Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

How to follow up an advert, view a place and place a deposit

You should always follow up adverts as quickly as possible, as in some areas rented properties can be let the same day they are advertised. Try to ask as much as you can about the place over the phone to get an idea whether it is worth viewing, and have a map handy to check the address.

You should always visit the property prior to entering into any tenancy agreement. Don’t promise anything until you have seen it. If you have any references or can obtain references from a previous landlord or your employer take these along with you.

When you view a place ensure you should:

• Check that the doors can all be locked and that the heating, lighting and plumbing are all in working order
• Make sure the landlord has a CORGI gas safety certificate for all gas appliances
• Look at the condition of the furniture and make a note of any disrepair in the property
• Try to meet the other tenants if it is shared accommodation. Ask them what they think of the property and consider whether you will get on with them
• Ask how the utility bills and Council tax are paid.

Before signing a tenancy you may also want to seek professional advice from:

• The Housing Advice Team
• The Citizen's Advice Bureau in Abingdon 
• Turpin and Miller Solicitors

More information about the laws relating to renting can be found on the Communities and Local Government website.

Landlords may ask for a deposit at the beginning of a tenancy. This can be equivalent to as much as one month’s rent and one month’s rent in advance. You should get a receipt and deposits should be returned when you leave, but your landlord can keep all or part of it if you don’t pay the rent, damage the property or leave unpaid bills.

The Housing Advice Team operates a deposit guarantee scheme. This enables tenants who cannot afford a cash deposit to offer landlords a bond instead. The bond is issued by the Council and acts as a deposit for the landlord. The team are also happy to explain the benefits of the scheme to landlords, including the quick processing of housing benefit and the improvement grants available to landlords. For more details about this see our page on the Deposit guarantee scheme.

See here for more information about the Deposit Guarantee Scheme.

Landlords may also ask for rent in advance and the amount they ask for will vary although there is no limit as to what they can charge. If you are on Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance you may be able to get money from the Social Fund to pay for rent in advance, but this is difficult. Payments are made by the local offices of the Benefits Agency ( Oxford Benefits Agency 01865 443333) or Jobcentre Plus (Abingdon Job Centre Plus 01235 703000).