“We’ll Take It!” What Actually Happens Before You Get the Keys?

You’ve viewed the property.

You’ve mentally worked out where the sofa will go.

You’ve checked the journey to work, investigated the nearest takeaway and perhaps already decided which bedroom belongs to whom.

Then you say the words:

“We’d like to take it.”

Brilliant. So… when can you have the keys?

Not quite yet.

There’s quite a lot that needs to happen between deciding you’d like to rent a property and actually moving into it. Some of it protects the landlord, some protects the tenant, and some is required by law.

At Ellis Winters, we help tenants and landlords through this process every day. So, what actually happens behind the scenes?

Step 1: Making your application

After viewing a property and deciding you’d like to rent it, the first step is normally to make an application.

This is your opportunity to provide the information needed for the landlord or letting agent to consider your circumstances.

And importantly, saying “we’ll take it” doesn’t automatically mean the property is yours.

There may be several interested applicants, and landlords and agents need to follow a fair and consistent process when deciding how to proceed.

If your application is successful, it’s then time for the next stage.

Step 2: Referencing

Referencing sometimes makes prospective tenants nervous, but its purpose is relatively straightforward.

A landlord is handing over possession of an extremely valuable asset, so they understandably need to establish that a prospective tenant is likely to be able to afford the rent and maintain the tenancy.

Depending on the circumstances and referencing process used, checks may include things such as income, employment, credit history and previous tenancy information.

If something unusual appears during referencing, it doesn’t necessarily mean everything immediately comes to a halt. What matters is providing accurate information from the beginning and responding promptly if further details are requested.

Step 3: Right to Rent checks

In England, landlords and letting agents must also establish that adult occupiers have the legal right to rent before a new tenancy begins. The requirement applies to adults aged 18 or over who will be using the property as their only or main home, subject to certain exemptions.

How somebody proves their Right to Rent depends on their circumstances. For example, British and Irish citizens can use specified documents, while some other applicants may use the government’s online share-code system.

Importantly, these checks should be carried out consistently rather than selectively based on someone’s nationality or appearance.

Step 4: Getting the paperwork right

There’s also plenty happening on the landlord’s side.

Before a tenancy begins, the appropriate property documentation and safety requirements need to be in order.

Since 1 May 2026, landlords creating relevant new private tenancies in England must provide tenants with specified written information about the key terms of the tenancy before the agreement is signed or otherwise agreed. This information can be incorporated into the written tenancy agreement.

Depending on the property, there will also be other documentation and safety requirements to consider.

It might not be the exciting part of moving home, but getting the paperwork right matters enormously.

Step 5: Paying the deposit and initial rent

There will usually be money to arrange before moving day too, including the tenancy deposit and initial rent as agreed.

Where a tenancy deposit is taken, there are legal requirements governing how it is handled. In England, applicable deposits must be protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme, and the tenant must receive the required information about that protection within 30 days of the deposit being received.

Tenants should make sure they understand exactly what they’re paying, when payments are due and what each payment relates to.

Step 6: Preparing the property

Meanwhile, there’s a physical property to get ready.

Depending on the circumstances, this might involve final maintenance, cleaning, checking that agreed works have been completed and ensuring everything is ready for the incoming tenant.

An inventory or schedule of condition may also be prepared to create a clear record of the property’s condition at the beginning of the tenancy.

This can be valuable for both parties.

For tenants, it provides an opportunity to make sure the recorded condition accurately reflects the home they’re moving into.

For landlords, it creates evidence of how the property was provided at the start.

Step 7: Signing and understanding your tenancy

Then comes the important bit: the tenancy documentation.

Don’t treat this as something to scroll rapidly through before clicking “sign”.

Make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to.

Check the rent and payment arrangements, responsibilities, any specific terms relating to the property and anything else you’re unsure about.

Ask questions.

A good letting agent would much rather explain something before you move in than discover three months later that there has been a misunderstanding.

And finally… moving day! 🔑

Referencing complete.

Checks carried out.

Documentation sorted.

Payments arranged.

Property ready.

And then comes the moment you’ve been waiting for.

The keys.

For the tenant, it’s the exciting beginning of making somewhere their home.

For the landlord, it’s the beginning of a new tenancy.

And for the letting agent, it’s the culmination of a considerable amount of work behind the scenes to help both sides reach that point smoothly.

A lot happens between “yes” and the keys

From the outside, renting a property can look fairly simple:

View it → like it → pay → move in.

In reality, there are important checks, legal requirements, documents and practical arrangements taking place along the way.

At Ellis Winters, our lettings teams across Cambridgeshire and the Fens guide landlords and tenants through each stage, helping everyone understand what’s happening, what we need from them and what comes next.

Because moving home is exciting enough without wondering what’s happening behind the scenes.

So next time you hear:

“We’d like to take it!”

Just remember – there’s a little journey still to go before:

“Here are your keys.” 🔑