Guide to renting property in Ireland

DNG GUIDE TO RENTING PROPERTY

Before you even start your search, there are a few things you should have ready on hand – this will mean you’ll be ready to go as soon as you find the right property for you.

- You’ll need to be able to provide a reference from a previous landlord that you have rented from. We’ll contact your previous landlord to verify the reference. You may also need a letter from your employer confirming your employment. This can also be useful if you’ve never rented before.
- We’ll need to verify who you are, so we’ll need a copy of a form of identification – usually a driver’s licence or passport.
- We’ll need the name, PPS number and contact details for every adult on the lease. (In the case of families, we do not require this information for children)
- All the above information is required for us to process your rental application so it’s good to have this ready to go. If you application is unsuccessful, all personal information is immediately destroyed in line with GDPR guidelines.
- Have your references current, up to date and ready to go so an offer can be submitted immediately after a viewing.
- Set up an ‘alert notifications’ so you are notified automatically of any new properties available in your chosen area/price bracket
- Be flexible for viewing times - often it is not possible to accommodate specific viewing times given the high volume of interest. Evenings and lunchtimes are popular with many.
- If you are interested in taking a property at the viewing. Register your interest immediately with an email - This email should include a summary of the group (number of people, working status etc) and accompanying references.
- If your offer is accepted and you are asked to pay a booking deposit to secure the property. Pay immediately to avoid disappointment as often there are several groups making an offer.
- Be late for appointments. It happens to us all, however, it can lead to you missing a viewing.
- Read the advert carefully to make sure it meets your criteria - The adverts should have all the information you need re the property and services included (parking etc).
- Best to only view properties if you are in a position to move in within 2 weeks as most advertised properties are available immediately.
- The letting market moves in cycles and during periods of low availability properties can be hard to find and secure. Remember, there are ample amounts of rental properties, the issue is they are mostly occupied, resulting in low levels of available properties to let. Over time, these pressures will ease and normally supply of available properties will resume.

What Happens Next…..

Once we’ve processed your application for a property, we will proceed to formalise the tenancy. At this stage you’ll be asked to:

Pay a security deposit into our clients’ account which will be held by us until the end of your tenancy. This is returned to you when you vacate the property and after we have inspected the property.
Sign a lease agreement covering the term of your tenancy. The lease agreement is an important document as it sets out what is expected from both the landlord and the tenant for the duration of the tenancy.

You’ll be given your keys on the first day of your tenancy. All tenants also receive a ‘ Welcome Pack’ by email which provides useful information about the property, utilities and importantly, details of who and how to contact us if you have a problem.

It’s important to know as well that all tenancies are registered with the RTB (Residential Tenancies Board) as required by law. This is your peace of mind as a tenant that your tenancy is fully compliant with regulation.

Your Responsibilities as a Tenant….

Your lease will outline all the terms of your tenancy and list both your responsibilities and those of your landlord that you agree to adhere to by signing the lease. In general, the tenant will be responsible for:

paying your rent in full and on time.
you must pay all utility bills you incur unless your lease states that they are included in your rent.
you must keep the property in good condition, report any issues as they arise to your landlord or Managing Agent – if you leave a problem, it will usually only get worse. Your landlord or agent will conduct regular inspections – this is as much to identify issues as it is to check the upkeep of the property.
you must let your landlord or Managing Agent know who is living in the property at any one time – if the names on your lease change, you need to let them know.
make sure you know who to contact and how to contact them in the event of an emergency or how to report issues in your property.