Questions to ask before renting a flat

This piece for HubCage collects the advice that holds up in practice.

A viewing is short, so arrive with a list. Ask which bills are included, how the heating works and what it cost last winter, who manages repairs and how quickly they respond, and whether the deposit is protected in a registered scheme. Check phone signal in every room, run the taps, open the windows and look behind furniture for damp.

Visit the street at a different time of day before signing, and talk to a neighbour if you can; nobody knows a building like the people already living in it. Read the agreement in full, photograph every room on the day you move in, and send the photos to the landlord so the condition is agreed from the start. These small steps prevent most deposit disputes.