This information also constitutes most of our terms and conditions APPLICATION PROCESS
We use separate referencing agencies for tenancy applications and each person applying for the tenancy will need to provide information which we will submit upon receiving the appropriate fee. Referencing usually takes 4 or 5 working days but can take longer if referees are difficult to contact or guarantors are required etc. We will contact you when a result is available.
The fee for application is as follows:
1 applicant £191.67 + VAT TOTAL £230.00
2 applicants £229.17 + VAT TOTAL £275.00
3 applicants £283.33 + VAT TOTAL £340.00
4 applicants £337.50 + VAT TOTAL £405.00
Application fees must be paid as available funds (i.e. cash or bankers draft) at the time of application. Submitting an application and paying a holding deposit, which will be equal to half the monthly rental value, will ‘hold’ the property for you. The property can then be held for a maximum of 2 weeks and the tenancy must start before the end of this period. Where an owner has agreed a start date beyond 2 weeks, an additional holding deposit equivalent to the same period as rent will be taken. Holding deposits can be taken as cheques on the day of application but the property will not be held until the cheque is cleared. Application fees and holding deposits are non-refundable unless the landlord refuses to grant the tenancy without good cause.
Assuming your application is successful, the holding deposit will be transferred to and count towards the dilapidations deposit.
PRICES CORRECT AS AT 1ST AUGUST 2011
Once a satisfactory reference is received we will contact you and arrange a tenancy start date. We will agree a time with you to meet at the property where we will ask you to sign 3 copies of a tenancy agreement and section 21 notice (unless these are signed previously). You will also need to pay the first months rent and a dilapidations deposit (normally equivalent to one and a half months rent) in available funds (cash or bankers draft). We will normally take meter readings and undertake a schedule of condition (and an inventory if the property is furnished).
SECTION 21 NOTICE
Once your tenancy is in place you will have been issued a section 21 notice requiring you give up the property at the specified date. Unless RENEWAL is undertaken you will be required to leave on that date without any further notice.
EARLY RELEASE
You are liable for rent for the entirety of the agreement. Early release may be possible if the owner agrees. In such circumstances, there will normally be an early release charge (a minimum of the landlords contribution to a new tenancy agreement of currently £65 incl. VAT) and you be held responsible for rent and the property until we find suitable new tenants to take over the tenancy. If you are in a situation of needing early release, let us know as soon as possible and we will do all we can to help.
RENEWAL
Approximately 2 months before the end of your tenancy you should inform us of your intention to renew or end your tenancy. Should you wish to renew, we will contact the owner and, if they agree, arrange for renewal of the tenancy for 6 months (longer if both parties agree). There is a fee payable for renewal to cover a new agreement and administrative costs – we may also re-reference and reserve the right to ask for more deposit if rent is increased. The fee is currently £65.00 incl. VAT and payable before renewal takes place. Should you be undecided as to whether or not to renew we reserve the right to market the property to other prospective tenants.
At the time of renewal, a review of rent will be undertaken and an increase in rent may be determined – you will be advised of this prior to agreeing renewal.
DEPOSIT RETURN
The dilapidations deposit you pay is paid into an independent Deposit Protection Scheme in accordance with government legislation (from April 6th 2007). At the end of the tenancy your deposit will be returned to you (less any agreed deductions) by the DPS within 14 days of the ending of the tenancy. In the case of dispute, an arbitration service may be invoked. Please ask for further information about deposits if you are not absolutely clear.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE TENANCY
The Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement explains all your obligations in full. Please read it carefully. Any failure to comply with your obligations set out in the agreement could result in us applying for eviction. If in doubt please contact us.
SERVICES
We will inform the local council and water companies that you have taken up the tenancy and you will be responsible for paying the bills throughout the period of your tenancy.
We do not undertake to inform gas and electricity suppliers of your tenancy start and you must inform the relevant suppliers yourself – in the case of key and or card meters you must inform the relevant supplier and request a new key.
We do not undertake to inform telephone companies.
ADDITIONAL CHAGES
Some other charges are sometimes made – e.g. if you lose your keys and require another set there will be a charge or if you require copies of documents there may be a charge – please ask for the additional charges leaflet for more information.
ARREARS
Rent is due on the date specified in your tenancy agreement. Failure to pay on this day constitutes arrears and we will normally contact you within 7 days of arrears beginning – either in writing or by telephone. Failure to pay within 7 days of this communication will result in a second reminder/request for payment and an administrative charge of £20 + VAT will be added to your account. Further delays can result in us applying to the courts and matters can become very serious at this stage. We advise very strongly that, if you do have difficulty in paying your rent – contact us straight away and we will endeavour to assist in the matter. Unpaid cheques and standing order payments cause a great deal of extra work for us and will incur an administration fee of £20 + VAT for each occasion.
HOUSING BENEFIT
We can sometimes agree to grant tenancies to people already claiming housing benefit – subject to the landlord’s agreement and satisfactory references. We will always require a guarantor in these cases and may need to increase our application fee to cover additional referencing costs.
If you are claiming housing benefit it is important to realise you are still personally liable for the agreement and rent – should the council not pay sufficient housing benefit and the tenancy falls into arrears it is you who will be liable. While we want to help as much as we can, we are a business and as such do not have any remit to assist with housing benefit issues other than to complete forms or parts of forms that require our input – if you have any questions regarding the process of actually claiming benefits etc please direct these to the council.
CONTACTING US
Should you need to contact us please use the contact details as published i.e. call into the office, telephone, fax or e-mail. If there is no answer, please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
EMERGENCIES
In emergency, e.g. fire, serious flooding etc, take sensible and responsible action. Call the appropriate emergency service first and let us know as soon as you can without compromising safety.
ABODE RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS
LIMITED
3 SUDLEY TERRACE
HIGH STREET
BOGNOR REGIS
PO21 1EY
Tel: 01243 860000
Fax: 01243 868644
TENANT INFORMATION LEAFLET