Tenants Advice
If you are going to rent a property from Falcon Lettings, then you may need to know what your next step will be. We hope that the following information can help you, but we would be delighted to answer any questions or concerns that you may have.
General Principles
We commit to respect the property as your home and we will do our best to ensure that your time in occupation is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
You will have the names and contact details of the members of our team to speak to if there is anything that you need help with. Whilst we commit to provide a quality service we do not pretend to be infallible, so if at any stage you are unhappy then please contact the office Lettings Manager and we will endeavour to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
Applying for a property
Once you have chosen a property you will need to complete a Tenancy Application Form, this is generally carried out in our office. However if you are unable to come in we can have it e-mailed or sent in the post to you. We will not remove a property from our availability list until we have received your form, so if you wish to secure a property it is beneficial to get these completed at your earliest opportunity.
References and guarantors
Upon receipt of the application we will need to take references directly from your employer, previous landlord and a character referee. We will carry out a credit reference check. In certain circumstances a guarantor may be required. The guarantor is normally a member of the applicant’s family who is of sufficient means to guarantee the payment of rent.
Your Tenancy
Once satisfactory references have been obtained you will be contacted by the Lettings team to arrange a tenancy start date. On this date all parties to the agreement must sign the tenancy agreement and to complete a standing order mandate for the payment of future rent.
Payment will be required for apportioned rent and deposit. The total amount will be detailed on a statement which will be provided prior to the commencement date and this should be paid either:
A covering letter will be sent with the statement which will explain how this works in more depth, as well as providing bank details should you wish to do an electronic transfer via online or telephone banking.
You will then be given the keys, a copy of the tenancy agreement and a copy of the inventory to be checked and signed.
Rent payment
Rent is payable in advance on the tenancy date for that month. Payment is required by bank standing order. Share groups should ideally arrange to make one joint payment.
Deposit
A deposit is payable before the start of any tenancy and is usually equal to a multiple of 1.5 times the monthly rent. The deposit is held by the Government Deposit scheme, the DPS and is returned after the property has been vacated, the keys have been returned and an end of tenancy inspection of the property has been carried out by your appointed Property Manager. Any necessary cleaning or repairs/replacements will be charged to the deposit, and will cause a delay in the return of the deposit balance.
Deposits for all Assured Shorthold Tenancies are held in accordance with the Tenancy Deposit Regulations and you will be advised on commencement of which scheme will be used. All schemes are insured and offer an independent arbitration service in case of any unresolved dispute at the end of tenancy.
An inventory of contents and schedule of condition is prepared for each property prior to letting. You will be supplied with a two copies and are requested to check the list carefully, then sign and return one copy within 48 hours of receipt. Any discrepancies in the contents or the condition should be noted prior to signature and return (any points made may be subject to a verification inspection by your Property Manager).
The second copy should be retained for your records. It is important that you do check the inventory as it forms the basis of the inspection to be made after the end of the tenancy. If a signed copy of the inventory is not received within 48 hours it will be assumed that the inventory is accurate in every detail.
Utilities and Council Tax
You will usually be responsible for electricity, gas, water, council tax and telephone bills on the property. We will arrange the transfer of electricity, gas and water accounts by taking meter readings prior to the start of the tenancy and then submitting the necessary forms to the supplier concerned. Please inform us immediately if you change your electricity or gas supplier.
We will notify the relevant Local Authority of the commencement of your tenancy so that they may invoice you directly for Council Tax. Please note that if you are a single occupier you are entitled to a 25% discount.
We cannot make any arrangements to connect a telephone and suggest you contact either BT (0800 800 150) or Virgin Media (0845 454 1111) at least three working days prior to occupation.
A television licence and any cable, digital or satellite television arrangements will be your sole responsibility. However, if a cable, digital or satellite service is not already available at the property you must contact us for written permission prior to installation.
Insurance
The landlord is responsible for insuring the main structure of the building and any of their contents, fixtures and fittings. This insurance will not cover your belongings and you are therefore strongly advised to take out separate insurance cover in this respect. We can arrange a fast and competitive quote for you through Homelet.
Periods of absence and frost damage
You must notify us in writing when the property will be left vacant for more than 14 days. During cold periods the property should not be left empty overnight without any heating due to the risk of freezing and bursting pipes. Water should be turned off at the mains stopcock whenever a property is left empty during winter months.
Maintenance and repairs
You must contact us immediately in respect of any maintenance problem. The landlord is responsible for the fabric and services of the building, plus any fixtures and fittings such as kitchen appliances; except in the instance whereby the damage or fault has arisen due to neglect or misuse, or where repair has been specifically excluded on the inventory. Expenses incurred without prior approval may not be refunded.
We have established relationships with a number of proven contractors so we can usually respond quickly to any reported problems. However, you will appreciate that we are custodians of the landlord’s money and, as such, there are occasions when we need to revert to them for their specific instructions and this can add a slight delay.
If the property has gas an annual safety check is required by law. You will be expected to allow our appointed engineer reasonable access.
End of tenancy
When you wish to vacate the property at the end of the Assured Shorthold tenancy term you must give one full month’s notice in writing from the tenancy date to be received at our offices no later than two working days after the date of the notice.
If, for whatever reason, you need to vacate the property during the initial term then we will endeavour to re-let the property, thereby releasing you from your ongoing liability. There is an early release administration fee to offset some of our additional costs in this respect.
Keys must be returned to our offices on, or before, the day of vacating the property, together with a forwarding address. Failure to return keys will result in a continuing liability for rent.
An end of tenancy inspection will be carried out by your Property Manager and you will be notified of any faults. Please note that you will not be given the opportunity to return to the property so when you leave it should be left in the condition that you would expect if you were about to move in.
During the inspection electricity, gas and water meter readings will be taken and we will notify the service provider of the end of your tenancy and liability.
Fee schedule
We believe in complete transparency and therefore below is a list of when amounts are due, plus the charges that may apply to your tenancy and the situations in which they occur. There are no hidden extras.
Tenancy Administration Fee (due on application)
One individual (over 18 years) £180
Each individual thereafter £60
Company let £275
The above fee includes all referencing and tenancy documentation preparation.
At the start of your tenancy
Deposit, usually 1.5 times the monthly rent
Pet fee £150 (where pets are allowed during the tenancy an additional non-refundable fee is required to cover the landlord against any specific pet related issues arising during and/or after the tenancy, eg: pest infestation).
At the end of your tenancy
Administration Fee £100 (to cover end of tenancy inventory inspection, compliance with Government Deposit Scheme and transfer of utilities / council tax)
During your tenancy
(These are not mandatory and will only arise as a result of the circumstance described)
If a cheque is not honoured by your bank £30
Tenancy agreement update £50
(eg: if parties are added to or removed from the agreement)
Early release administration fee £150 (if you wish to leave within the initial term)
Deposit refund direct to your bank £15
Interest on late rent will be 4% over Barclays Bank base rate
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is there a high demand for rental property?
A. Since the late 1980’s, amendments to landlord and tenant legislation, together with changes in people’s attitude to renting have created an active private rental sector. Demand obviously varies from time to time, and area to area, but there is always a need for good quality residential property offered at sensible rates.
Q. Who signs the tenancy agreement?
A. Both landlord and tenant need to sign the agreement. As your agent, we can sign it on your behalf.
Q. How long does the tenancy last?
A. The minimum recommended term for an Assured Short hold Tenancy is 6 months, after this period the tenancy can be extended on a month to month basis or a further fixed term can be applied.
Q. How much deposit is held?
A. This can be at the landlord’s discretion but we would recommend holding a deposit of 1.5 x the monthly rent.
Q. Why do I need an Inventory?
A. This protects both the landlord and the tenant as it is a clear description of the property at the start of the tenancy. this is an essantial document should there be any disagreement or dispute at the end of the tenancy. If you do not have a comprehensive inventory you cannot make any legitimate deductions at the expiry of the tenancy from the tenants deposit.
Q. Why should portable appliances be tested?
A. Landlords have a legal duty to take precautions against the risk of fire, injury or even death caused from appliances they have provided.
Q. What about insuring the tenant’s possessions?
A. It’s the tenant’s responsibility to insure all their personal belongings.
Q. What happens when a repair is needed?
A. Depending on the reported incident we will qualify who is liable, i.e. landlord or tenant. A qualified contractor would then be instructed to carry out the repair, subject to necessary approval.
Q. Who is liable for repairs to the property and the maintenance of the appliances?
A. The landlord is responsible for maintaining and repairing the structure, fittings and fixtures of the property. If we’re managing the property for the Landlord, we’ll arrange for a local contractor to carry out any necessary repair work.
Q. Who is responsible for paying gas, electric, water and council tax bills?
A. Unless agreed otherwise, our tenancy agreement states the tenant is responsible for paying for these services. During any period your property is empty, for example between or after the property is tenanted, you are responsible for these accounts.
Q. What happens about the garden?
A. Under our tenancy agreement, the tenant is responsible for the maintenance of the garden, taking into account its original state and seasonal conditions.
