Renting a house has become extremely popular over the last decade – and not just because of the rising house prices. Renting a property provides you with the flexibility of owning your home, without the stress and responsibility of owning it yourself.

Letting online has also grown in popularity, due to the incredible savings that can be made by both landlords and tenants alike. Using an online letting agent is now widely considered one of the best ways to let a home without the fuss of going through a traditional estate agent. However if you’re new to the game it can be a daunting task.

Although you will probably be looking for somewhere to put down roots for at least six months to a year, your checklist will be different when looking for a property to rent compared to looking for a pad to buy. So what should you look out for when you’re in the market to rent a house?

Look out for safety features

Safety should be both yours and the landlord’s number one priority. Check there are smoke alarms fitted (and they work), electric appliances have been PAT tested and there’s up to date certification of the gas appliances before going any further.

It’s required by law that a safety blanket and a fire extinguisher are located in the kitchen, while any furnishings should comply with the latest fire regulations. Once you’ve established these, it’s also worth looking around the property to check all windows have locks, whether there’s a carbon monoxide detector, a burglar alarm fitted and whether the doors are in good order.

An Energy Performance Certificate is required by within 14 days of marketing the property and is valid for 10 years. You can check online here to see if your property has a valid certificate and work out the rating. An ‘A’ rating is very efficient, while a ‘D’ rated appliance is not so efficient.

Think about your purse

Moving house is expensive, and when moving into a rented property, it’s not just the rent you need to consider. Make sure you know exactly how much you will need to fork out every month to ensure you can cover the costs. Ask the landlord roughly what the bills are each month and what you are liable to pay for, how much deposit is required (it is usually 4-6 weeks), when the rent needs to be paid and what Government deposit scheme will be used to lodge it.

It’s also worth checking whether there’s an active telephone line and digital TV aerial, because these can be costly to install if not.

Check the condition

Although there are certain rules and regulations for renting out properties, sometimes rented houses can look a bit worse for wear. When looking round, check out the condition of the property in general – including the outside – and make a note of anything that looks like it may need repairing. For example is a kitchen cupboard falling off, does the bath tap leak or is there mould in one of the bedrooms? Make sure you mention everything to the landlord and you are happy before you sign anything.

Check out the neighbours

You may already know the area well, but that doesn’t mean you know your neighbours. Ask questions about them to find out what they’re like and whether they are likely to cause you bother. Although you may not be staying there forever and it’s not your property, you still want it to be a pleasant experience and make it feel like home.

Do you have any tips for those looking to rent a property? Or are you a landlord? Check out our incredible value online letting packages for landlords.