TENANTS’ INFORMATION
Once you have found a property you would like to rent we will put forward the terms of your offer to the Landlord. Please note, all offers are subject to receipt of satisfactory references and the signing of the Tenancy Agreement by both parties.
When you agree to take a tenancy of a property through Hadland Estate Agents we will require a holding deposit of £100.00 to enable us to withdraw the property from the market and an additional referencing fee of £60.00 + VAT per person. These payments are non-refundable if the Tenant is in breach of contract or if the letting does not commence. The holding deposit will be deducted from the first payment at the beginning of the let.
There are certain formalities we then have to complete.
We will require satisfactory references for which in most cases we will use a referencing company. If for some reason we cannot use this service we will need to obtain references from your bank, employer, personal reference and /or previous Landlord if you have one.
If the tenancy is to be in a Limited Company name we will need references from the Company’s bankers, solicitors and accountants. A copy of the Annual Company Accounts may need to be supplied and /or a company search carried out. Written confirmation from an authorised representative of your company will be required to confirm the status of your employment and that you are the proposed occupant.
Once satisfactory references are to hand the necessary documents are prepared for signature by both Landlord and Tenant.
On the day your tenancy commences you will be asked to attend our office in order to sign all documents and pay rent, deposit and other charges incurred. Please note we are unable to accept personal cheques in this instance. Payment should be cash, banker’s draft, company cheque or building society cheque. Payment may also be made direct to our bank account.
Please make sure you read all the documents before signing and if you require any explanation do not hesitate to ask for clarification. We would like to point out that you will be signing a formal document to which you will be legally bound once signed.
At the time of signing the documents we will require monies to cover the following:
1. ONE MONTH’S RENT
This is paid in advance and your rent will become due by standing order on the same date every month thereafter.
2. DEPOSIT
We require a minimum deposit equivalent to one and a half month’s rent if in receipt of a pass certificate from the referencing company though some landlords may request up to two months particularly if the tenants have a pet. This is held throughout the term of the tenancy and will be returned at the end of the tenancy (less check-out cost) provided all rent has been paid and there are no dilapidations reported by the inventory clerk at the checkout inspection.
Under the Housing Act 2004 and the Tenants Deposit Protection Scheme tenants’ deposit has to be protected in either a custodial or insurance backed scheme. If the deposit is held by Hadland Estate Agents as stakeholder your deposit will be held under this scheme and you will be informed within 14 days of the start of your tenancy where your deposit is held.
If the Landlord is holding the deposit, in compliance with the law s/he must inform you within 14 days where your deposit is held.
The deposit is used to offset any costs which may be incurred as a result of damages, dilapidations or any breach of contract caused during the term of the Tenancy or invoices left outstanding by the Tenant. If there are any dilapidations these will be settled from the deposit and the balance cannot be returned to you until all the works have been carried out by our contractors and their invoices have been submitted.
3. ADMINISTRATION FEE
Our fee for the administration of setting up the Tenancy is £70 + VAT. The administration cost of extending the Tenancy is £45 + VAT.
4. INVENTORY CHECK IN
Most properties will have an Inventory of the contents and schedule of conditions. On the day you move in you will be met at the property by the Inventory Clerk who will check the Inventory with you and ask you to sign a declaration confirming the condition of the property and that all items listed have been seen. It is in your interests that the Inventory is checked thoroughly with the Inventory Clerk in order to ensure discrepancies do not arise at a later date. When you leave the property the Clerk will perform a check-out at a cost to you of between £70.00 and £160.00 (depending on the size of the property); this will be withheld from your deposit.
Please note:
UTILITIES AND COUNCIL TAX The terms of the Tenancy require the Tenant to pay the utility charges and council tax demands for the property. The gas and electricity companies should be informed of your name and the meter readings taken at the commencement and the termination of the tenancy. Council tax is a local authority tax levied against the occupants of residential premises. We are obliged to inform the local Council Tax officer of the names of the new occupants. Charges are assessed according to the status and number of occupants in each property. Many properties now have water meters installed; we will inform the water company at the commencement and termination of your tenancy.
TELEPHONE All tenants must contact the telephone company direct.
INSURANCE Whilst the Landlord is obliged to insure the building and contents, he is not liable for your own possessions. Hadland Estate Agents therefore recommend that you insure your personal belongings and also insure against any accidental damage caused by you to the Landlords possessions or premises under an “all risks” policy. We can offer you information from a specialised Landlord and Tenant insurance company if you need help obtaining this.
SMOKING Tenants and their guests are forbidden to smoke in any of our properties.
PETS The tenant is forbidden to keep animals or pets of any description within the premises unless the Landlord has given consent prior to the commencement of the Tenancy.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Although we may have found you a home to rent, we may not necessarily be responsible for managing the property during the term of the tenancy. Please check with us.