Questions to ask at a room viewing, plus red flags to walk away from

At a room viewing, ask four things above all: what the rent covers, who you would live with, what kind of agreement you would sign (and whether the landlord lives there), and where your deposit will be protected. Then walk away from anyone who wants money before you have seen the room, won't let you see it, or can't tell you which deposit scheme they use.

Below is the full checklist, grouped so you can save it to your phone and work through it at the viewing.

The legal points below are for England unless we say otherwise. This is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. If something feels wrong, talk to your council's housing team or an adviser such as Shelter.

Bills and costs

• What exactly does the rent include? Ask which bills are covered: gas, electricity, water, broadband, council tax, a cleaner. "Bills included" can mean different things in different houses.
• If bills are extra, how are they split and roughly what do they come to each month? Ask how payments work too: one person paying and everyone else transferring, or a bills-splitting service.
• Is there a cap or a fair-use rule on energy? Some "all-inclusive" rooms have one.
• How much is the deposit? In England, a tenancy deposit can be up to 5 weeks' rent where the annual rent is below £50,000.
• Is there a holding deposit, and how much? The maximum is 1 week's rent. Shelter gives a simple formula: monthly rent x 12 ÷ 52.
• How much rent is due up front, and when? Since 1 May 2026, a landlord in England cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before you have signed the tenancy agreement, and after signing can ask for a maximum of 1 month's rent in advance.
• Are there any other fees? In England, GOV.UK gives landlords a short list of payments they can charge (rent, a refundable deposit, a refundable holding deposit, and a few others such as late rent or a lost key). A viewing fee or an admin fee is not on it.

The house and the housemates

• Does the landlord live here? This is the big one. If they do, you are likely to be a lodger, and the Renters' Rights Act protections don't apply in the same way. Our guide to renting a room under the Renters' Rights Act explains the difference.
• Who else lives here? Ask how many people, what they do, and whether anyone is about to move out. If you can, meet at least one of them.
• What is the day-to-day like? Cleaning rota, guests and partners staying over, quiet hours, whether people cook and eat together or keep to themselves.
• Is there a lock on my door? And who else has a key to the house?
• How is the heating controlled, and is there any damp or mould? Look at window frames, ceilings and the corners of the bathroom, not just what you are shown.
• Can I see the gas safety record? GOV.UK's private renting guide says your landlord must give you a copy of the gas safety check record before you move in, and must provide a smoke alarm on each storey.
• Does the house need an HMO licence, and does it have one? In England or Wales, a landlord must have a licence for a "large" house in multiple occupation, which GOV.UK defines as one rented to 5 or more people who form more than 1 household, where some or all share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen. Smaller shared houses may need one too, depending on the council.
• How is the broadband? Ask the speed and who the account is with, especially if you work from home.

The contract and the deposit

• What agreement will I sign: a tenancy or a lodger agreement? Ask to read it before the day you move in, not on the doorstep.
• How long is it, and how do I leave? In England, assured tenancies now run on a rolling basis, weekly or monthly, with no end date, and you can end one by giving 2 months' notice.
• Which deposit scheme will you use? In England, if you rent on an assured periodic tenancy, your landlord or letting agent must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of getting it. The schemes are the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. A landlord who lives with you does not have to protect a lodger's deposit, though they may choose to.
• Who is the landlord, and who do I contact for repairs? Get a name, a phone number and an address, not just a WhatsApp contact.
• When and how can rent go up? For tenants in England, the landlord can only increase the rent once a year, and not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy.
• Can I have a pet? In England, tenants can ask, and the landlord must consider the request.

The area

• How long is the commute at the time you would actually travel? Try the route once before you commit.
• What is it like at night? Walk from the station or bus stop after dark if you can.
• What is close by? Shops, a GP, a gym, somewhere to sit outside.
• Is it noisy? Ask about neighbours, pubs, roads and building work, and listen for a minute with the window open.
• Where do the bins go, and when are they collected? Small, but it tells you how organised the house is.

Red flags to walk away from

They want money before you have seen the room. Shelter's advice is to never pay any money without seeing the property, and not to pay a holding deposit unless you have seen it and are serious about taking it. A "reservation fee" to secure a viewing is a reason to stop.

They won't let you view it, in person or on a live video call. Generation Rent says that if the person listing a property is evasive about when you can view it, you should be very cautious. If you genuinely can't travel, a live video call where they walk you round is a reasonable second best. A set of photos and a story about being abroad is not.

There is no deposit protection, or they are vague about it. If you are taking a tenancy in England, "we don't use a scheme" or "I'll sort it later" is a problem. You can check the three schemes yourself once you have paid.

The rent is far below similar rooms nearby. Generation Rent notes that fraudsters often advertise "at a considerably lower rent than other listings nearby".

You are being rushed. Shelter says do not feel pressured to pay money quickly or take a property without seeing it. Talk of other people offering more is its own warning sign: since 1 May 2026, landlords in England cannot accept or encourage offers above the advertised rent.

They want cash, or payment through a service you can't trace. Generation Rent advises being very wary of paying in cash, and avoiding anonymous money transfer services.

If you think it is a scam

Stop paying, keep every message and receipt, and contact your bank as soon as you can. In December 2025, Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud as the national service for reporting fraud. You can report at reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Report the advert to the site it was on as well.

Keep track of the answers

After three or four viewings, the answers start to blur. Write them down on the day, ideally in the same thread as the landlord's messages, so you can compare rooms properly and refer back to what was promised. If you are using VistaMove, the landlord's replies to your enquiries land in one place in the app, which makes it easier to see who said what before you decide.