A short, useful read for the Malachain community.
A viewing is short, so arrive with a list. Ask which bills are included, how the heating works and what it cost last winter, who manages repairs and how quickly they respond, and whether the deposit is protected in a registered scheme. Check phone signal in every room, run the taps, open the windows and look behind furniture for damp.
Visit the street at a different time of day before signing, and talk to a neighbour if you can; nobody knows a building like the people already living in it. Read the agreement in full, photograph every room on the day you move in, and send the photos to the landlord so the condition is agreed from the start. These small steps prevent most deposit disputes.
It also helps to talk the subject through with friends or colleagues who have tried something similar. Their experience points out the details that guides leave out: how long things really take, which costs were unexpected, and which shortcuts turned out to be a mistake.
There is more to learn on this subject, and the linked website goes into greater depth. Treat this article as an introduction rather than the final word, and check any important decision against up-to-date, reliable sources before relying on it.
If you try any of these ideas, start small and adjust them to your own situation. What works for one person will not suit everyone, and it is fine to keep only the parts that help. Writing down what you changed, and what happened, makes it much easier to see after a few weeks whether the effort was worthwhile.