FAQs
- Will the house be clean when I move in?
- What furniture do I get in my room?
- How do the bills work?
- Do I pay over the Summer and Christmas holidays?
- What about the safety certificates?
- Can I paint my room?
- Can my friend or partner stay over?
- When things break down what do I do?
- Can I put pictures and hooks in my walls?
- If I can not pay my rent what do I do?
- What deposit do I pay?
- Is the house insured?
- Can I terminate my contract early?
- Is the house heated?
- Where can I park my car?
1. Will the house be clean when I move in?
Yes, because the we will always engage professional cleaners when the current tenants leave.
2. What furniture do I get in my room?
Rooms have either single (3ft) or double beds (4ft / 4.6ft) dependent upon the room size, good sized desk with study chair, wardrobe, set of drawers, bookcase or shelves, carpet/laminate floor & curtains, notice board, mirror. Within reason we are happy to discuss additional items if there is space in the room .
3. How do the bills work ?
Bills such as TV Licence, gas, electric, broadband are excluded from the rent and are your responsibility to set up an account and pay the bills. We will advise and assist you if you need help. You can source gas, electric and broadband from whichever supplier you choose; we just ask that you tell us who the supplier is. Water bills are paid in advance by us and charged to you when you move into the house. Council Tax is Free providing you submit a Student Exemption Certificate to the Council Tax office.
4. Do I pay over Christmas and Easter holidays ?
Unfortunately, the answer is yes because the contract we offer is for 10 or 11 months normally starting from the 1st September. There is a half rent summer retainer or rent outside the period of your tenancy. But the maximum you will pay is 11 months rent in the year.
5. What about the Safety Certificates ?
Every property has a valid gas safety certificate and this is renewed and appliances tested every 12 months by a registered gas safe engineer. Where provided Fire extinguishers are checked annually together with the Fire Alarms. Electrical Certificates are valid for 5 Years.
In 3 storey HMO properties, the operating licence is renewed every 5 years, and the more sophisticated fire alarm systems are serviced and certificates renewed every year, with a 6 monthly safety check.
6. Can I paint my room ?
We will undertake all painting and repairs once a tenant calls to say jobs need doing. Students are not permitted to redecorate or “enhance” the decoration.
7. Can my friend or partner stay over ?
Yes, but they can not move in or stay lengthy periods because sometimes this unsettles fellow tenants, and breaches legal occupancy levels of the house.
8. When things break down what do I do ?
Just call or email us straight away and we will normally assess the situation within 24 hours maximum and the necessary action will be taken within a reasonable timescale. Rest assured that it will be fixed as soon as possible so that as little disruption as possible is caused to the household. It is important that you report problems however small immediately so they can be resolved before they grow into big problems or result in damage to the house.
9. Can I put pictures and hooks in my walls ?
Yes, you can but when you leave make sure the room is in the same condition as you found it. We are happy to, and indeed prefer to fit hooks for you after you move in and decide where you want things to go. Please do not use sellotape, double sided tape, or white-tak to fix things to walls or doors, as they pull off the paint paper and sometimes top layer of plaster.
10. If I can not pay my rent on time what do I do ?
Just inform accounts in the Letting Agent Office, or contact us to say when funds are due in and in most circumstances this is acceptable. However, this has to be agreed. Persistent late payment or large overdue amounts may attract a late payment charge.
11. What deposit do I pay ?
The deposit is normally 1 month’s rent, and is held in a Government approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme. We do not hold the deposit ourselves, and do not receive any interest from the deposit money.
12. Is the house insured ?
We insure the bricks and mortar of the property and the fixtures and fittings supplied. All personal belongings that require insuring will be the responsibility of the tenant. To save on costs, some tenants will add their belonging to their parents’ household policy. Alternatively, there are several specialist student insurers such as Endsleigh Insurance Services.
13. Can I terminate my contract early ?
Under exceptional circumstances tenants may wish to terminate their contracts early. We will allow assignment of your tenancy to another suitable person, and will endeavour to help you find someone to take over your tenancy. Unfortunately, the tenant (and guarantor where applicable) are still held responsible for the rent and terms and conditions of the ongoing contract and these must be honoured until a suitable alternative tenant can be found. Once this has been done, we will inform both tenant and guarantor of the cessation of their liabilities
14. Is the house heated ?
All houses have gas central heating through modern efficient combi boilers. Most houses have thermostats on each radiator. Some houses have a separate heating source in the lounge.
15. Where can I park my car ?
Some houses have off-road parking. All houses have on road parking outside the house, and problems finding a space are rare. Some houses near the city centre are within a residential parking scheme, to stop workers parking there all day. Students can apply for a parking permit and books of visitors permits; we recommend you do this before you move in so that you have the permit ready for when you arrive.