Before you go trawling through the property sections in the newspapers and sufing the net for hours for the right property to rent why not leave all the work to a letting agent? It could save you hours of effort and time you don't have to spare.

However this does come at a cost. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Letting agents will normally charge you £30 to £150 for their services as a general rule. This is to cover the admin involved, finding the property, taking up references and dealing with the deposits. The holding deposit is usually between £50 to £200 which is taken off the first months rent all being well. These factors mean that you should make sure the agent is reputable.

The Contract

Once they have found you the ideal property to rent you are ready to sign the contract. This is more commonly called the tenancy agreement and it serves as a legally binding contract between you and the landlord. The tenancy agreement should have the following included in it :

• Landlords name
• Your Name
• Address of the property
• Length of the tenancy
• The notice period
• The date the tenancy starts
• The amount of rent and when the rent will be increased.
• The date the rent is due
• Whether the rent includes council tax/water rates etc
• Type of agreement - (eg) Assured Shorthold
• Reference to the amount of the deposit and when it is due to be returned

If you are in any doubt at all as to the tenancy agreement you should consult a Citizens Advice Bureau or solicitor