Our guide to renting a property
Renting a property can be a daunting task. There are so many factors to consider, from choosing the right area for you, to knowing whether the property is realistically priced, to understanding whether the property is managed by an agent or not, and what difference this might make to you. We have created this guide to equip you with all the information you need.
Finances
In order to know whether you are indeed ready to rent a property, it is imperative to get your finances in order. Most agents take a holding deposit to secure the property prior to running references. We take 1 weeks rent as a holding deposit which is deducted from the first month's rent, with your permission. You will need to have the security deposit and first months rent ready on or before your move in date. The security deposit we take is 5 weeks worth of rent.
To summarise, in you'll need -
- Holding deposit available immediately
- Security deposit and first month's rent available on or before move in date
Reference ready
We outsource our referencing to Rightmove who conduct the searches on our behalf. This includes a credit check, landlord reference and employers reference or income check. They also use Open Banking, which is the quickest and more secure way of obtaining data on income and outgoings.
Get ready for referencing -
- Check your credit file to make sure it's good and as you expected - References are automatically declined if CCJs are found and not declared, so it is important to be aware of what's on your credit file.
- Let your employer or accountant know if you intend to put them down as a referee to speed up response time - if your income is from employment, you must be in a permanent position, or on a contract longer than the term of the tenancy. If you are self-employed, you must be able to show 2 years accounts.
- Let your landlord or letting agent know if you intend to put them down as a referee to speed up response time - they will be asked to confirm the address and term of tenancy, whether rent was paid on time and in full, and whether there have been any breaches of the tenancy.
Negotiation
The art of negotiation is a skill essential to any good letting agent. We follow up all viewings personally, within 24 hours by phone, as well as by email, and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the properties, or find out any additional information from the landlords for you. Should you apply for one of our properties, we will keep you well informed of the landlords comments and decisions, and come back to you as quickly as possible.
Property Management
Finding the right property is just the beginning! We aim to take the headache out of renting by liaising between you and the landlord and being on hand to provide professional advice at any time. We will -
- Register your deposit with a scheme and send you the certificate
- Ensure your landlord complies with all current legislation such as reports for gas, electrics and energy performance, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, selective licensing
- Draw up an initial inventory for you to check and sign you agree with
- Conduct 3 monthly property inspections to protect both you and your landlord
- Provide a check out report at the end of the tenancy to protect you and your deposit
- Be the first point of contact for all maintenance issues, which can be logged using our online portal or by phone or by email, and work hard with local contractors to resolve all issues in an efficient manner, giving you peace of mind.
TENANT FEES SCHEDULE
HOLDING DEPOSIT
One week's rent. This is to reserve a property. Please note: This will be withheld if any relevant person (including any guarantor(s)) withdraw from the tenancy, fail a Right to Rent check, provide materially significant false or misleading information, or fail to sign their tenancy agreement (and/or deed of guarantee) within 15 calendar days.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
Five week's rent. This covers damages or defaults on the part of the tenant during the tenancy.
LOST KEYS
Tenants are liable to the actual cost of replacing lost key(s) or other security devices(s). If the loss results in locks needing to be changed, the actual costs of a locksmith, new lock and replacement keys for the tenant, landlord or any other persons requiring keys will be charged to the tenant.
VARIATION OF CONTRACT
£50 inc VAT per agreed variation. To cover the costs associated with taking the landlord's instructions as well as the preparation and execution of new legal documents.
EARLY TERMINATION AT TENANT'S REQUEST
Should the tenant wish to leave their contract early, they shall be liable to the landlord's costs in re-letting the property as well as all rent due under the tenancy until the start date of the replacement tenancy. These costs will be no more than the maximum amount of rent outstanding on the tenancy.
