One Key for Three Tenants
Ravi is 18 and about to sign a 12-month tenancy on a three-bedroom flat with two friends. The rent is £1,275 a month in total, split equally, with a deposit of £425 each. The letting agent says a guarantor is required and that the deposit will be 'sorted out' after move-in. At the viewing Ravi notices a damp patch on the back bedroom wall, a boiler that bangs when the hot water runs, a smoke alarm in the hall with no battery, and only one set of keys for three tenants. The landlord says he will 'get round to' the repairs. The tenancy has a six-month break clause with two months' notice. Council tax is band B and the flat is not exempt. Energy, water and broadband are expected to be about £210 a month in total. One flatmate, Dan, suggests paying the landlord in cash each month to 'keep it simple' and says receipts are unnecessary between friends.
1. What should Ravi check and secure before signing the tenancy and paying the deposit? Explain why each matters.
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Before signing:
- Read the whole agreement, including the break clause (six months, two months' notice), any rent review clause, and who pays which bills. 'Bills included' is not the same as 'all bills included'.
- Deposit protection: the deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information given to him. If it is not, he has less leverage at the end of the tenancy and may be entitled to compensation. Pay by bank transfer, never cash, and get a receipt.
- Inventory and photos: dated photos of the damp patch, the boiler, the missing smoke alarm battery and any existing damage, emailed to the landlord on day one. This is the evidence that stops the deposit being used for pre-existing problems.
- Safety certificates: ask for the gas safety certificate (annual, by a registered engineer), the energy performance certificate, and confirmation that smoke alarms work and carbon monoxide alarms are fitted where required. These are the landlord's duties, not the tenants'.
- Keys and named tenants: three tenants but one key is not acceptable. All named tenants should be on the agreement, each should have a key, and he should know who holds the master key.
- Guarantor: understand that a guarantor is liable if he does not pay, and that this liability can survive the tenancy under some agreements.
First-month cash: deposit £425, first rent £425, his share of bills about £70, plus moving costs. He needs roughly £950–£1,000 available, not just the deposit.
2. Prioritise the property problems and explain how Ravi should raise them with the landlord. Include what he should put in writing and when to escalate.
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Prioritise by risk, not by annoyance:
- Missing smoke alarm battery - immediate fire risk. Fit a battery today and tell the landlord in writing; this is a legal safety duty on the landlord.
- Boiler noise - potential carbon monoxide or breakdown risk. If there is a gas appliance and no CO alarm, this moves up. Report it and ask for the service record.
- Damp patch - health risk and a likely source of deposit dispute. Photograph it with a date, record any smell or mould, report it, keep furniture away from the wall and ventilate. Do not accept 'it's just condensation' without a diagnosis.
- One key for three tenants - security and access problem. Request two more keys or a lock change with all tenants named.
Method: put everything in one dated email after the viewing, listing each issue, the date first noticed, and a requested fix date. Keep it factual: 'The smoke alarm in the hall has no battery. Please confirm when this will be replaced.' Follow up by phone, then confirm the call in writing. Escalate to the council's environmental health or private housing team if safety issues are not fixed in a reasonable time - 14 days for the alarm, sooner for gas. Do not withhold rent: it weakens his position. The paper trail is also what protects the deposit.
3. Dan wants to pay the landlord in cash with no receipts. Explain the risks and what Ravi should say. Then list what he must budget for in the first month.
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Risks of cash with no receipts:
- No proof of payment. If the landlord later claims rent was unpaid, the tenant has no evidence, and a possession claim could follow.
- Deposit protection failure. Cash deposits are harder to trace and may not be protected.
- No rent record. It becomes harder to prove address or payment history for credit, benefits or a future tenancy.
- Joint liability. If Dan's cash payment is 'lost', the other tenants may still be liable for the shortfall.
- Legality. Cash arrangements can hide undeclared rent; that is the landlord's problem, but tenants get caught in disputes.
What to say: 'I'm happy to pay by standing order or bank transfer so we all have a record. If you want to pay cash, get a signed receipt each month with the date, amount, period covered and the landlord's signature.' A landlord who refuses any receipt is a warning sign about the whole tenancy.
First-month budget: deposit £425, first rent £425 (often due before move-in), his share of bills about £70, council tax share (band B, and there is no single-person discount with three adults), contents insurance, moving costs, basic kitchen items and a £150 contingency. That is roughly £1,150–£1,250, so he should not spend his buffer on furniture. He should also confirm the deposit is protected before handing it over.