Guide for Tenants

What will I be charged for?

A.Prior to moving in:

Administration set-up fee (for up to 2 tenants): £250 (VAT included)

This includes contract preparation, the reference checking cost and the cost of transferring the rental & security deposit to the Deposit Protection Scheme.

For each additional tenant the administration cost will be £125 (VAT included)

Guarantor fee, if necessary (preparing Deed of Guarantee): £50 (VAT included)

Deposit: 1 month’s rental deposit plus 6-weeks security deposit

B.During the tenancy:

Contract amendment or renegotiation fee: £100 (VAT included)

Renewal fee: £30 (VAT included)

C. End of tenancy:

Check-out fee, dependent on the number of rooms – see the table below.

Professional cleaning, dependent on the number of rooms and to the same standard as check-in.

Will you make an inventory?

Although it is not a legal requirement a thorough inventory of the condition and contents of the property agreed by the landlord and you is very useful to avoid any potential disputes at the end of your tenancy.

Will the inventory be checked again?

Yes, a final inventory check will take place the day you are scheduled to move out. This is the second fee that is mentioned above that will be payable by you.

The check-out will be conducted by an independent and professional inventory clerk who will consult the original inventory prepared at the start of your tenancy. The purpose is to assess any damage that may have occurred. Approximate costs for this service are:

Securing a property to rent

You may begin by putting down a holding deposit in order to state your intention to rent the property and get the property off the market. We will then begin the administrative process of requesting references for you and a full deposit.

References

Your prospective new landlord will be keen to make sure that you are a suitable tenant and that you have the ability to pay your rent, while also making sure that you have rented a property without any major problems in the past (if this is applicable). We will seek your permission to conduct the relevant searches before instructing an independent and professional reference checking company.

If you agree, some, or all, of the following documents may be requested by that company:

• References from previous landlords - you may be asked to give the details of where you have lived within the last three years.
• A credit check - this will allow them to see if you have a good history of paying your bills.
• Your bank details, including bank name, account number and sort code.
• Details of your employment, including your employer, job title, payroll number, salary and previous employer.

In the event that the information highlights any potential risks to the landlord, you may be asked to provide a guarantor. A guarantor will be contractually liable, both financially and legally, should you fail to pay the rent during your tenancy or in the event of damage to the property.

The deposit

The final event in your securing the property is the deposit. This is usually between one and two months' rent and held for the duration of the tenancy. The deposit is a safety net for the landlord to guard against the cost of replacing or repairing property damaged by the renter. It is, however, the single most disputed area of the renting process.

New legislation was introduced to the Housing Act 2004 in April 2007 to help protect all parties with regard to the return of deposits.

Tenancy deposit protection in summary:

• Landlords who take deposits will be required to join a statutory tenancy deposit scheme.
• This will mean that deposits are safeguarded.
• Tenants will get all or part of their deposit back, if they have kept the rental property in good condition and are entitled to get their deposit back.
• The scheme offers alternative ways of resolving disputes which aim to be faster and cheaper than taking court action.

We are registered with the Deposit Protection Scheme https://www.depositprotection.com/

Can I see the gas safety certificate?

Yes. If the property has gas appliances or heating the landlord must have an annual gas safety check, conducted by an engineer registered with the ‘Gas Safe Register’. A copy of the certificate must be made available to tenants by law.

Can I see the Energy Performance Certificate?

Yes. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a document outlining the energy efficiency rating of a property, according to an independent assessor. These certificates are valid for ten years and are legally required for property marketed ‘to let’.

Advance Payment

Please note that an advanced payment of a month’s rent and the security deposit must be paid before the keys can be released. Your initial payment can only be made by banker’s draft or building society cheque.

Rent

You will be asked to complete a direct debit/standing order mandate for the monthly rental payments. This will be payable each month in advance and will be collected on a set date as stated in the tenancy agreement. For joint or multiple tenancies, only one mandate can be accepted.

Tenants Content Insurance

The Landlord is not responsible for insuring any of your personal belongings. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you obtain adequate contents insurance.

Non-Managed Lets

Where we are not responsible for the management of the tenancy, you will be given the Landlord’s contact details in case you need to report any maintenance problems.

Utilities

Utilities are the responsibility of the Tenants. Whilst we will do everything within our power to assist with information relating to utility supply, we cannot guarantee who the current suppliers are. We can give you the contact numbers for the agencies who can confirm who is currently supplying the property. At the start of your Tenancy, we will take opening meter readings with you and supply you with telephone numbers to arrange for the gas, electric and water supplies to be transferred into your name.

What about Council Tax?

You are responsible for paying council tax whilst your tenancy is running on the property. You may be eligible for an exemption if you are a student. Your Landlord will need either proof that you have paid your council tax or copies of the exemption certificate during or at the end of the Tenancy.

What about repairs?

The landlord is responsible for all internal and external repairs. The tenant only pays if the breakdown or repair is due to negligence or misuse, for example a burn mark on a carpet.