rents are more expensive than Housing Association or Council accommodation. Rents vary depending on the size and location of the property. Privately rented accommodation in Wokingham Borough is not cheap and you will usually be asked to pay a deposit and/or rent in advance before you move in.

 

 

If you are single and on benefit or low income, then your options may be limited. Due to the current housing shortage, there has been a severe decline in the availability of privately rented accommodation for people on benefit or low income. As there is less privately rented accommodation, it has become increasingly expensive.

 

Rents are high and large deposits sometimes prevent people on benefit and low income accessing this type of accommodation. However, it is usually regarded as the only option for most single people.

 

 

Letting agencies will be able to provide you with the greatest range of properties available to rent, but they are not always willing to accept people on housing benefit. It may help if you are able to provide good references and have someone who could stand as guarantor. Agencies will usually ask for an administration fee - only pay this once you are sure that you want to take the property. Do not pay a fee for registering with them as this is an illegal practice.

 

Letting agencies will usually ask for a deposit and/or rent in advance, however, depending on the landlord you may be able to negotiate this or agree to pay this over a period of time.

 

 

The Wokingham News, Bracknell Standard, Reading Chronicle, Evening Post and Thames Valley Free Ads - yellow paper - all advertise accommodation to let, including rooms in shared accommodation. Make sure you buy these papers on the day they come out to ensure that the rooms haven't already been let.

 

 

Try looking at adverts on notice boards in libraries, colleges, sport centres and shops. Many local newsagents will have accommodation cards in their windows.

 

 

It is also worth asking friends, family and work colleagues if they know of any rooms to let. Many people find places to rent this way, as often rooms and properties are let without being advertised.

 

 

If you are a single person you may be able to find accommodation in a hostel. Please contact the Housing Advice Section for a hostel list, tel: 0118 974 6752 / 974 6754.

 

 

In shared accommodation you usually have your own room and share the rest of the property with other tenants or the landlord/lady.

 

Shared accommodation is generally the cheapest and easiest to find. An advantage to living in shared accommodation is that bills are usually cheaper and that the deposits and rent in advance are also less.

 

Shared accommodation may also be advertised as rooms, flat/house shares or bedsits. There are slight differences in what these mean:

 

 

This may be a room in the landlord's house or a room in a house where other people also rent rooms. You will have your own room but generally share a kitchen and bathroom and possibly a lounge. This is often the cheapest accommodation available.

 

 

You will have your own room and share the rest of the property. You may find that the facilities will be better than if just renting a room, although this may be reflected in the cost.

 

 

You will have your own room with cooking and washing facilities, but will usually share a bathroom or toilet with other tenants.

 

 

Self contained usually means that you will not have to share any facilities with any other tenants. This type of accommodation is usually more expensive, and a deposit and/or rent in advance is often needed. If you are a single person under the age of 25, then housing benefit will not cover self contained accommodation, and you may be restricted to looking for a house share or room/bedsit to rent.

 

 

When looking for a property to rent you need to consider what you can afford to pay in rent, bearing in mind that you will need to budget for household bills, including gas, electricity, Council Tax, food and toiletries.

 

When renting shared accommodation always check with the landlord to see if the rent covers bills.

 

If you are claiming income support or job seekers allowance or are on a low income you will be able to claim housing benefit, but you need to be aware that there are limits to how much housing benefit you will receive. Housing benefit will not meet the full cost of your rent if you are paying 'above average' rent for the accommodation. The 'average' level is set by the Rent Officer for the area.

 

If you are single and under 25, housing benefit will only pay up to the rent level equal to the cost of a single room.

 

If there is a difference between what housing benefit will pay and the actual rent, then it will be your responsibility to pay the difference out of your own income.

 

If you are unsure how much of your rent housing benefit will pay, you can complete a 'Pre-tenancy Determination Form' which is available from the housing benefit reception at the civic offices in Wokingham. This will enable you to find out whether the rent you will be charges is above average or not.

 

 

A deposit is a sum of money paid by the tenant to the landlord as a guarantee against rent arrears or damage to the property or its contents. Landlords will usually ask for a deposit equal to four weeks rent. If you pay a deposit, it is important to get a receipt for it and to keep this safe should there be any dispute about it at a later date.

 

It is also important to get an inventory when you move into the property detailing the condition and contents of the property. Both you and your landlord need to agree and sign this. This should safeguard you against being held responsible for any damage to the property that may have been there before you moved in. If you are still concerned about this, it may be a good idea to take photos of the condition of the property before you move in.

 

If at the end of the tenancy there are no rent arrears or damage, your landlord should return the deposit to you. Your landlord cannot withhold your deposit for anything considered to be normal wear and tear to the property. If your landlord refuses to return your deposit, telephone the Housing Advice Section immediately on 0118 974 6752 / 974 6754.

 

In addition to the deposit, your landlord may ask for a month's rent in advance to secure the accommodation. It can be difficult to find this money especially if you are on benefit or a low income. It may be worth trying to negotiate with the landlord to see if they would be willing to accept a smaller amount, or if you can pay this amount, or the deposit, on a weekly basis in addition to your rent.

 

 

The tenancy agreement is a written contract, which sets out everything that you and the landlord have agreed. It is a legally binding document, which gives both you and the landlord certain rights and responsibilities.

 

It should state the length of the tenancy, how much the rent is and when it is payable, if there are any other charges, the date on which the tenancy starts and is due to finish, regulations and the responsibilities of both the landlord and the tenant. The landlord must give their name and address and a 24-hour contact number. The tenancy agreement should be signed by both the tenant and landlord. If the landlord does not give you a tenancy agreement, then you should request one as it is your legal right to have a tenancy agreement.

 

 

The type of accommodation that you are going to occupy will affect the tenancy that you have and also your level of security in your accommodation. In general, the more services supplied by the landlord, the less security you have.

 

The most common types of tenancy are:

 

 

If you rent a room in a house where your landlord is currently living and you share facilities such a as a bathroom or kitchen with them, then you are what is known in law as an 'excluded occupier'. This means that the landlord can let the accommodation to you for any length of time and will not have to go to Court to get possession when he/she wants you to move out. However, your landlord must give you reasonable notice, usually this would be a week if you pay your rent weekly, or a month if you pay your rent monthly.

 

If your landlord lives on the premises but you do not share facilities with them - except the front hall and stairs, then you are entitled by law to four week's notice - or longer if your tenancy agreement says so -and the notice must be in writing. You are known as an unprotected tenant.

 

 

All new tenancies are automatically Assured Shorthold Tenancies unless the landlord follows specific procedures to make it an Assured Tenancy. ASTs usually last for a minimum of 6 months but can be longer.

 

The landlord can ask you to leave at any time after 6 months, provided that any fixed term agreement has ended. If your landlord gives you notice to leave during the fixed term, you won't have to leave until the end of the fixed term. You must always be given two months' notice in writing.

 

If you do not move out when the notice expires, the landlord must get a possession order from the Court before they can evict you. The landlord can only seek possession of the property during the fixed term on very limited grounds, for example rent arrears. If that happens, you should telephone the Housing Advice Section on 0118 974 6752 / 974 6754. If your landlord threatens or harasses you, you should contact the Housing Advice Section immediately.

 

If your tenancy is for a fixed term and it comes to an end and your landlord has not served any notice, there are two possibilities:

 

 

 

 

It can take considerable time and effort to find accommodation to rent. Landlords want tenants who are going to look after their property and pay the rent on time so that is the impression that you need to give. Therefore, it is important that when viewing the property you try to be on time and to be clean and smart. As with a job interview, you are trying to impress, so remember to be polite, respectful, assertive and be prepared to answer questions.

 

These are some examples of the questions that you may be asked:

 

 

You will also need to ask some questions:

 

 

Remember that most letting agencies will require a fee from you if they find you accommodation.

 

 

When you go to view a property, try to take a Pre-tenancy Determination Form - PTD - and a housing benefit claim form with you. If the property is suitable and an agreement is made with the landlord, you can fill out these forms on the spot, as there is a section which needs to be completed by the landlord. The landlord may ask for references and proof of your income before they agree to let the property to you. It will, therefore, be useful if you can take these forms when you view the property.

 

 

The key points to consider when renting are:

 

 

Take your time and don't be afraid to ask the landlord questions. If possible take along a friend or family member who has rented before and has experience in viewing accommodation.

 

You may find it useful to take Wokingham Borough's House Hunting Checklist with you. By running through the points in it you should get a reasonably thorough survey of any house that you are thinking of renting.

 

 

Wokingham Borough Council

Tel: 0118 974 6000

 

Housing Advice & Homelessness

Tel: 0118 974 6752 / 974 6754

 

Housing Benefit

Tel: 0118 974 6622

 

Benefits Agency - Reading 

Tel: 0118 952 4400

 

Citizens Advice Bureau

Reading Tel: 0118 959 8059

Wokingham Tel: 0845 120 3774

Woodley Tel: 0118 969 9006