We outline on this page a basic, quick guide and overview for Landlords, to explain what is typically involved with letting a property. If you need any further information or advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us
As soon as a suitable property has been found, you will need to complete a reference application form. We utilise the services of a credit-referencing agency to take up the following references:
A holding deposit of 1 week rent will be required at the same time as the administration fee (below).
This is in order to reserve the property and remove it from our availability list. The holding deposit will be deducted from the first months rent. Should the tenant withdraw from the proposed letting, through no fault of the landlord or the agent, all or a proportion of the holding deposit will be retained in order to cover any reasonable costs (which will be outlined in full). A full refund of the holding deposit will provided should the Tenant's withdrawal be due to a breach of the proposed letting agreement by the landlord or managing agent.
The holding deposit shows good faith on the part of a prospective tenant, enabling the landlord / agent to take further action in the confident knowledge that the applicant is serious and fully committed to the property.
For example, we would:
Both the Landlord and tenant(s) will be required to sign a tenancy agreement prior to the tenancy commencing, the agreement outlines both tenant and landlord obligations.
Generally, most tenancies run for a period of twelve months, we will contact you towards the end of the tenancy to see whether you wish to renew your agreement for a further period and will liaise with the landlord to organise the documentation. It is important you note that the agreement is made between landlord and tenant; we act for the landlord only.
By legal requirement we will issue you with a sample draft agreement which we ask you read very carefully, should any questions arise regarding this legal document we advise you to seek independent legal advice.
Once a moving-in date has been agreed and references have all been approved by the landlord, the tenancy agreement will need to be signed by all parties and the initial monies in full will become due (less any holding deposit previously paid)
This is made up of the following:
We do get instructed to fully manage some of our landlord’s properties and if this is the case with your tenancy, we will inform you prior to your tenancy commencing. If we are managing, then any faults with appliances or problems within the property will need to be reported to us and we will deal with the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible. Failure to report an on-going problem may turn the onus onto you; please report any problems you feel need attention.
Rental payments are paid in advance and are always made by standing order from the tenants’ bank account to the landlord’s bank account, with the exception of managed properties whereby the rental payment is made to us.
To terminate your tenancy subject to term, you will normally be required to give us at least one month notice in writing of your intention to leave, unless otherwise specified in your specific tenancy agreement.
The responsibility for your belongings is down to you, the landlord accepts no responsibility and cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to tenants possessions.
A well-prepared inventory and check-in report protects landlords and tenants alike, providing an accurate description of the condition and contents of a property at the start of a tenancy.
The condition of the property and its contents at the end of the tenancy is then compared back to this report in the form of a check-out report. The inventory clerk will also provide an opinion on whether any damage that has arisen during the tenancy is attributable to the tenants, to ‘fair wear and tear’ or to the landlord as required maintenance.
It is in a landlord’s interest to ensure that inventories are prepared for properties that they own. In the worst case scenario, should you end up in court, the judge will tend to look more favourably on an impartial, unbiased inventory prepared by a third party unconnected to either the landlord or the tenants. Inventories prepared by landlords could be viewed as biased and one-sided.
Normally an inventory of the property condition, furniture and fittings and effects will be prepared by the landlord, or an independent inventory clerk instructed by the landlord prior to the tenancy commencing. The tenancy is checked and agreed between the tenant and the landlord at the tenancy commencement.
When your tenancy ends, an inspection of the property will be carried out, either by the landlord or an independent inventory clerk instructed by the landlord. Once this has been carried out, the landlord and tenant must agree on an amount to be returned (full or part refund depending on condition of property).
If we are instructed as managing agents for your property, we will carry out quarterly inspections to assess the condition of the property and that everything is being kept in a satisfactory condition. We will always arrange this with you at a mutually convenient time and will give at least 24hr notice.
If the landlord is managing the property, they too will need to give at least 24hr notice should they wish to visit / inspect the property. Neither the Landlord or Agent can enter the property without your prior authorisation, except in times of emergency (i.e. water leak, gas leak etc)
whether we manage the property or not, we may be able to assist with informing all utility providers and the local authority should you require help at the commencement of the tenancy. It is then your responsibility to pay all bills in relation to the council tax, water, electricity and gas (students, who may be exempt from the payment of council tax, are responsible for informing the Local Authority of this)
Wherever applicable VAT will be charged at the current VAT rate.