It’s never been tougher to find a home to rent in the UK, especially in big cities; demand for rentals has soared while supply has remained static.

According to property website Rightmove, average rents outside London reached a record high of £1,190 in the first quarter of 2023. In the capital, this figure was above £2,500.

And this problem could well intensify amid the economy’s battle with inflation. Recent figures from property finance broker Finbri suggest that 44% of private landlords plan on selling their homes if UK interest rates rise further. This could exacerbate the shortfall in supply –pushing rental costs even higher.

With immense competition for homes turning house-hunting into a full-time job, we have 13 tips to help you get ahead.

In this article:

Read more: Cheapest places to live in the UK

1.Choose the right location

You may already have decided where you want to live. But it’s important to note that where you end up renting can make a real difference to your living costs.

You should think about transport links and how much it will cost to get to work from your new home. You should also consider the journey time to your friends’ and family’s homes. If you have children, how easy will it be for them to get to and from school? These costs all add up.

It’s also worth finding out if there are any budget supermarkets in the vicinity. In some instances, it may be worth paying more in rent to be nearer a Lidl or Aldi.

Read more: How much has rent gone up in your area?

2. Use the portals property and set up alerts

Rightmove and Zoopla are two of the most popular property websites for both lettings and sales. They allow landlords and estate agents to share their properties publicly.

Once you have carried out a search, bookmark the page so you can come back to it easily without re-selecting your criteria.

The best and most reasonably priced rental homes are snapped up quickly on these sites, but both let you set up alerts so that you are contacted as soon as new options become available. On Rightmove, click “create alert”, and on Zoopla choose “create email alert”.

Read more: Your tenancy rights explained

3. Contact estate agents directly – but look out for reviews

Property portals will generally list the name of the estate agent responsible for letting a home in which you are interested. It’s worth searching for the number of that agent’s local branch to speak to it directly and get on their radar.

However, when considering signing for a tenancy via an estate agent, you should try to get an idea of ​​the company’s track record in helping tenants when they need it. This might be ensuring repairs are carried out swiftly, communicating issues to landlords, or returning deposits on time.

You can look at an agent’s online reviews to gain some knowledge of the common issues people may have with it.

4. Tell estate agents what you are looking for and register your details with them

While the property portals are useful, they should also be thought of as a supplement. That’s because estate agents tend to know about new lettings before anyone else.

Contact as many agents as possible in the area where you are looking. Provide them with your details, outline your budget and search criteria, and ask them to contact you as soon as something suitable becomes available.

The more estate agents have your details, the higher your odds of spotting a property you like before others do. If you are lucky, an agent may even offer you something before it goes on the open market.

Read more: Moving home? This easy-to-use comparison tool can help

5. Ask friends and family

Often the cheapest rental contracts going were first signed years ago, and have simply been passed around friends and family. As a result, they often won’t have been anywhere near the open market.

Ask friends and family on social media and by word of mouth if they, or anybody they know, have a rental home that they are planning on leaving. You may be able to hop onto the contract and land yourself a great deal.

6. See if you can rent with landlords directly

Estate agents charge fees to landlords for their services. These are generally passed onto tenants in the form of higher rental costs.

The OpenRent website lets you, in many cases, rent directly from landlords – though there are downsides to this too. Estate agents, if they do their job properly, can ensure that repairs are done on time, deposits are returned promptly and that contracts provide adequate protection for both tenants and landlords.

But if you have a good relationship with a landlord, cutting out the middleman can be a more cost-effective way to rent.

You can also use Facebook, Gumtree and even local notice boards, online community forums and newspapers to find advertisements listed by landlords.

When browsing for listings online, stay alert for potential scammers looking to take advantage of desperate prospective tenants. Never hand over money until you have seen the property and a contract, and you are confident in the legitimacy of the landlord.

7. Try and take the first viewing

Although this is not always possible, see if you can take the first inspection of a property. While homes for let aren’t always allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, putting in an offer ahead of others can be beneficial.

Read more: Japanese knotweed and eight more things to look out for at house viewings

8. Prepare for the possibility that you may have to bid over the asking price.

The bleak reality of the current rental market is that due to high levels of demand, and a shortfall in supply, meeting the asking price for a tenancy may not be enough to secure it. It’s a damning reflection of the lack of available housing, but you may be nudged by a landlord or estate agent to up your offer slightly to edge out the competition.

This is worth factoring into your budget and approach when considering a property.

9. Make sure you will pass any reference checks

Often, a landlord or estate agent will carry out various checks to determine your suitability as a tenant. These may include contacting employers and previous landlords, and even checks on your credit record.

Preparing for this can help ensure the process runs smoothly and that your name ends up on that elusive contract.

You can do this by making sure you are on the electoral roll (which is essential for your credit score), telling your employer and any previous landlords that an agent or new landlord may be in touch, and downloading payslips in advance as proof of employment .

When people are applying for credit, the lending institution will be able to look into their credit history – their track record of managing debts and repaying them.

Landlords, by contrast, are more limited in what they can see during the referencing process: they are only entitled to view publicly available information on your credit file. This includes whether or not you have any county court judgments (CCJs) or bankruptcies against your name.

You may wish to inform the estate agent or landlord in advance of the reference checks if this open information is not favorable to you. If your financial situation has improved, show them how and why you will be able to make rent payments on time.

You could offer the estate agent or new landlord a copy of a bank statement proving you consistently made rent payments on time if a previous landlord dragged their feet in providing their reference.

10. Carefully consider the length of the contract – longer can be better in some instances

Normally, the landlord chooses the length of a tenancy. If you find the right place, and the rental contract on the property is only a year long, be aware that when that time is up, the landlord may choose to end the contract or put up the rent.

In some cases, then, you could consider looking further a field for a property that offers an extended rental term. This can have the advantage of added stability – a longer tenancy at the same rent – ​​and it looks especially appealing at the moment given that UK rents on new lets have risen by 11% on average in the past year.

Analysts forecast that this trend will continue, with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) forecasting a further increase of 4% over 2023.

However, even on fixed-term tenancies, the contract may include break clauses or rent-review clauses, which would lessen the stability of a longer agreement. So if this security is important to you, check your contract to make sure these clauses aren’t written into it.

11. Give yourself some time

If you have a deadline by which you need to move out of your current home, start hunting for properties at least two months in advance.

More time will give you an idea of ​​what’s available within your budget, and the longer you are in and around the market, the more you will understand what constitutes a good deal.

You don’t want to end up in a situation where you only have a week or two to find a place to live.

12. Make sure your deposit is protected

When you sign a tenancy and pay a deposit, your landlord is legally obliged to put it into a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days of receiving it. In England and Wales, this can be one of:

– Tenancy Deposit Schemes
– Deposit Protection Service
– MyDeposits

When handling over cash for a deposit, especially when dealing with a landlord directly, make sure it’s protected.

Remember: your deposit should be a maximum of five weeks’ rent only.

13. Know your rights

Once you have moved into your new accommodation, it’s important to be familiar with your rights as a tenant. These can protect you against everything from evictions to unjust rent hikes – read our full guide.

Plus, whether urgent repairs aren’t being dealt with or you are being harassed, see our tips for dealing with a bad landlord.

Stay on the lookout for problems once you’ve found a place

Once you have found a place, it’s time to do your research. Spotting issues with a property can save you time and money in the long run. While landlords have obligations to fix problems, they can in some cases drag their feet.

It’s night-on impossible to spot every issue with a home during a ten-minute viewing. The most reliable source available is usually an existing tenant, if there is one. If they are present at the viewing, ask them what they like and don’t like about living there.

It’s also worth checking the property’s EPC (energy performance certificate) rating, which tells you how energy-efficient a home is. It is measured on a scale from A to G, with A the most efficient.

The better a home is in this respect, the less gas and electricity you will need to use to keep it warm in the winter, lowering your bills. The EPC should be listed on the property advertiser. Check out our other tips for cutting your energy costs.

For more potential issues, see our guide on what to look for when buying a home.