Lettings - Information for tenants 

Please read this information carefully.

Once you have found a property you wish to rent, you will be required to pay a holding fee of 2 weeks rent, which means we will take the property off the market and cancel any viewings on the property. This holding fee will hold the property for 2 weeks so we can begin the referencing process. (Please note the holding fee can only be paid via cash or Debit Card and is non-refundable if you back out of the agreement)

Housing Benefits - Documentation Required:

Guarantor: he or she must be living in the U.K, Scotland or Wales and must own a property and supply proof of ownership for this property. (He/She must be made aware that any outstanding arrears that may occur during the period the tenant is in the property, the guarantor will be liable to pay these arrears and that the guarantor is for the period of the tenant occupying the property not for the term of the contract.)

Previous landlord references
Character references
6 weeks rent as a deposit (this can vary depending on the property and can be up to 8 weeks rent as a deposit)
6 weeks rent in advance
A photographic ID and your national insurance number
Proof of your Housing Benefits Claim (example: Rent Certificate, Housing Benefits Number or copy of your Housing Benefit application form)
You must bring in proof of your Housing Benefits claim before you move in, if you fail to do so, this could result in delaying your moving date.

Working Professionals – Documentation Required:

Employer reference
Previous landlord reference
3 months wage slips
2-3 months bank statements
4 – 8 weeks rent deposit (this can vary depending if the property is furnished or not)
1 month’s rent in advance
A photographic ID and your national insurance number

Subject to satisfactory references we will agree a mutually convenient date to check you in. you will need to come to the office either the day before or on the day of moving in, to sign the contracts and pay any outstanding monies. Our office hours are Mon – Sat 9am -6pm and Sun 10am – 4pm. Any outstanding monies can be paid either by cash or credit/debit card.

You will be entering an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement for a minimum period of 6 months. A copy of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement is available to read at any time, please ask a member of staff.

Prior to occupation

It is your responsibility to notify any gas and electric companies of your occupation so that the bills are transferred into your name and activated. You will also need to contact the council and the 2 water companies for your water bills.

Inventory
Before you move in you will be provided with a inventory and schedule stating the condition of the property. This inventory will list the condition of the property and any items left inside the property. It is your responsibility to check through the report to ensure that you agree with the statement of the condition as you will be required to sign the inventory. This document protects the landlord from excess damage excluding fair wear and tear.

Rent
When you have moved into the property the landlord requires your rent to be paid in full on the date you moved in. If your rent is late by 7 days you could result in having a late payment fee. You can pay various ways either cash into the office, credit/debit card, cheque or standing order. If you are paying cheque this needs to be paid 7 days before your rent is due to make sure the cheque has cleared. Please remember if you are sharing with others, all your names are on the contract and all tenants are liable to pay the whole amount of rent even if the others don’t.

When your contract is coming to an end roughly 1-2 months before the end of the tenancy, we will contact you and see if you wish to extend your contract. If you do wish to extend we will contact your landlord and draw up the necessary documentation. There is a fee of £25.00 for administration costs. If you do not wish to extend we require 2 months notice in writing from the date your rent is due.

When you leave the property at the end of your tenancy there will be a inventory check out to check the condition of the property against the check in. There is fee of £50.00 for this service which you can pay in advance or it can be deducted from your deposit.

When you leave the property a forwarding address must be supplied in order to process your deposit.

Ways to safeguard you deposit:

Don’t let the property deteriorate, always maintain a reasonable level of cleanliness throughout and always report any problems with the property immediately to our maintenance department.

When you leave the property, the flat/house should be cleaned thoroughly, to the standard you obtained it in. Bear in mind that the property should be left so that new tenants can move in straight after you leave.

If you choose to have posters and you leave blue tack stains on the walls, you will be charged for the re-decoration.

Pay your bills – unpaid bills will be settled from you deposit

Don’t forget about any outside space.