5 mistakes to avoid when house hunting in the UK

Finding a flat or house in the UK can really get the adrenaline pumping. There’s a lot of money involved. A fair bit of stress. And you need to move pretty fast to secure the best homes.

There are five really common mistakes tenants make when looking for accommodation. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls, view with confidence and find your first UK home.

1. Not sticking to trusted sites and agents

There are three main property listing websites in the UK:

• RightMove
• Zoopla
• OnTheMarket

These are the safest places to start your property search. The letting agents that use these sites are vetted and pay to list here.

Ads on free selling sites, social media, and in shop windows are far more likely to be scams. More on that in a moment.

Flats and houses are snapped up very fast in popular areas. Don’t despair. You can use the three reputable sites listed above to make a short list of local letting agents. That way you can visit them in person to check they’re genuine.

Leave your details and you might just be first in line when the perfect property comes onto their books. Fingers crossed.

2. Falling for scams

Unfortunately, renters like you aren’t just big business for landlords. Scammers are after your cash as well. The Home Office says renters lost nearly £9m to property fraudsters in 2024. Ouch.

Some of the most common rental scams are:

• Cash for viewings – No reputable agent or landlord will ask for money just to view a flat. Demanding payment before you’ve even stepped through the front door is a massive red flag. If you do hand over cash, you probably won’t even get to see the property, let alone live in it.
• Holding deposit scam – Agents are allowed to take a holding deposit of up to one week’s rent while they check your background and references. But if they then say they’re keeping the deposit because you’ve failed the checks, it’s a scam. Citizens Advice says that they must return your deposit if you fail the checks, unless you’ve given them misleading information.
• Fake properties – Beware of ads for houses and flats that don’t exist. Some clues are photos that are too perfect, or multiple ads for the same house. These ads are designed to lure you in so scammers can get your interest, your details and then your money.

You should be suspicious of adverts for flats and houses that are far too cheap, especially if they’ve been on the market for a while.

Basically, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Any reputable letting agent or landlord will give you a written agreement or receipt for any money you hand over. And avoid paying cash and pay by credit card if you can, so you have some protection from the card company.

Read more about scams in the UK here.

3. Handing over money before you view

We get it, rentals move fast and you don’t want to miss out just because you can’t view immediately. Or because you’re not in the UK yet.

But never hand over any money before you’ve seen the place.

Even if the ‘landlord’ shows you extra photos or a video, you might be getting sucked into a fake property scam. And sometimes housing ads just seem to tick all the boxes – but the reality falls far short.

The ‘garden’ is a square metre of grass by the front door. The ‘parking’ actually means you’ll be competing with your neighbours for on-street spots every night. One of the ‘bedrooms’ is actually a dining room off the kitchen… the list goes on.

So even if you haven’t handed over a month’s wages to a scammer, you might be committed to living in a less-than-perfect pad for the next six to 12 months. Not a good start to life in the UK.

4. Not understanding the terms

It’s not just the property you need to view before you commit – the paperwork is just as important.

Tenancy agreements in the UK are typically 12 months, but can be longer or shorter. It might also include a ‘break clause’ that lets you or the landlord end the tenancy sooner.

You need to make sure you read your contract before you sign and that you understand the terms. If you move out before the end of the tenancy term, you’ll still be liable for the rent.

5. Underestimating the costs

There’s no point finding the perfect property if you can’t afford to live there. And the rent’s just the start of it.

Before you even move in, you’ll probably need to pay a month’s rent up front and a security deposit which can be up to five weeks’ rent. Make sure you budget for both.

Find out which bills you’ll be responsible for before you pay that holding deposit so you can check it’s all within budget.

• Council tax – First check the council tax band for the property. Then you can find the cost for council tax bands on your local authority website.
• Utilities – You usually have to pay for the water, gas and electricity yourself and it’s not included in the rent. Ask the landlord where meters are and take photos of the readings as soon as you move in.
• Internet – Check what speed broadband connection you can get before you move in. It’s essential for work, entertainment and communicating with loved ones back home.

By checking bills and costs before you move in you’ll avoid the stress of your rental putting you in debt.

Now you know what not to fall for, you’re ready to track down your first UK house or flat – good luck!