Budget

Before renting a property it is always a good idea to make sure you can afford the property you want. A good indication is the rent to salary ratio. If you earn 30 times the rent, E.g. £500pcm x 30 = £15,000 pa then the chances are you can afford the property and other necessary outgoings such as council tax, utility bills and TV license.

Area

At 1st Call you can always be sure we will give you honest sound advice but if you are moving into a new area we would suggest trying to spend some time in and around the proximity of the property to give you an idea of what it is like.

Selection

There is a wide selection of properties available so be sure to go and see at least 3 properties before making a final decision. The ideal property could be just round the corner so keep your options open until you are ready to make your choice.

Pick an agent

As well as a selection of properties there are also wide and varied teams of estate & lettings agents. As with the property it is also important to be with the right agent. At 1st Call we pride ourselves on delivering the highest standard of customer care to all our tenants so if you do rent with 1st Call you can be assured of an easy move and constant communication.

Credit File

If you are renting for the 1st time it is a good idea to check your personal credit file. This is just to make sure you do not have any unnecessary costs should you for any reason fail the reference procedure and a guarantor is not available. A good place to look is www.experian.co.uk or equifax.co.uk. Please note that if you do order a credit report it will leave ‘footprint’ on your file.