Renting Process

The first step is to contact our office and register your interest and requirements. Unless applying for a specific property, we recommend registering your interest through our website. Upon registering your interest, please make sure that you outline the following:

• Timeframe
• Budget
• Location
• No. of tenants
• Rental history
• Contact details

If you don’t hear back from us, please be patient. We will be back to you as soon as we have something that fits your requirements. In the meantime, keep an eye on our website and the property portals. If your situation changes in the meantime, please inform us so we can remove you from our books.

Sit down with a pen and paper and describe your ideal property. Most importantly, be strict with what you do and don’t want, and what you consider to be a deal breaker. Don’t compromise on those deal breakers or you’ll come to regret it.

Budget should be a key factor in your property search. Don’t overstretch yourself financially, make sure you take into account all other costs involved, including bills, moving costs, childcare etc.

Your monthly rent should not be more than 30% of your net income. If you cannot find something that fits your budget there is support, there in the form of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

At HouseLet we want the rental process to be as painless as possible. We know that group viewings are painful, they are also impersonal and counterproductive. For that reason, we do things differently. You will receive a pre-screening call to establish whether the property is the right fit for you and vice versa.

We will then allocate you a 15-minute appointment slot to do a walk through of the property. You should have time for questions however please be mindful of the time as you can relay the questions to us later also.

Please make sure all applicants attend the viewing and if you cannot make your appointment please let us know 2 hours in advance.

Once you’ve found a property you like you should put down a holding payment. This will secure the property and we will not arrange any more viewings. When your offer is accepted this money will form part of the initial rent or your deposit. If you pull out, you lose the money but if the landlord cannot or will not let to you it will be returned.

Once you have placed your holding deposit, you will be required to undergo reference checks. You will be required to provide the following:

• Employment reference (if applicable)
• Rental reference (if applicable)
• Bank statement
• Photographic ID

In some cases, we may request references earlier on in the application process, so we advise that you have all of your documentation ready to go prior to attending viewings.

The tenancy agreement will be the legal document that details your rights and obligations as tenants, and the obligations and expectations of your landlord, and the agreements made by all parties. It will set out the core terms and will include all the rules of the property.

Prior to your move in, you will receive a soft copy of your tenancy agreement which you will have time to read in the comfort of your own home. Once you are happy, you can sign this electronically through your email. In the case that you do not have an email, hard copies can be provided.

If you are not sure of anything contained in the agreement, ask us for clarification, seek legal advice or get help from the Citizens Advice Bureau or the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).

Before you move in, you will need to pay a security deposit along with your first months rent. Your security deposit is there to indemnify the landlord against loss of rent or to pay for any damage if you were found to be responsible for causing it. In general, the amount required is equivalent to one month’s rent. This may be held in the agent’s client deposit account or in the landlords deposit account.

Assuming all the conditions have been met, your deposit should be returned to you within 10 days of your move out. We have built up excellent relationships with our tenants over the years so we hope for this to continue. We love giving deposits back!

The Photographic Inventory is a formal way of noting the cosmetic condition and contents of your rented property. This will cover every corner of the property and is there to protect both you and the owner.

We will send you this via an email link for your review. Check it carefully and question anything that you do not understand. At the end of the tenancy, the same Photographic Inventory is then used to compare the state of the property and on the findings of this comparison the deposit is then awarded appropriately.

Once all the documentation is complete, come to the office and we will hand you the keys to your new home. After you move in, make sure to check the house against the inventory and formally raise any issues you find that were not flagged. We would advise you also:

• Cross check readings
• Set up/ transfer your refuse account
• Apply for parking permit (if applicable)
• Set up your internet & TV
• Turn on Netflix and crack open a bottle of vino!

There are strict timescales involved in ending a tenancy so make sure you take care. The required notice periods for ending a tenancy can be found here. This notice must also be provided in writing.

To ensure the swift return of your deposit the following tips will help:

• Ensure rent is paid up to date
• Check through inventory, noting any changes and why
• If anything has been placed in storage return it to its place
• Ensure property is left clean and tidy
• Leave refuse out for collection
• Redirect your post

We will then be in touch with you within 10 days of that date to arrange the return of your deposit if there are no deductions.