Accommodation checklist

The building exterior

• Is the property in good repair, with no obvious damp, cracking or missing roof tiles.
• Are windows and doors secure and in good condition.
• Is there safe, well lit access to the property, particularly if you'll be arriving after dark.

Security

• Does every external door have a secure lock.
• Are ground floor and easily accessible windows fitted with working locks.
• If the property has a shared entrance, is that secure too.

Heating and plumbing

• Is there a working heating system, and can you control it in your own room where relevant.
• Check for signs of leaks, damp or mould, particularly around windows, ceilings and bathrooms.
• Confirm water pressure and hot water are adequate.

Electrical safety

• Ask to see an Electrical Installation Condition Report, which should be no more than five years old.
• Check sockets and switches are in good condition, with no exposed wiring.
• Confirm smoke alarms are fitted and working on every floor.

Gas safety

• Ask to see a current Gas Safety Certificate, renewed annually, for any property with a gas supply.
• Check for a working carbon monoxide alarm near any gas appliance.

Fire safety

• Check escape routes are clear and everyone in the property understands them.
• Confirm smoke alarms are interlinked where required and tested regularly.
• In shared housing, check fire doors are fitted where needed and never wedged open.

Furniture

• Confirm what's included in the rent, and check any furniture provided meets fire safety regulations, which should be labelled accordingly.

Money

• Confirm exactly what's included in your rent, for example gas, electricity, water and broadband, and what's charged separately.
• Ask how and when your deposit will be protected, and in which scheme.
• Ask for a written breakdown of any admin fees before agreeing to pay them. Under the Tenant Fees Act, most letting agent fees to tenants are banned in England, so be cautious of any request for an unusual charge.
• Ask whether the tenancy is fixed-term or a rolling periodic tenancy, and what notice period applies if you need to leave. Most private lets changed to rolling tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, so check this rather than assuming.

Licensed HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)

• If five or more unrelated people will be living in the property, ask to see the mandatory HMO licence.
• If the property is in central or south Scarborough, check whether it falls within a selective licensing area, and ask to see that licence too.