What to Look out for
Who your landlord is can be really important. If they’re crap you could spend ages chasing them up about broken heating systems and leaky taps. Find a great one and it can make a big difference.
Land Lord Accreditation
Only rent a flat that is Land Lord Accredited. These are Landlords who meet some of the basic standards set down by the Council. You can find out who these are by visiting the Edinburgh Landlord Accreditation website.
HMO Licenses
Check that your flat has a valid HMO licence (Houses of Multiple Occupancy). These are legally required licenses for flats rented to 3 or more people. Remember to ask if you can see the HMO when you go round looking at flats. There are loads of properties in Edinburgh with no HMOs and if you land yourself with one it could be dangerous and you could find yourself being thrown out!
Inventory
Make sure when you move into your new property that you have made an inventory of all the objects in the flat and any damage to them. Then get your landlord to sign it. There are loads of students who don't get their deposits back because their landlord claims that "the carpet wasn't staned before." Also, if there are faults in your new flat take photos of them
Check out your Neighbours
Ask around the houses or flats next door to the one you are looking at to see if there have been any problems with the flat before like leaking. You can also find out what your future neighbours are like- would they mind you having a party once in a while or are they noisy people themselves?
