Tenants Guide

FINDING A PROPERTY

Keep your eyes open for our boards, check out our Social Media page and register with our partner portal www.wearethemarket.co.uk.

You can also visit the property portals where you can set up alerts to notify you when new properties are listed.

The rental market can be very fast moving so if you see a property you like don’t hang around contact us as soon as possible. Be aware though that there may be a number of people attending the same viewing and remember you must phone us on the day of your appointment to confirm you will still be attending.

APPLYING FOR A PROPERTY

Once you have viewed the property you will need to complete an Initial Application Request Form, all initial applications received will then be discussed with the Landlord and you will be notified of the decision by the next working day.

If your application request is accepted you will then need to pay the initial holding deposit, equivalent of one weeks rent, to remove the property from the market and this must be paid by Bank Transfer.

Once you have paid the holding deposit and receipt of your payment has been confirmed you will then be sent, via email, the Holding Deposit Receipt which requires your electronic signature so access to the internet and a valid email address is essential.

The Holding Deposit Receipt also gives permission for us to begin the formal application process so once the document has been signed you will receive an email or text link to complete your online reference and credit check. Referencing can take up to 2 weeks to complete dependant on how quickly you and your referees take to complete or provide the required information. As all referencing is done online you will need to provide a valid email address and telephone number, mobile preferable, for your referees which you will need to enter when prompted.

It is essential that you are accurate and honest in completing your referencing from the initial application request to the formal referencing checks so as to avoid any delays and/or the subsequent loss of your holding deposit and the property.

Depending on your circumstances you may be required to provide a Guarantor who will be financially obligated, for the duration of the tenancy, to cover any losses to the Landlord should a tenant not comply with the terms of the tenancy, such as rent arrears or damage to the property. The Guarantor must have been in full time and permanent employment for at least the last 3 years, lived at the same address for no less than 3 years, have never had any CCJ's or Adverse Credit and have an income that is 3 times the monthly rent. You will be notified during the application process if you require a Guarantor and they will also then be referenced.

When all referencing has been completed you will then be notified via email and within 24 hours, if your application has been successful or not.

MOVING IN

After you have been notified of your application being successful and your move in date has been confirmed, you will receive a draft copy of your tenancy agreement along with all other legally required documentation for your read through and confirmation prior to your tenancy beginning. The email will also contain your "Move In" appointment to which all tenants must attend and have with them the original copies of their Passports or photo ID, this is because we need to see the original documents to satisfy the Right To Rent Legislation and ensure compliance.

You will need to pay by Bank Transfer only the “Move in Monies” this will be your security deposit (5 weeks rent) plus your first rent due*, less the holding deposit you have already paid, this will need to be received in cleared funds by 5pm the day before your move in.

All tenants will be sent an email with links to electronically sign the tenancy documents this includes Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, Guarantors Agreement (if applicable), Welcome Letter and Inventory Unchecked. All tenants must ESign all documents prior to attending the Move In appointment and a signed copy will be placed into your "Move In Pack" for future reference.

Please Note:
A tenancy offer is provisional and given 'subject to contract' - meaning that there will be no binding agreement until the tenancy agreement has been signed by both parties. No keys will be handed over until such time as all rent and deposit monies have been received and documents ESigned.

*The first rent due may vary depending on the properties management type and tenancy start date.
Let Only tenancies, no matter of the tenancy start date will pay one months rent in advance.
Managed tenancies starting on or before the 15th day of the month will pay the rent for the remainder of days for that calendar month.
Managed tenancies starting on or after the 16th day of the month will pay the remainder of days for that calendar month plus the following full month.
E.g. A tenancy starting on the 11th August with a monthly rent of £850 would pay = £558.90 (850x12=/365=x20 days, minus any holding deposit paid)
A tenancy starting on the 18th August with a monthly rent of £850 would pay = £1213.29 (850x12=/365=x13 days +£850, minus any holding deposit paid)

TENANTS RESPONSIBILITIES

To maintain the landlord’s property in good condition, carry out minor repairs/maintenance and notify the Landlord or Landlords Agent of any repair/maintenance issues when they arise. Delays in reporting maintenance could cause further problems and unnecessary repair costs which the tenant could incur if proven a repair requirement was ignored or not reported at the time of occurrence. Non Urgent minor repairs will look to be actioned within 7 working days, Urgent repairs will look to be actioned within 2 working days and Emergency repairs will look to be actioned within 24 hours, during a Government Lockdown with restrictions these times may be unavoidably delayed.

Where possible tenants are requested to provide photograph’s of any faults or repair issues within the property and of faulty appliances where make and model numbers are also required. These can be provided via email along with the best contact telephone number for the contractor to use for contact.

In the case of a:
GAS EMERGENCY: The Gas Emergency number is 0800 111 999 If you smell gas, think you have a gas leak, or are worried that fumes containing carbon monoxide are escaping from a gas appliance, please call the free Gas Emergency Services emergency line immediately.

ELECTRIC EMERGENCY: The Electrical Emergency number is 105 In the event of an electrical emergency or power outage please call 105 from your mobile or landline and the telephone service will automatically direct you to the network distributor's emergency number for your area.105 is a free service, available from most landlines and mobile phones in England, Scotland and Wales.

It is essential that the property is properly heated and ventilated throughout the whole year, drying of washing, cooking, bathing or showering in a property with windows closed will cause condensation and lead to mould growth. As the tenant you are responsible for ensuring the property is adequately heated and ventilated at all times and any problems caused and repair costs incurred by not doing so will be charged to the tenant/s.

Pouring of kitchen fat and waste down sinks will cause blockages and expensive repairs, the cost of which will be charged to the tenants

No wipes/wet wipes are to be flushed down any toilet, this include the "fine to flush" wipes. In the event that a blockage occurs as a result of such wipes being flushed down any of the toilets, the tenant will be charged the full cost of unblocking the toilet and/or drains.

Lost keys - make sure that you make arrangements for spare keys. During working hours of 9am to 5pm we may be able to lend you a set of keys by paying a returnable deposit. Out of office hours you would need to contact a locksmith to gain entry and this is payable by the tenant/s.

Tenants should familiarize themselves with the locations of the utility meters, water stop tap and electricity fuse box. In the event of a major water leak in the property tenants should immediately turn off the water supply at the stop tap and contact the agent for further advice. In the event of the loss of electric/power in the property first check that all fuses are in the up position on the fuse board. If an appliance such as a lamp or charger has caused the electrics to trip you will need to switch off all plugs at the sockets then reset the main fuse on the fuse board. One by one switch on each socket to find the faulty appliance/device and remove. If a contractor is instructed to attend and finds the fault is linked to a tenants device or appliance the full costs incurred for the call out will be charged to the tenant/s.

A tenant is expected to carry out minor repairs, purchase and replace light bulbs, fuses and batteries for thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

If the property is fitted with a boiler tenants are expected to set controls and re-pressurise boilers themselves and should familiarize themselves with the operating instructions upon move in. Do not attempt to re-pressurise the boiler if you do not have the instructions to do so. Any damage caused to the boiler by tenant/s not following manufacturers instructions will be chargeable to the tenant/s.

If the property is fitted with ECO7/Storage Heaters/Electric Heating tenants are expected to set controls and should familiarize themselves with the operating instructions upon move in.

If you request a contractor to visit and the contractor finds no fault or it has been caused by tenant negligence, misuse or error, the full amount invoiced is payable by the tenant/s.

If relevant tenants should keep the gardens, driveways, pathways, lawns, hedges, rockeries and ponds regularly maintained and as neat, tidy and properly tended as they were at the start of the tenancy. Tenants are not permitted to remove any trees or plants without prior written permission.

Tenants must ​​​ensure the property is adequately locked and secured including windows and gates. The Landlord or Landlords Agent must be informed if you are to be away for any length of time exceeding 2 weeks.

Tenants contents are not covered by the landlord's insurance so tenants will need to make sure their own contents are insured, a free no obligation quote can be provided for you at www.tenantsquote.co.uk/3929

TENANCY RENEWAL

All tenancies are initially Let on a 6 month term, unless instructed otherwise by the Landlord, approximately 2 months before the end of the tenancy term we will contact you, via email, about renewing the tenancy and if your property is Managed arrange for a Renewal Inspection to be carried out. Once completed and you have responded your proposed renewal term will be put to the Landlord and once a response has been received you will be notified of this.

Renewal terms are usually on a 12 month basis but 6, 12, 18 or 24 can be proposed but won’t necessarily be accepted, if this is the case then a negotiation of terms will take place until an agreement can be made. If both parties agree, new tenancy documents will be drawn up and as at "Move In" all tenants will be required to electronically sign all renewal documents.

If you do not respond to our communications about renewing your tenancy it will be presumed that you will be vacating the property when the fixed term ends and we will begin to remarket and show prospective tenants around, of which you will always receive at least 24 hour’s notice of.

A tenancy is for a fixed period of time but if you need to vacate early, you are responsible for paying the rent for the whole period that you committed to. Under certain circumstances a tenancy can be allowed to come to an end early however you will be responsible for the landlords re-letting fees (Minimum of £525) and the rent and bills on the property until a new tenant takes up occupation.

MOVING OUT

Once a tenants notice to vacate has been received we will email confirmation of the end date of the tenancy along with the Checkout Guidelines and Form for you to complete. On the last day of your tenancy you will need to return, via email, your completed Checkout Form and ensure all sets of keys you hold for the property have been left inside, you will be responsible for paying rent until you return ALL sets of keys as this is the confirmation needed that you have vacated the property and ended the tenancy. Once all keys and completed Checkout Form have been received we will arrange for a member of staff to carry out the Checkout Inspection, to avoid any risks of confrontation or volatile situations and for the welfare of staff and tenants alike tenants are not permitted to attend.

Once the checkout inspection has been completed you will receive a copy of the Checkout Report for your agreement and once you have agreed to the contents of the report and any proposed deductions, if relevant, the process of returning your deposit to you will begin and you will receive any monies due usually within 10 days of the figures being agreed.

Remember it can be expensive if we have to arrange cleaners, decorators or any repairs to be done after you move out. These costs will be deducted from the deposit held so tenants are advised to follow the Checkout Guidelines provided to them and complete their own check-out report before vacating the property. Also take photos to demonstrate the contents, cleanliness and condition they are leaving the property and any furnishings in and compare this to the original inventory given and agreed to at the start of your tenancy.

Once notice has been given if the Landlord has instructed us to do so we will begin to remarket the property for rental, Paul will attend to take up to date photographs of the property along with a walk through video tour. You will need to ensure the property is clean and presentable for viewings, of which you will receive at least 24 hour’s notice of.

REPORTING MAINTENANCE

Managed Properties:

Call 02476 258492 option 3, voicemail service in operation

Or

Email reception@covagent.co.uk

Outside of Business Hours:

Report all maintenance issues in the same way.

All messages and emails are picked up periodically and any maintenance issue deemed an emergency will be actioned.

All other issues will be dealt with on the next working day.

Let Only Properties:

All maintenance issues need to be reported directly to your Landlord on the telephone number or email provided to you at move in.

This Tenants Guide forms part of the tenants terms and conditions when accepting a tenancy with Paul Chillingsworth Homes and should be read prior to signing any documentation to ensure agreement and compliance of.

Click HERE to read our full tenants terms and conditions.