What to check before you rent a flat

A checklist for viewings, so you notice the problems before you sign rather than after you move in.

Before the viewing

Search the address on Flat Reviews. Tenants who lived there before know things a viewing won’t show you: winter damp, noisy neighbours, slow repairs.
Check the energy certificate (EPC). It shows how warm the home is likely to be and roughly what heating will cost. See what your EPC rating means.
Check who you’d be renting from: the owner, a letting agent, or someone subletting. Never pay anything to someone you haven’t met at the property.

Damp and mould: look at window corners, behind furniture, inside wardrobes and around the bathroom ceiling, and notice any musty smell. Fresh paint in one corner can hide a patch of mould.
Heating and hot water: ask to run a hot tap and switch the heating on.
Water pressure: run the shower.
Windows: do they open, close and lock? Is there condensation between the panes?
Noise: visit at a busy time if you can, and listen for traffic, trains, bars or thin walls.
Phone signal and internet: check your signal in each room, and ask which broadband is available.
Safety: a smoke alarm on every floor, a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a boiler, fire or wood burner, and a gas safety certificate. Ask to see it.
Appliances: do the fridge, oven and washing machine work, and will they stay?
Bins and bikes: where does the rubbish go? Is there safe bike storage?

Why are the current tenants leaving?
How quickly are repairs done, and who do I call?
What’s included in the rent: bills, council tax, internet?
Which council tax band is it? You can look it up for free on GOV.UK (or on the Scottish Assessors’ website in Scotland).
Will my deposit be protected, and in which scheme? See how to get your deposit back.

Read the whole agreement, and ask for anything unclear to be explained in writing.
Make sure there’s an inventory at move-in: a record of the home’s condition with dated photos. Take your own photos too. This is what protects your deposit later.
Know which payments are allowed. In England, landlords and agents can only charge rent, a refundable deposit, a holding deposit and a few set payments (for example for a lost key or late rent). Fees for viewings, references, credit checks or contracts are banned.
Don’t pay rent before you sign. In England, landlords can’t take rent before the agreement is signed, and after that can ask for at most 1 month’s rent in advance. See your rights under the Renters’ Rights Act.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Last checked: 28 October 2026.