Parent Advice

We are a reputable lettings firm that has been operating for over 4years.

In line with the new legislation coming into force on the 6th April 2007 the deposit will be held in a clients account (a form of bank stakeholder account). This fund is regulated by a compulsory scheme whereby any disputes regarding tenancy monies will assessed by an independent arbitration panel. Thereby avoiding any fears about deposit being misappropriated or withheld.

Obviously from time to time the property will have some maintenance issues. We have accumulated over the years a selection of responsible contractors whom are able to deal with most issues promptly. In addition we have an in house handyman to deal with minor repairs. Obviously not all problems can be dealt with straight away but we do try to prioritise the most important ones and get them sorted.

With many students having no means of supporting themselves other than student loans it is vital that we protect the interest of our Landlords many of whom sole income is through lettings. As the tenancies are for a fixed period and with multiple occupancy it is difficult to replace a tenant if someone drops out (students don’t want another stranger living with them) so we need to take a backup to ensure the rent will be paid if someone drops out otherwise the other tenants will become liable, something most students can ill afford. We also find the tenants take better care of the house and more attention to paying the rent on time if someone else could be liable if they don’t.

In order to reserve a property we would request that you fill in a booking form and pay an agency fee. Then within 10 working days we request you pay the summer rent as a down payment. We take this as a “consideration” to make the contract legally binding.

All tenancy agreements have to be a minimum of six months; however for student tenancy’s we typically look for a 48 week contract.

When all the monies, guarantor forms and application forms have been received by us we will be able to release the keys on the due commencement date from our office on 34 Shakespeare Street. When you return keys they can be dropped into the office.

Due to insurance conditions and the risks to the other tenants in a house we are often required to replace all the locks affected in the house. This is obviously a substantial cost and you will be liable. Often it is a good idea to get personal contents insurance that covers for this liability.

At the end of your tenancy you will be expected to drop your keys into the office or send them to us via recorded delivery. Failure to do so will result in the next group of tenants being unable to move in this could mean we have to potentially change the locks.

Upon inspection of the property for damage and cleanliness we will contact you with the amount (if no money is to be withheld you will receive your cheque in full) that will be deducted from your deposit for damages, If this amount is satisfactory you need to reply to us and the amount will forwarded to you within 10 days. If you feel this is incorrect you will have the right to contest the amount through the tenancy deposit scheme independent arbitration scheme. We are unsure how long this process will take as it is a new piece of legislation however once you have provided supporting evidence the panel will make a decision and if the outcome is in your favour we will provide funds within 10 day.

The intention of the deposit scheme is to increase rate of turnaround of tenant’s deposits. If items are not correctly returned you will delay the rerun of your funds we will not commence the process until all keys are returned.