25 Questions When Viewing A Central London Rental Property 

When viewing a house to rent, it pays to be prepared and ask the right questions – especially if you are a first time renter. While you may not be buying your own home, you will still be living in this house for some time, so making sure you will be happy there is essential. 

If you are looking to rent a property in central London areas such as Marylebone or Camden, your priorities will probably include being in close proximity to the exceptional amenities in London, which boasts some of the world’s best restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. However, there are many other factors that will contribute towards your happiness in your new home. 

Here are some tips and good questions to ask the landlord or property agent when viewing a rental property to ensure you find one that meets your requirements: 

Key questions for tenants to ask 

1 – What Bills Will I Be Responsible For And How Much Are They? 

Tenants are usually responsible for bills such as gas, electricity and water, council tax, internet, and TV licence. Ask for a rough estimate from the current tenants so that you can factor all the costs into your budget. 

Ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which will give you a good idea of how energy efficient the property is and how expensive your bills might be. All rental properties must have an EPC rating of E or above. That said, there have been plans to raise the minimum to grade C, though the government has postponed these plans for now. 

You may also need to budget for contents insurance – whilst this isn’t a legal requirement, you may want to consider getting cover for your belongings if you cannot afford to replace them in the event of a fire or burglary. 

If the landlord or letting agent isn’t sure about the council tax bill, you can check your council tax band on the gov.uk website. Your local authority will publish the council tax bands and charges on their website. 

2 – Can I Change Suppliers? 

You may wish to shop around to get the best deal for your gas and electric. If you are paying your bills separately from the rent, you can change suppliers, even if you are on a pre-payment meter. If your landlord covers the energy bills, you do not have the right to switch energy providers. 

3 – What’s Included? 

If the property is furnished, ask if all the items will still be in the property when you move in. Remember, much of the furniture you see on a viewing could belong to the current tenants. 

Double-check that appliances such as fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers are included. Enquire about their age and condition to ensure they are in good working order. 

4 – Is There A Carbon Monoxide Alarm And Smoke Alarm? 

It is a legal requirement for carbon monoxide detectors to be fitted on any floor that has a fixed combustion appliance (not including gas cookers). A smoke alarm should be fitted on each floor of the property. Check that these are installed; if not, ensure that the landlord has done this before you move in. It is in the landlord’s interest to ensure these are in place, or they could be liable for a hefty fine. 

The landlord must arrange for a gas safety check to be carried out every 12 months, and they must provide you with a copy of the gas safety certificate when you move in. 

5 – Who Is Responsible For What? 

If you are viewing a house with a garden, confirm who is responsible for maintenance. If the contract specifies it is your responsibility to keep the garden tidy, check if the landlord provides tools (such as a lawnmower) or whether you will have to buy them. 

If you are viewing an apartment with communal areas or gardens, find out who is responsible for maintenance and check whether any service charges are payable. 

6 – Who Is The Point Of Contact If Something Goes Wrong? 

Find out who you should contact if anything goes wrong with the property or if you have lost the keys. Your contact may be the letting agent if they are managing the property on behalf of the landlord, or you may deal with the landlord directly. 

7 – How’s The Heating & Water? 

Run the shower to ensure it provides hot water and a good rate of flow. Check the taps work and the seals around the sink and bath are in place. 

Ask how the property is heated and ensure all the radiators and lights are in good working order. Ask how old the boiler is. Although the landlord is responsible for maintaining it, you don’t want to live with temperamental hot water and heating. 

8 – What’s The Parking Like? 

If the property comes with allocated parking included in the rent, ask how many spaces you will get and whether residents stick to the rules. 

For streets that require a permit from the local council, find out how much this is likely to be. Ask how busy the parking gets, you might need to be prepared to park a few streets away from the property. 

Even if you are viewing a property with allocated parking spaces or a drive, you’ll need to find out where visitors can park. 

9 – What’s The TV & Internet Like? 

With more people working from home and streaming TV, music and games, internet speed is essential. Ask how the property receives its broadband connection. Does the property have Virgin Media cables or BT’s fibre to the door? 

If you want Sky TV, ask if there is already a satellite dish or if the landlord would mind if you fitted one. 

10 – What Are The Neighbours Like? 

Ask who the neighbours are. Are they a family, a young couple or elderly? Have any previous tenants had issues with them? 

A letting agent may not have this information, but it is still worth asking. Knowing the neighbours helps you decide whether the property will fit your lifestyle. 

11 – What’s The Policy On Pets And Redecoration? 

Most tenancy agreements say you can’t paint the walls or even put-up shelves, pictures or mirrors. If you want to put your stamp on the property, make sure you ask the landlord about this before you sign the contract, this may be something they would consider if you are in the property long term. Many landlords will put up picture hooks or fastenings to hang mirrors or wall-mounted TVs. 

Asking up-front about whether you can keep pets in the property could stop you from losing your deposit further down the line. Many landlords will add a clause to your contract permitting you to keep a particular pet if asked. The rules around accepting pets are due to change under the Renters Reform Bill to ensure tenants are not unfairly denied permission to keep pets. 

12 – How Much Is The Deposit? 

To ensure you don’t have any surprise costs, ask the agent how much the deposit is and when you need to pay it. You should also check whether a holding deposit is required to reserve the property whilst they carry out their pre-tenancy checks. 

13 – How Long Is The Rental Term? 

Most tenancy agreements are for 12 months, as this strikes a good balance between providing landlords with a secure rental income and allowing tenants to leave the property. Some contracts will have a 6-month break clause. 

Ask what happens when the contract term comes to an end. Will it roll onto a periodic tenancy, or will you need to sign a new rental agreement? 

14 – How Long Does It Take To Get To…? 

If you are viewing a house in an unfamiliar area, think about the local transport links and amenities you will use regularly and ask how long it takes to get there. For instance, how far is it to the train station, your kid’s school or a local shop? 

You need to be sure the location will work for you. 

15 – Are there any planned construction/redevelopment projects nearby? 

If you move into a new home and then find that there is noisy and disruptive construction work happening nearby, this could significantly impact your enjoyment of living in your home. You might also experience obstructed views or local road construction work could increase your commuting time. Therefore, asking this question when viewing a rental property can help to avoid these issues. You can also check on the local council website for any proposed building plans or developments in the area. 

16 – What are the noise levels like? 

While the beauty of living in central London is the easy access to the city, including a vibrant nightlife scene, if you are woken up at night by loud music or noisy revellers, you may regret your choice of location. 

Ask about the noise levels, including neighbours, nearby businesses, transport links and any other potential noise problems you identify when you walk around the area. You should visit the area at different times of the day and night to get an idea of noise levels. 

17 – What security measures are in place? 

When you move to a big city like London, security of your property should be a key consideration. You should enquire about the presence of CCTV cameras, secure entry systems, and whether there have been any recent security incidents in the building or neighbourhood. You might also want to check the local crime statistics to see if there are any major concerns. 

18 – Are there any local amenities exclusive to residents? 

Many central London rental properties, and especially luxury apartments, provide additional amenities for residents, such as communal gardens, shared working spaces, gyms and parking spaces. Having some of these amenities can improve your living experience, provide convenience and help you to build links within the community, so it is an important question to ask. 

19 – What is the typical turnaround time for maintenance requests? 

If you are looking at moving into an apartment that has a management company who is responsible for organising maintenance including routine repairs and emergency maintenance, ask about the typical turnaround time for maintenance requests. You should also ask about the process for reporting repairs and check the online reviews of the management company. If issues such as lift repairs are not rectified quickly, this could be a significant inconvenience if you are living on a higher floor. 

20 – Can I See A Copy Of The Tenancy Agreement? 

Before you sign anything, ask for a copy of the tenancy agreement and read it carefully, so you know what you are signing. Ask questions about anything you are unsure about and ensure that you are aware of the consequences if you breach any terms of the agreement. 

21 – Are there adequate storage solutions?  

You will need to make sure that there is enough room for all your belongings and you’re moving from a larger property, you may need more storage room for items so the rooms don’t feel cluttered.  

Ask to see all the storage space, such as cupboards under the stairs, attic, communal storage for bikes etc. If the rental is furnished, check how much space is in the wardrobe and drawers to fit clothes in. Also look at any built-in storage including cupboards and cabinets to see if there will be sufficient room for your belongings. 

22 – What are the room dimensions?  

Many estate agents provide floor plans including room dimensions when they advertise a rental property. If this is not available, ask for the measurements or take a measuring tape or digital laser measure to the viewing to take your own measurements and to make a note of them. 

It is a good idea to come to viewings prepared, with the measurements of any furniture that you are planning on taking with you, so that you can check it will fit into rooms comfortably. Look for any unusual room layouts, such as a sloping ceiling that could limit where you can put wardrobes. 

23 – Are there any service charges for the building?  

If you are viewing an apartment or another type of multi-unit property where there are shared areas like hallways or lifts, ask whether there are any service charges and if there are, ask who pays the charges. In some tenancy agreements, the tenant is responsible for paying service charges but sometimes the landlord factors the charges into the rent. The service charges cover the maintenance of communal areas and can be around £2,000 per year or more.  

24 – What’s the mobile phone signal strength?  

When you are in the property check your phone signal and you might even want to make a call to check the signal strength in different rooms. If the signal is poor you might need to buy a phone signal booster or ask whether the landlord will provide one if poor phone signal is a common issue across all networks. 

25 – Are bicycles allowed to be stored in the building? 

If you have a bike or are thinking about getting one in the future, you should ask whether you are allowed to store your bike in the building or whether there is secure storage space for bikes. Some management companies of apartment blocks do not allow bikes to be stored in the building and there will be fire safety rules, such as not storing bikes in a corridor. 

Got questions about rental property?

If you are looking for a house to rent in central London – in areas such as Camden, Fitzrovia, Mayfair, Primrose Hill, Baker Street, Maida Vale or St. John’s Wood – registering with Kubie Gold will give you the best chance of finding your dream home. Many of our lets are arranged with tenants registered on our database before the property even appears online.