Whether you are thinking about renting a property on your own or with other people, one of the first decisions you will have to make is whether to rent directly from a landlord or indirectly through a letting agency.

Renting directly from a landlord might mean you have to pay less before moving in, need fewer references and might not be subject to a credit check.

Alternatively, renting through a letting agent means that if they manage the property, they will liaise with the landlord about any repairs that need doing on your behalf.

And if a letting agency behaves badly and you believe they are at fault, you can complain to their independent complaints body.

There are lots of website that you can use to find somewhere to rent, and you could also visit local estate agents.

However, avoid renting directly from an existing tenant, which is called ‘subletting’, because the tenant might not have the landlord’s permission to rent to you and this could cause problems in the future.

When viewing potential properties, it is a good idea to visit them more than once and at different times of the day and week.

If you can, take a friend or relative with you to offer their opinion.

Once you have found a property that you like and that meets your needs, make sure that it is affordable.

Find out how much the rent is, how it should be paid, whether it includes any bills and whether there are any other charges.

You’ll also want to know how long the tenancy is, if there is an opportunity to renew and if there is a break clause in case you need to end the tenancy early.

Before you go ahead and sign any agreement, ask how any tenancy deposit will be protected, if any furniture or appliances are included in the tenancy and, if relevant, whether you can have pets.

You should also ask for any obvious problems with the property to be fixed before you move in.

If a landlord refuses to rent to you because of who you are, for instance because of your race, religion or sexual orientation, this may be discrimination.

A ‘no kids’ policy, or refusing to rent to you because you get benefits could also be discrimination.

However, if you have no history of renting or if they think you may have trouble paying the rent, a landlord can require a guarantor as security. And they can refuse to rent to you if they think you won’t be able to afford it.

If you do think you have been discriminated against, or if you encounter other problems when trying to rent a property, Citizens Advice can help.

There is advice on Citizens Advice’s website that will inform you of your rights and the next steps to take.

If you need further help tailored to your particular situation, Citizens Advice can offer you independent and confidential support.

In St Albans, we can be reached on 01727 811118 from 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 1pm on Friday.

Or you can call the Herts Adviceline on 0800 144 8848 between 10am and 9pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am and 8pm on Thursday and Friday and 10am and 4pm on Saturday.