Renting a Place and What It Really Costs · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Work out what a flat really costs

Life Skills · Money & Finance · ages 16-18
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. What income should you compare the total against?

    • Your friend's higher income
    • Your real income, not your hopeful income
    • The salary you want in five years

  2. What goes into the true monthly cost of a place?

    • Rent plus bills, travel, food and a buffer
    • Rent plus whatever is left over
    • Rent alone, as the advert states it

  3. A cheap flat far from work is always the cheapest option overall.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. The agreement mentions a guarantor and arrears. You are unsure what they mean. What now?

    • Sign quickly before the flat goes
    • Ask the landlord in writing and learn both terms first
    • Skip those pages since they rarely matter

  5. Which three clauses must you read before signing?

    • The landlord's hobbies, taste and schedule
    • Font size, page count and paper colour
    • Rent amount, notice rules, and repairs duty

  6. What does the deposit protect, and who holds it?

    • It covers damage and unpaid rent; a scheme holds it
    • It is a gift to the landlord for choosing you
    • It pays the neighbours for any noise

  7. Owning can build wealth over decades, yet you choose to rent for now. When is that the clever move?

    • When freedom to move for study or work matters more
    • When you enjoy paying more over a lifetime
    • When you never want to own anything

  8. Why photograph every flaw on day one?

    • Landlords enjoy receiving lots of photos
    • Cameras improve the flat's value
    • Photos prove which damage was already there
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Work out what a flat really costs W1-mt_jxyHZEprXc-s1

  1. Your real income, not your hopeful income · Hopeful income makes dear places look affordable.
  2. Rent plus bills, travel, food and a buffer · The advert number is only the first line of the total.
  3. False · Travel can wipe out the whole rent saving.
  4. Ask the landlord in writing and learn both terms first · Signed paper beats remembered promises, so clarify first.
  5. Rent amount, notice rules, and repairs duty · These clauses decide your money and your freedom.
  6. It covers damage and unpaid rent; a scheme holds it · The landlord must justify any deduction from it at the end.
  7. When freedom to move for study or work matters more · Neither choice is clever alone; matching it to your plans is.
  8. Photos prove which damage was already there · Day one photos decide which deductions are fair at the end.
Worksheet · LightMySky