Can someone explain renting as if I've just landed from space

[Littletreefrog]

Apart from student accommodation I've never rented property and it looks like we may need to move into rented in order to complete our house sale.

We probably only need a few months before our new house is ready to move into.

We are 2 adults, 2 teenagers a dog and 2 cats.

How do we find somewhere to rent?
What is the minimum length lease we can get?
What would be the time frame between finding somewhere and moving in?
Do we have to go through lots of credit checks/identity checks etc?

6 months is usually the shortest lease. If the property is empty, you can move in fairly quickly once all the checks are completed. Yes there are lots of ID checks etc.

You can find places to rent on Rightmove or open rent.

Proper tenancies are for a minimum of six months (which does not suit some people)

You may prefer to get a long term Airbnb.

You will need to pass credit checks and provide references.

I would 100% Airbnb. Much less stress and paperwork (literally pick a place and book it), as well as lots of basics there already so you won't have to unpack and repack everything.

Also, as we're going into off season (if you're in the UK!) the price different won't be huge either.

You can look for places on right move etc, but will be very restricted and probably have to pay through the noise to have the pets there.

I thought this but its looking like £3000 a month for an AirBnB!

AFAIK, AirBnB is limited to one month.

Check out local letting agents (usually associatedwith estate agents). They'll walk you through the process and suggest properties that might suit you.

Look at Shelter and the .Gov How to Rent Guide for the nitty gritty.

I had to do this recently, I ended up messaging a host on Airbnb and getting quite a good deal for 2 months by going directly through them!

Just to add, rents have gone through the roof recently so the Airbnb price of £3000 might not be crazy when you factor in council tax, utilities etc

I rented a Airbnb for 12 weeks a couple of years ago. I contacted them before booking and got a slightly better deal as it was a long booking. Its worth contacting a few to see if a deal can be had.

For a couple of months and in winter it would definitely be easier to get a holiday let. Rental properties are in such short supply (in my area anyway) that you’d really struggle to get one. Maybe ask on Fb etc if there are any locally interested in your situation as Airbnb charges quite a lot and it’s often cheaper to go direct to the owner

Mimimim terms are usually 6m for 'proper' (AST) tenancies. You will be obligated to pay for the whole of that duration whether you move out or not. Note that most LL/agents will offer a 12m tenancy with a 6m break clause rather than a 6m tenancy so you will have to be on the ball to provide notice at the right time. And definitely check that it has the break clause or you are stuck for 12m

If you go via an agent you are likely to go through credit and identity checks

You may struggle to find somewhere that permits animals

How long to move in depends on too many factors including rental property availability in your area and what you are looking for. Once you've found somewhere you'd be moving in fairly quickly. Weeks rather than months.

Agree with PPs that Airbnb will be a better option. Most hosts will do you a deal if you contact them saying you need somewhere longer term so it will be much cheaper than the daily rate you see on the app. You should price up 6m rents at the same time though as they may still end up cheaper even if you are paying for time you won't use.

A lot of people who do internships/travel for work do Airbnb.

If you contact the owners and explain you are looking for a longer term let then some will give a discount.

Lots of students doing summer placements use Airbnb.

are you in England? Scottish tenancy rules are slightly different, eg no minimum term one month notice at will etc

If you go through an agency you’ll also need at least one months rent, if not 2 months rent upfront as a deposit. They use any excuse under the sun to not repay this in full! Take date stamped photos of any minor damage as soon as you move in.

You're probably going to find it very hard to find short-term proper rental on an AST I'm afraid.
The rental stock has shrunk by almost 40% in some areas of the country due to incoming legislation which makes being a landlord increasingly less financially attractive.

Your pets will also likely be an issue and what property lets are out there will likely go to non-pet owners due to their lower perceived risk of property damage.

A longer term Air BnB will almost certainly be your best bet, but the only problem will be if your purchase ends up taking longer than expected?