"Today, increasing numbers of people are choosing to rent property, the quality and choice has never been better."

Renting a property can be usually cheaper than owning one and bills are more predictable which is great news for those of us who prefer stable finances, and with fewer outgoings it can prove easier to budget as well as enabling you to save more.

Renting also offers more flexibility than owning, you can move somewhere else relatively quickly which is useful if your job or circumstances take precedence over which part of the country you live.

"When becoming a tenant."

You take on certain responsibilities in exchange for certain rights.
Your tenancy agreement will specify the agreed terms of your tenancy as well as listing
your responsibilities as a responsible tenant so please read it very carefully.

As a minimum, it will show:

• The names of the landlord and tenant
• How much the rent and deposit is
• When the rent will be reviewed
• The address for the landlord or agent who will be looking after the property.

"The main things you must do are as follows"

• Pay rent on time (normally one month in advance)
• Pay other bills.

"You will also be liable to pay" council tax, utilities (including water), TV licence and telephone charges.

• Respect neighbours (affecting noise, putting rubbish in the wrong place or obstructing common areas etc.)
• Look after the property.
• The agent's job might be to market the property and to arrange the signing of agreements and payment of the first month’s rent and deposit.

After that, you may find you are dealing directly with a landlord who will look after the management. However, most landlords tend to leave the management up to the letting agent.
The good news is that you are not expected to maintain the building, that's the landlord's job. But you should behave in such a way that the building is properly cared for.

For example, you must:

• Tell your landlord if you are going away for longer than 14 days, because this could affect his or her insurance policy.
• Keep the property secure at all times so lock it when you go out and don’t give keys to anyone else.
• Tell your landlord when things need fixing to avoid bigger problems later, e.g. a leaking pipe, if not maintained could cause a ceiling to collapse.
• Do basic maintenance e.g. changing light bulbs and replacing smoke alarm batteries.

Obviously you must not engage in any illegal activity at the property and nor can you:

• Alter the property in any way including hanging anything on the walls or re decorate without written permission from your agent or landlord.
• Use the property as a business.
• Sub let the property.