# 1st time landlord - Advice and Tips **URL:** \ **Category:** Landlord Discussion\ **Created:** [15 August 2019 10:55 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936 "2019-08-15T10:55:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DavidB](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/davidb/32/450_2.png) [@DavidB](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/DavidB)\ **Post date:** [15 August 2019 10:55 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/1 "2019-08-15T10:55:18Z")
Good morning, I’m embarking on my adventure as a first time landlord, well more an accidental adventure. After doing some research and speaking to local agents I’ve decided that I might go via the OpenRent method. Does anyone have any tips as i’m new to all of this, any issues with the AST that OpenRent provide or advise on what to add as custom clauses to the tenancy or things that I might not have thought about. I’ll be using Open Rent for listing,AST,Rent collection and reference checking. Many thanks for your input. ---
**Author:** ![Colin3](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/colin3/32/450_2.png) [@Colin3](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Colin3)\ **Post date:** [15 August 2019 11:54 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/2 "2019-08-15T11:54:14Z")
DavidB dont use an agent. Use Openrent. Join the NLA. {natioal landlords association} Free advice over the phone. Dont believe everything a potential tenant tells you Do always a reference check. Do not let your heart rule your head. {30 yrs a landlord} ---
**Author:** ![Colin3](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/colin3/32/450_2.png) [@Colin3](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Colin3)\ **Post date:** [15 August 2019 12:39 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/3 "2019-08-15T12:39:48Z")
some of the things to consider depends on the place you have. It is unlawful to discriminate on certain grounds .so keep any predudices you may have to yourself and do not voice them…You need to think… would I take DSS,? Pets? Smokers? Families? Singles? Retired? If someone has a wheelchair are stairs ok? ALWAYS do a reference check. Do you like them ? Do they have a previous landlord? tho I do not entirely rely on this as if the tenant is a bad un they may get a glowing reference just to be rid of them? will you get along with them? ---
**Author:** ![DavidB](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/davidb/32/450_2.png) [@DavidB](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/DavidB)\ **Post date:** [15 August 2019 12:51 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/4 "2019-08-15T12:51:18Z")
> DavidB dont use an agent. Use Openrent. Join the NLA. {natioal landlords association} Free advice over the phone. Dont believe everything a potential tenant tells you Do always a reference check. Do not let your heart rule your head. {30 yrs a landlord} Thanks for the response, do you think the NLA is worth the subscription fee. I’ve read some glowing stuff about joining an association and others sayings it’s not worth while. > some of the things to consider depends on the place you have. It is unlawful to discriminate on certain grounds .so keep any predudices you may have to yourself and do not voice them…You need to think… would I take DSS,? Pets? Smokers? Families? Singles? Retired? If someone has a wheelchair are stairs ok? ALWAYS do a reference check. Do you like them ? > Do they have a previous landlord? tho I do not entirely rely on this as if the tenant is a bad un they may get a glowing reference just to be rid of them? will you get along with them? One of the reasons I was looking to use OpenRent was as I would be doing the viewings so i’d hopefully get to view potential tenants rather than relying on the agent (I would always combine this with referencing). ---
**Author:** ![Colin3](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/colin3/32/450_2.png) [@Colin3](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Colin3)\ **Post date:** [15 August 2019 13:20 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/5 "2019-08-15T13:20:12Z")
I do believe its worth the money as I have a few properties. so the cost of membership is minor Any thing legal they give advice… Imperative you do the viewings ---
**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/sam/32/6179_2.png) [@Sam](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Sam)\ **Post date:** [19 August 2019 15:00 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/6 "2019-08-19T15:00:27Z")
Hi David, Great to hear you’ve decided to use OpenRent and that you’ve found our Community of users! You seem to be looking for the experience of other landlords as opposed to OpenRent team members, so I’ll leave it to them to answer you. But do let me know if there is anything else we can help with, Sam ---
**Author:** ![system](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/system/32/11_2.png) [@system](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/system)\ **Post date:** [9 August 2022 12:51 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/1st-time-landlord-advice-and-tips/5936/7 "2022-08-09T12:51:15Z")