interviewing potential tenants tomorrow for our house

[dizzydo]

We have had a good offer in to let our house but it is from three boys (!) aged 19-20 who are at Imperial College in London. They want to take the house for three years (not until I hav seen how they get on for a while for sure) and I just wondered if anyone has some good questions or points that I could raise ahead of time. I am not thrilled at having three boys who have just left home but need to get it rented out as am paying two mortgages currently. Any ideas pleasssssssssse.

Make sure they understand that they are equally and severally liable for the rent .ie one defaults they 're all out ! Any guarantors ? What happens if one of them drops out/falls out with others/gets an industry placement etc and wants out earlier. An Assured Shorthold tenancy is for 6 months anyway then can roll indefinitely on a notice basis. Discuss your expectations re cleaning and garden maintenance etc, their responsibility for council tax, utility bills, tv licence and contents insurance.

you can ask for a first and last month rental as a security deposit.
be very detailed about what they are and aren't allowed to do to the place like hang pictures, pets etc and exactly what damages you will cover and what damages will be their responsibility.
you can ask for references from teachers or responsible adults (not necessarily parents)
you can ask them to agree for you to have a check-in every 3 or 4 or 6 months to go over everything in the flat.
make a detailed inventory list.

THANKS EVERYONE GREAT IDEAS HERE.
COOLMAMA CAN I SAY I WONT COVER CERTAIN DAMAGES? DO YOU MEAN STUFF LIKE CIGARETTE BURNS (GROAN!) ETC.

sorry - didnt realisei was shouting

you can be as specific as you like.
so things that would not be their responsibility would, for example, be water damage due to faulty washing machine would be your responsibility, but damage from a bath that overflowed would be theirs.