Tenants FAQs
Beginning I see a property on a website that I would like to view? Just phone or e-mail them. They will ask a few questions to make sure that we are offering you the properties best suited to your needs What do I do if I would like to take a property? You need to go back to the office with the negotiator to complete all the relevant paperwork. You will need to provide some photographic ID i.e. driving licence or passport. Once you have completed your paperwork you need to pay your holding deposit and once we have this we will remove the property from the market while we are processing your application. We do recommend that you invest in tenant’s contents insurance, which we can help you with. Why do I have to pay a holding deposit? In order for the Landlord to remove the property whilst the referencing process takes place, a holding deposit must be paid. This is non-refundable should you decide not to proceed with the let. Why do I have to pay an administration charge? Your administration charge is used to collate your references and credit history. It is also used as your share of preparing the tenancy agreement. Are utility bills included in the rental? Utility bills are not normally included in the rental. How much is the deposit? The deposit is equal to six weeks rental. Where, when and how do I pay my initial monies? Tenancies are all signed at the office on the agreed move in date. All initial monies become due on that date and may be paid by debit card or bankers drafts. When do I get my keys? On the date of signing once all funds are received. Why are references required? Charlie’s Agents use references to check all applicants’ credit history and also a reference from a former landlord, current employer and previous employer. These references are necessary for us to ensure that you have the means to pay the rent. We check your credit history to check whether you have had any court orders or CCJs against you in the past. The landlord reference is to help us ensure that you are a reliable tenant who pays on time and doesn’t damage the property. You employer reference is to ensure that you are in the employment that you have stated on your application form. However if you have a bad credit history you may still be able to apply for the property, as long as you tell us beforehand. If you mislead us about your credit history then your application will automatically be rejected. Can my landlord refuse to give me back my deposit? If you have entered into an assured short hold tenancy in England and Wales, then the return of the deposit is subject to tenancy deposit protection. The scheme which your Landlord or the Charlie’s Agents office has chosen will be able to provide you with information on the process for returning your deposit. This scheme provides an alternative dispute resolution process whereby an independent adjudicator will make a final decision on the disbursement of the deposit money. If you have a non housing act contract or company tenancy and are in England or Wales, or are in Scotland, your Landlord will probably be holding the deposit himself or the Charlie’s Agents office will be holding the deposit as agent for landlord. This means that the Landlord can withhold reasonable amounts of the deposit for items which are stipulated in the tenancy agreement without your consent. What ID do I need to show, before I can move in? We require proof of residency and proof of identity. - For residency we accept a recent (within the last 3 months) utility/ council tax/ mobile phone bill or a current tenancy agreement. - For identity we require a photo style driving licence or passport. If you are not a UK citizen of the European Economic Union then you will need to provide evidence of official permission to live in the UK for the term of the proposed tenancy. In some circumstances additional ID will be requested by the credit referencing agency. Do I have to sign a lease with my landlord? Yes, until the tenancy agreement is signed there is no contract between you and the landlord. If the tenancy does not go ahead as planned you cannot claim against the landlord or the Charlie’s Agents office for your costs or out of pocket expenses. What if I am a student? It is possible to secure a property & some of our Landlords let their property to mature or post-graduate students. You will need a parent, relative or close friend to guarantee the rent, known as a guarantor, and adherence to the Terms & Conditions of our Agreement. As a full-time student do I have to pay council tax? A student does not have to pay council tax if they live in halls of residence or a house where all of the residents are students in full-time education. This is provided that all of the students in the house have supplied the council office with a copy of their tenancy agreement and student certificate. What am I, as a tenant, responsible for? As a tenant you are responsible for: - Prompt payment of rent. - Prompt payment of gas, electricity, telephone and internet bills. - Reporting any damages and repairs to the property as early as possible. - Carrying out odd jobs in the property in a Tenant like manner such as changing light bulbs etc. - Repairing any damage caused by you at the property which includes unblocking a sink or toilet which has been blocked due to your misuse. What other costs will I have besides the rent? These will vary but are most likely to include gas, electricity, telephone, water rates, council tax and contents insurance to cover your own possessions. Who is responsible for the TV licence? Both the landlord and tenant are liable and must ensure that the address has a valid TV licence. The responsibility on who has to pay for the licence is usually stated in the Tenancy Agreement. However if the landlord provides a television with the property then they would be expected to pay for the TV licence, particularly in any communal areas. But if a tenant wishes to watch TV in their own room or bring their own television into the property they are likely to be expected to pay the licence fee, each property is different and the tenancy agreement must be consulted for clarification. What if I am self-employed? If you are self-employed we will ask you for a reference from your accountant and your bank, usually providing 3 year's accounts. Does Charlie’s Agents arrange company lets? We ask companies seeking properties for their staff to provide references from their bank, chartered accountant and solicitor. We have landlords who are willing to let their properties to companies who may be looking for properties to accommodate their staff. Use of a Guarantor Agents normally use credit referencing companies to carry out checks and provide a recommendation on your suitability. If you have no adverse credit history but are financially weak for the rental amount then you may be able to arrange a “Guarantor”... A Guarantor is someone who agrees to abide by all of the terms of tenancy agreement, including the payment of rent, but has no right to live at the property. Your Guarantor will also need to be credit checked and there is normally an extra fee to pay for this. Back to top  During What do I do if I have a problem in the property? Charlie’s Agents have a dedicated maintenance team that will deal with any issues that may arise. Should you have a problem outside office hours we have a 24-hour helpline number but this will only be for use in the case of an extreme emergency. Is my deposit refundable? Your deposit will be held for the duration of the tenancy. At the end of the tenancy you will be checked out of your property and an assessment of damage / dilapidations will be made. Your tenancy agreement will state what can be claimed from the deposit. If any of these items are identified, then your Charlie’s Agents local office will contact you to discuss the proposed deductions. All Charlie’s Agents local offices would prefer to be able to agree to refund the full deposit to you on your vacation, but it will be your responsibility to ensure that you have fulfilled the terms of the tenancy, left the property in accordance with the inventory and schedule of condition, followed the check out notes and ensured that you rent is paid up to date. What maintenance is the landlord required to complete? Your Landlord has statutory obligations to maintain and repair certain areas and items in your property. Your Landlord must ensure that: - The gas appliances and pipe work at the property are safe and is obliged to have a qualified engineer to test these on an annual basis. You will be provided with a copy of this certificate which should indicate that all of the appliances and pipe work are safe. - The electrical appliances that they have supplied to you at the property are safe. They will require access to your property in order for a qualified engineer to conduct this check on an annual basis. - The structure of the building is maintained to include walls, drainpipes, guttering, roof and windows. - The hot water and heating are operational. If they should malfunction, then your Landlord is responsible for ensuring that it is fixed, once you have altered them, in the shortest time possible. Your landlord is not responsible for repairing any damage that you have caused at the property - this is your responsibility. What is classed as reasonable wear and tear? Fair wear and tear is the normal deterioration of an item in normal use, however it is a landlord's decision on what is reasonable wear and tear and what is excessive dilapidation. Fair wear and tear is based on the length of the tenancy, the number and ages of the Tenants, the condition and ages of the items and the expected lifespan of these items. Charlie’s Agents ensure that the condition of the property is noted down in the inventory prior to the tenancy beginning for reference of the original condition of items in question. Can the landlord enter the property without my permission? The answer to this is usually stated in the tenancy agreement. In most cases a landlord cannot enter the property without giving the tenant reasonable notice beforehand, usually no less than 24 hours. Please see your tenancy agreement for more details. However, in the event of an emergency which may affect the safety of the occupants or the property, it may be necessary to gain access without this notice. Can my landlord increase my rent at anytime? No, the tenancy agreement determines when and by how much your rent can be increased. If the agreement does not specify an amount or time, then the landlord must negotiate this with you. Neither the landlord nor the tenant can alter the original tenancy agreement without the other party's consent. Can my landlord take my possessions if I fall behind on rent? No. The Landlord can take certain action via the courts in order to take action against you for non payment of rent, but if you are occupying the property under an assured shorthold tenancy or a fixed term contract, your Landlord cannot enter and take your possessions from the property. If you fall behind with your rent it is always best that you contact your Landlord or your Landlord's Agent to discuss how you will ensure that any money due can be paid. Your Landlord is entitled to take action to regain possession of the property via the courts if you continue to not pay your rent. Can I redecorate or make any other alterations to the property? This will be stated in the tenancy agreement, but in most cases you cannot decorate or alter the property without the landlord or property owner’s consent. What is the Tenancy Deposit Scheme? At the start of every tenancy we collect a deposit normally equal to a minimum of six** weeks rent, to be used in the event of breakage or damage caused. The deposit is registered with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and Charlie’s Agents issue a statutory certificate. In accordance with the Housing Act 2004, Landlords are no longer permitted to retain a Tenant’s deposit and must select either an insured based or custodial based scheme in which to hold a Tenant’s deposit. Charlie’s Agents are able to look after Tenant’s deposits in an insurance based scheme. We retain the deposit in trust on behalf of your Tenant. It is held in a designated client bonded account and will be apportioned and returned only after the property is vacated and checked. What happens if there is a dispute about the deposit? In the event of a dispute, Charlie’s Agents will attempt to arbitrate for 10 days, after which time if a satisfactory resolution between both parties has not been agreed the dispute will be referred to the Dispute Service for independent arbitration. Back to top End If I want to leave how much notice must I give? You must give one calendar months notice to leave after the initial five months. In the case of a joint tenancy should any one of the tenants give notice it applies to all tenants. Should your landlord require his property back he must give two months notice after the initial four months. What happens at the end of my tenancy? At the end of your tenancy you will be contacted by one of our admin team to make an appointment with you to check the property against the inventory. Provided the property is left in a clean and tidy condition without damage to fixtures and fittings Charlie’s Agents will endeavour to return the deposit within 10 days. However should Charlie’s Agents have to instruct contractors at the end of the tenancy this can take a little longer. Charlie’s Agents retain your deposit under the terms of the Deposit Protection Scheme. Should you be unable to resolve matters at the end of the tenancy then the matter can be referred back to the Deposit Protection Scheme for independent judgement. How do I end my lease early? When you enter into a tenancy agreement with your Landlord it will state how long this period is for. During this time neither you nor the Landlord can end the tenancy unless there have been breaches of the terms. If there is a break clause in place you may be able to end your tenancy early according to the terms of the break clause. You should refer to your tenancy agreement and discuss this with your Landlord or your Charlie’s Agents office. A fixed term lease give you security to occupy a property for a set period of time and you will be responsible for paying the rent for this sent period of time which was agreed at the commencement of the tenancy. Can I stay longer than the agreed term of my tenancy? Once the initial fixed term is coming to an end, it may be possible to continue the agreement for a further period of time by mutual agreement with the landlord concerned. Back to top |
