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Tenants
guide to letting
>Deposit
in the first rental payment
>The
Letting Agreement Between Landlord & Tenant
>Arranging utilities
>Provision of keys
>Check-in procedures
>Your Safety
>Renewing your lease
>Return of deposit
Deposit in the first rental
payment
We take 6 week's worth of rent as deposit along
with your first rental payment. The deposit is kept by the Landlord.
The Landlord has the right to deduct monies for such things as arrears
of rent, cleaning of the property not being done in accordance with
the agreement, breakages etc. The remaining deposit monies will
be returned to you by the Landlord at the end of the tenancy. Please
note decisions on deductions will be made by the Landlord.
We encourage our landlords to arrange a professional
inventory report. This provides a record of the contents (such as
small household appliances, crockery) and the general interior/large
household appliances (e.g. fridge). An inventory report is done
both at the beginning and end of the tenancy. If a landlord does
not arrange an inventory we prepare a report called an Check-In
Report. This records the general condition of each room (the walls,
appliances, curtains, lighting etc) which will be compared against
a report done at check out stage. These reports assist the landlord
in deciding whether or not any deposit should be retained
Rent payments should be made to your Landlord
as arranged by him or her. We only take the first rental payment
from you along with your deposit and an administration charge. From
there after you must pay the landlord direct. Rent payments should
take place on the same date as when you moved in. For example, if
you moved in on the 28th March, rent payments must take place on
28th of each month. This is in line with the terms of the Tenancy
agreement between you and the landlord. If you experience difficult
in paying rent at any time you must immediately notify the landlord.
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The Letting Agreement Between Landlord &
Tenant
You will be provided with a copy of the contract
you sign known as the Tenancy Agreement. Both you and the landlord/Whitemews
lettings are required to sign the Tenancy Agreement. This will form
your letting contract. The agreement used is called an assured shorthold
tenancy. This entitles the landlord to possession of the property
at the end of the tenancy period. Normally the Tenancy period is
for 12 months.
Where the Landlord has instructed or accepted
a break-clause, this normally provides, under Clause 10 of the Tenancy
Agreement, a right for either the Landlord and/or the Tenant to
terminate the Agreement after 6 months - but with 2 months notice
period (8 months occupation in total). This notice has to be served
in writing by the party giving notice. Any special requirements,
such an extra item the landlord agrees to supply e.g. a bed, or
variations to the standard tenancy agreement will be listed in a
Rider document and attached to the Tenancy agreement. You should
note that the landlord does not have an obligation to carry out
pre-contact promises of furnishings or repair unless they have been
listed on the Rider attached to the Tenancy Agreement. This does
not apply to items which are required by statute or properly arise
after occupation.
Whitemews lettings will go through the Tenancy
Agreement with you. For reference, you'll be provided with a copy
of this once both parties have signed. Generally the points you
should note under the Tenancy Agreement are:
1. The Tenancy Agreement is between you and the
Landlord.
2. All Tenants have joint and several liability under the Tenancy
agreement.
3. You are contracted to stay in the property for the duration stated
in the Tenancy Agreement. The assured shorthold Tenancy agreement
means that the Landlord has already served formal Notice to you
to give up possession on the date stated in the Tenancy Agreement.
4. Where a Guarantor has entered into an Agreement, in the event
of the Tenant not meeting the obligations under the Agreement, the
Guarantor would be liable to accept responsibility. >Top
Arranging utilities
The arrangement in almost all cases is that the
Tenant has to pay gas, electricity, telephone and local authority
council tax. Usually the Landlord pays the water rates. However
some Tenants have to pay for water (usually where there is a water
meter), and if this is the case this will be stated in the Tenancy
agreement. You should liaise with the landlord to obtain details
needed to put services in your name. Electricity and telephone services
must be applied for at least 4 working days before moving. >Top
Provision of keys
Whitemews ask the Landlord to provide a set of
keys for each tenant renting the property. Under no circumstances
are locks to be changed by the tenant without prior approval of
the landlord. Tenants must ensure they return all keys at the end
of the tenancy period, otherwise monies will from deposit money
will be kept to pay for replacing locks. >Top
Check-in procedures
We ask the Landlord to provide a set of keys
for each tenant renting the property. Whitemews will arrange to
check you in to the property. At this stage a report, (an inventory
or Check-In Report) will be prepared to record the condition of
the property. We ask you to sign this report to clarify that state
of the property is as recorded. We ask the landlord to ensure that
the property is clean and tidy prior to you moving in. We also ask
the Landlord leave you any instruction or appliance manuals in a
binder for your reference. >Top
Your Safety
Your safety under gas, furnishing and electrical
regulations
The landlord is obliged to make arrangements to ensure that the
property is safe for you under gas appliances, furnishings and electrical
regulations.
The Gas Safety Regulations 1994:
All gas appliances and associated pipe work must by law be maintained
in a safe condition and be checked for safety at least every 12
months by a suitably qualified engineer. Before moving into the
property, you must be handed a copy of the last record of inspection.
Also, a record of these checks should be in the property. Similarly,
instructions for these appliances should be in the property. Please
let your Landlord know immediately if you feel that these conditions
are not being complied with.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety)
Regulations:
Amongst other matters this Act requires that all furniture must
have a label clearly showing that it is fire resistant. Any new
or additional furniture being put into the property must also comply
with these regulations.
Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (Safety)
Regulations 1989:
Electrical appliances must be checked before you move in to the
property. >Top
Renewing your lease
Some two months before the end of the lease,
we will contact you to see if you would like to renew your tenancy.
If you wish to stay on in the property we will seek approval from
the landlord and make any necessary arrangements. If the landlord
does not wish to renew the tenancy we can set about finding you
alternative property if you wish. Please appreciate that if you
are not staying in the property we may wish to show it to other
prospective tenants during your notice period. Your co-operation
with this would be much appreciated. >Top
Return of deposit
At the commencement of the Tenancy you
would normally have been checked in and an inventory or Check-in
Report outlining the condition
of the property would have been compiled and signed by you. At the
end of your Tenancy, a similar Check-out Report is compiled and
this is where the condition and cleanliness of the property is checked
and reported back to the Landlord. Normally, this document is referred
to by the Landlord in deciding what deductions, if any, are to be
made by the Landlord from your deposit. Whitemews cannot be involved
in any decision over return of deposit - this is between the Tenant
and the Landlord. You can liaise with the landlord about return
of deposit, after the inventory or our Check-Out report has been
done. A copy of this report will be sent to you for your reference.
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