Room-viewing checklist: what to check and ask before renting

The checklist

Turn things on

Photos can't show water pressure or whether the shower runs hot, so test them yourself. Try the hob and the oven if they come with the room, open the windows, and check the radiator in your room. If the heating's off for summer, ask how the place is heated and what it costs in winter.

Look for damp, and check the air

Damp is bad for your health and your things, so go looking for it. Check the corners, round the windows and behind furniture for black spots or bubbling paint. Trust your nose, because a musty smell often gives it away when nothing's visible. Check the extractor fans work, and ask whether there's been mould or condensation before (Shelter). Fresh paint in one odd patch is worth a question.

Your space, and the shared spaces

Check there's somewhere to put your things: a wardrobe, drawers, a shelf in the fridge and a cupboard in the kitchen. See whether your door locks, and who else has a key. Ask where you'd dry your washing. These sound small, but they're what you'll notice every day.

Noise and signal

Open a window and listen for a minute: a main road, a pub downstairs, a neighbour's television through the wall. Test your phone signal standing in the room itself, not out on the street. And ask what the broadband speed really is, or ask to see a recent speed test. "Fibre available" on the ad isn't the same thing as what's plugged in.

The paperwork worth asking about

What you're entitled to see depends on the arrangement. If you'll be a tenant, the landlord must give you a copy of the gas safety record before you move in. They must also give you the electrical safety report, which needs doing at least every five years, and put a smoke alarm on every floor. If you'd be a lodger in the owner's home, they still need an annual gas safety check, though some of the other rules don't apply. Either way, it's fair to ask. Our guide to tenants and lodgers explains which one you'd be.

Ask exactly what's included

"Bills included" means different things to different people, so ask plainly about council tax, gas, electric, water, internet and a cleaner. Get a rough figure for anything that isn't covered. Then you can compare rooms properly, as our London cost guide shows.

The people

If there are flatmates, this matters most, and it's the easiest part to rush. Meet them if you can. Do they seem relaxed with each other? Could you see yourself here on a normal evening? Our guide to vetting a flatmate has the questions worth asking. On Among Our People, UK rooms are listed by LGBTQ+ members, which makes it more likely the household will feel like home.

Before you pay anything

Don't hand over money at the viewing, however keen you are. Check who you'd be paying, and that they have the right to let the room. Get the agreement in writing and read it. And if the deposit or holding fee seems high, or you're asked for several months up front, slow down. Our guide to rental scams covers the checks.