It is important private landlords undertake tenant credit checks and chase references, according to one letting expert.
Writing in the Liverpool Echo, Kate McLoughlin from property website Zoomf said that this should be done before tenancy agreements are signed.
"It's good practice to carry out thorough background checks - including asking for references from their employer and previous landlords," she explained.
Landlord associations can provide help with this process, Ms McLoughlin added, but letting agents and property management firms can offer their services too.
Health and Safety Executive inspector Stephen Manley also issued some landlord advice this week, telling Cambs 24 that anyone who is responsible for letting a property needs to ensure that they get gas appliances maintained annually and tested on a regular basis.
The inspector was commenting after a man from Cambridge was sent to prison for failing to ensure gas safety in a property he was renting out to tenants.
Written by Claire Doyle
