Our team will arrange viewings for you for properties that may be of interest. Having viewed the property and arrived at a decision to make an application to rent we require all applicants to complete an online referencing form through our referencing partner Vouch, which will then be processed by our team to verify the information you have provided and make recommendations to the landlord.
Whilst reserving a property and completing an application is no guarantee of tenancy, a final decision as to whether or not a tenancy can proceed will depend on the responses received and will be made in consultation with the landlord. As part of the referencing process, you will be required to provide personal details ranging from name and address to occupation and salary. You will also be asked to provide financial, employer and previous landlord references as we can only agree to a tenancy subject to satisfactory replies from those referees.
The process also includes a search of your credit history and contacting your previous landlord or agent if you have rented a property before. These are routine procedures taken to protect all parties and should you have any previous County Court Judgements registered against you it may prove difficult to grant you a tenancy, unless you are able to provide a UK-based guarantor and the landlord is willing to accept this as an option. The guarantor will need to provide satisfactory references and credit checks and will be expected to sign the tenancy agreement along with you as the tenant to guarantee your legal commitments in the tenancy, including payment of rent. Once the referencing process is complete, you will be offered the tenancy of the property, subject to the terms of the tenancy agreement, the payment of the deposit, the agreed advanced rent and the landlord’s agreement that the tenancy can proceed.
**IDENTIFICATION To support your application you will need to provide your passport and proof of your current address. We will also require proof of your right to rent in the UK – the team will advise you on what is required at the point when you reserve a property.**
A security deposit is required for all tenancies and is usually equal to five weeks rent unless a different amount is agreed with the landlord. This deposit is in addition to the advance rent payment required.
Should rent and deposit be paid by through your bank we must have at least three banking days to allow this to clear. Unfortunately, we do not accept credit/debit card payments for rent or deposits. Your deposit is paid as security on the property, held in a government-backed scheme (DPS) and will be returned to you at the end of the tenancy term subject to deduction for any damage or other deductions such as unpaid rent. The same security deposit is required from tenants who are on receipt of Housing Benefit.
Should we need to replace items on the inventory or clean the house at the end of the tenancy, or if there has been a breach of the tenancy agreement, the return of your deposit will be delayed until all items are valued and replaced / cleaned. In any case we will aim to return your deposit within 28 working days. Damage and breakage of the landlord’s fixtures, fittings and effects, lost inventory items etc, which occur during the period of the tenancy will incur deductions from your deposit. It is important that you look after the property during the tenancy and take the utmost care to inspect the property and its fixtures and fittings at the outset. An inventory will be prepared prior to you moving into the property and must be agreed by you for its accuracy.
This inventory / statement of condition will then form the basis of assessment of the property’s condition at the end of the tenancy term. Fair wear and tear will obviously be taken into consideration. Damages that occur will be charged to your account, as will invoices from contractors employed to undertake necessary repairs or replace any items.
As the occupant of the property, you are responsible for the payment of all utilities (gas, electricity etc) during the tenancy and for the payment of final bills. You are required by law to inform the Council of your change of address and pay the appropriate council tax. Once the initial fixed term of your contract is over you may choose to sign a new tenancy.
Before you sign for a tenancy you will be given a copy of the tenancy agreement and any appropriate notices. At this point our team will assist you with the documents and it is important to read these carefully and ask us questions if you are unsure.
During the tenancy term you have the right to enjoy the property without unreasonable interruption provided that you abide by the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement. However, as a tenant you have an obligation under your contract with the landlord, to allow property visits at regular intervals. We endeavour to do this at periodic intervals throughout the tenancy. We will contact you to make a mutually convenient arrangement prior to such an appointment.
Our property visits are important as this is a good opportunity for us to review how things have been for you whilst living at the property. You can discuss with us any problems that might be experienced relating to the property and for us to consider any repairs/decorations etc before they become a major concern. If, however, you experience any problems of immediate maintenance or repair please notify us straight away in order that appropriate action can be taken. We have a number of contractors available to ensure that the property is fixed quickly and that any disruption to you is minimised.
Rent should be paid to us by the due date each month. The method of payment is by standing order only, which should be set up 3 days in advance of the due date to allow for clearance through the banking system. Where there are a number of occupiers sharing accommodation, each person is jointly and severally liable to pay the rent as tenant and will pay the rent as a whole. Each tenant is jointly and severally responsible for the whole rent so that they are equally liable for the non-payment of rent by one of their co-tenants, should they fail to pay.
Approaching the end of your tenancy, preparations should be made to hand the property back to us on the due date providing you have served the appropriate written notice to vacate in line with your tenancy agreement. It is good advice for you to take readings of meters to ensure that you receive accurate final bills from your energy supplier.
Inventory items should be placed in their respective rooms to facilitate easy checking on the final inspection. It is good practice to carefully read through the inventory, to ensure that the property is returned as close to its original condition as possible. Curtains and carpets should be vacuumed if required and it is good to generally prepare the property for its final inspection.
Liaise with us ahead of the final day and we can advise you of local contractors who can carry out any cleaning/preparation jobs for you if you need them. Once checking has been completed and deductions from your deposit agreed (if any), the deposit or balance of deposit will be returned to you as per the deposit scheme rules.
If you are one of our tenants and in an emergency situation please follow the guidelines below which will direct you to the appropriate course of action.
Calling out contractors out of hours is very costly and therefore should only be done in the event of a genuine emergency – please note that if you call out a contractor unnecessarily then it will be your responsibility to pay the cost and not that of the landlord.
What Constitutes a Genuine Emergency?
Whilst the list below is not exhaustive the following situations WOULD BE considered urgent (major problems).
If you are experiencing the above please call our Emergency Line on 07506412186
Again whilst the list below is not exhaustive the following examples WOULD NOT be considered as an emergency (minor problems).
What Should I Do In The Event Of A Minor Problem?
Firstly take the necessary action to find and isolate the issue. For example if the electrical system trips out it will normally be as a result of a fault in the wiring or an appliance. In order to isolate the circuit, switch off all of the circuit breakers including the RCD and then turn the RCD on again (this may involve pulling it completely to the off position and then turning back on again).
If the RCD no longer trips then start turning on the individual circuits breakers to try and find the one that is faulty (this will normally cause the RCD to trip again). Once the faulty circuit is found then any appliance on that circuit can be removed and plugged back in, in order to pinpoint the problem further. Once the faulty circuit or appliance is located, it can be left off and the remainder of the system can be used normally.
With regard to the plumbing system a similar approach can be adopted to isolate leaks using stop taps and isolator valves. For large leaks turn the water off completely until a plumber is available.
As a tenant you will need to take a common sense approach to problems that occur out of hours and also take reasonable steps to prevent this situation worsening. Try not to panic and think “what would I do if I owned the house and didn’t have an agent to call”. It may be necessary to call out a plumber or electrician yourself in order to prevent further problems, but please remember if it is not an emergency then you will be liable for the costs associated.
Once the situation is under control and stabilised please call us at the next opportunity and leave a message so that we can deal with the issue as soon as the office re-opens. Remember that we are available six days a week and messages can also be left at our sales office during busy times on 0151 724 6699
What Should I Do In The Event Of A Major Problem?
If you smell gas, think you have a gas leak, or are worried that fumes containing carbon monoxide are escaping from a gas appliance, please call the free Gas Emergency Services emergency line immediately on 0800 111 999 (This is a 24 hour emergency line).
Also take the following action:
Power Cuts/Fallen Power Cables
Electricity North West looks after the safety and security of your electricity supply. Please contact them on 0800 195 4141 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) in the event of an electrical emergency or power outage
If your landlord is on a tenant find or rent collection contract with us, please contact your landlord to arrange repairs of your property.
Move Residential is a proud member of Money Shield which is a client money protection scheme, for more information on the scheme please click here.
We hope that you have found these notes helpful and they are only intended to provide a summary to assist you in understanding the process and your obligations when you wish to rent a property from a private landlord. It is not the intention to give an authoritative interpretation of the law and by signing your contract, it is you that will be legally bound by its terms and your responsibilities.
