I’m back at my parent’s house at the moment after moving out for 5 years. I can already hear you sympathising with me. No, my mother is not one of those that does all your washing and enjoys dropping you off at the pub so you don’t have to leave your car in town, and therefore there are no real benefits to being back at home, especially since my “rent” is almost as much as I was paying to live out of home! It’s safe to say I will be moving out again soon. It doesn’t matter though, as i’m not one to dwell on the fact that my friend who is in the same situation is paying her folks £15 per week.. yes, I feel your shock. My house was very much of the minimalist feel and so going back home where my dad’s ornaments cover every available inch of window ledge and piece of furniture was not the most pleasant experience. I was trying to cook a meal the other day and realised that we had no-where to sit as the dining table was covered in freshly ironed clothes, the fruit bowl and a box of my sister’s school books. I decided right there and then to have a spring clean, 2 hours passed and the kitchen was clean, clear of clutter and ready to cook in. And because I’d worked for it the meal tasted so much better!

When looking around houses and flats to let you need to make sure that you don’t get carried away with how beautiful they are, how big your bedroom would be and how close you are to the shops. Believe me, you need to make sure you can afford to live in a potential new home before you commit your heart to it and mentally decide where your furniture will go. Always check the appliances to make sure they are safe, clean and that the previous owner or landlord has had time to display energy certificates for the boiler and cooker etc. You should make sure that an appropriately qualified technician has passed everything in the house before you use it and once that is done you can start to live in your new home safe in the knowledge that you have been cautious. And just think, the more cautious you are at the start, the more likely it is that if you find something that is drastically wrong, the landlord cannot blame you for it and make you pay for it! There are a lot of crooked landlords and agencies out there who will do whatever it takes, especially in a recession, to trick you out of your money so be on your guard and check your home’s credentials.