All applicants will be expected to complete references which are satisfactory to the landlord before any tenancy can commence.

A guarantor will be required for any applicant who is unable to provide a satisfactory bank reference or has been employed for less than one year. The guarantor is usually a close associate or member of the applicant’s family who is of sufficient means to provide a suitable bank reference. This person will be required to sign a legally binding document, which could make him/her liable for the applicant’s obligations under the tenancy agreement. This could make the guarantor liable for the rent for the full term of occupancy as well as the full cost of any damage if the tenant breaches the terms of the tenancy.

The Agent or Landlord is required by law to carry out immigration checks on any occupiers at the Property. In these circumstances all occupiers who are authorised to live at the Property, whether they are named on the tenancy agreement or not, will be required to provide the Landlord with documentation to support their right to rent property in the UK prior to the tenancy being granted. Where an occupier has a time limited right to rent the Landlord or Agent is required by law to carry out follow up checks on the occupier. Where the occupier cannot produce evidence that they have a right to rent property in the UK, the Landlord or Agent must make a report to the Home Office. Where the Landlord or Agent has received notice from the Home Office stating that one or more of the occupier(s) do not have a right to rent the Property the Landlord or Agent may end the tenancy in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Act 2014 (as amended).

It is the applicant’s responsibility to arrange services (normally telephone, gas, electricity, television licence, satellite TV, internet, and water). You are advised to apply for connection to the respective suppliers at least THREE working days before moving in. Applications for electricity and gas supply need to be made directly to the supplier. You are required to inform the landlord or agent of the respective suppliers as soon as possible. You should also contact the telephone service provider for connection of your telephone service. Lane & Browns cannot accept responsibility for any costs incurred with connection of supplies.

You should carefully check the condition of the property and its contents when you move in with respect to the inventory. The inventory is an important record which is used to assess any damage, dilapidation, or losses during the tenancy – which may lead to deductions from the deposit being made at the end of the tenancy. The property should be in clean condition, free from dust and damage, windows clean etc.

The balance (one month’s rent and deposit) is to be paid by bank transfer [funds to be cleared before the start date of the tenancy]. The holding deposit can be credited towards this first payment.

You will be given Lane and Browns bank details so you can set up a standing order to pay the rent.

A tenancy deposit will be held either by [Lane & Browns] (if the property is to be managed by ourselves) or the Landlord as a security against any breach of the tenancy terms by the tenant (such as damage to the property or its contents, loss of rent or other unexpected costs). This deposit is protected by TDS (Tenancy deposit scheme). https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/ You will be supplied with a certificate showing that the deposit has been registered.

Details of the scheme and the dispute resolution provisions will be issued within 30 days of receipt of the deposit. The tenancy deposit is usually 5 weeks rent and is returnable at the expiration of the tenancy, subject to a final inspection and full inventory check. If any necessary cleaning, repairs, or replacements are required following the tenancy, then the deposit will be refunded, less any remedial costs, within 10 days of reaching an agreement about the deductions to be made.

As a tenant, you will be responsible for the safe keeping of the property and its contents. You should consider obtaining insurance for your own personal effects and for the contents and property belonging to the Landlord which you have agreed to look after.

Tenants are requested to bring any disrepair, damage, or defect in the premises to the attention of the agent as soon as possible. In the event of emergency repairs please call our out of office number 07874 869 890.

The landlord has a legal responsibility to maintain the fabric and services of the building (water supply, drains, heating, and hot water etc.). Tenants should use the drains responsibly and not dispose of any inappropriate items down the toilet or sink which could cause the drains to block such as cooking fat, oil or grease, waste food, nappies, sanitary products, baby/hand wipes and cotton wool etc. The Tenant will be responsible for the cost of unblocking any drains which become blocked due to the tenant’s misuse.

Where the property is alarmed using a security code, the tenant must not change the alarm code without obtaining prior written consent from the landlord or Lane & Browns. Lane & Browns need to hold alarm and similar security information for emergency, maintenance, and inspection purposes; if any alteration is made to the code, you are requested to inform Lane & Browns as soon as possible.

The tenant is responsible for maintaining in good repair the television aerials, satellite dishes or similar installations for use with any television at the property. You are also reminded that a television licence is required to use a television at the property and the tenant would be responsible for this cost.

Gas Safety regulations apply to both landlords and tenants in rented property. To comply with the regulations, it is necessary:

• that brown or sooty build-up on any gas appliance, or gas escape should be reported immediately to your letting agent AND your gas supplier. The number of the gas emergency service is 0800 111 999.
• that ventilators installed in the premises for the correct operation of the gas appliance should not be blocked.
• that safety checks be carried out every 12 months on any gas appliance in the property by a Gas Safe Register approved engineer. The tenant is required to allow entry with reasonable notice for this purpose. A copy of the gas safety record will be made available to tenants. A charge may be made for missed
  appointments.

For safety reasons, tenants are requested to visually inspect all electrical appliances on a regular basis. In use, cables and flexes can become frayed and casings broken. You should contact Lane & Browns, or your landlord as soon as possible should any defect be discovered, or repair become necessary. Where electrical appliances are used outdoors (e.g., electrical lawnmowers etc.) they should only be used when connected to an RCD (Residual Current Device) protected mains supply. RCD units are available from most hardware stores and should be checked before use.

The tenant is responsible for keeping all electric lights in good working order and to replace all fuses, bulbs, or fluorescent tubes, as and when necessary. Any replaceable or disposable filters, vacuum bags, or other consumable items in appliances and fittings should be replaced as reasonably required and at the end of the tenancy.

If Lane & Browns is managing the property, then inspections will be carried out usually three times a year. It may also be necessary for Contractors to access the property to maintain and inspect electrical, gas and similar appliances, pipework, and flues. You will of course be informed (normally 1 week in advance) prior to these inspections. It is important that any access arrangements made in connection with inspections or appointments are honoured so that inspections can be carried out and contractors can carry out the work on the agreed day.

At the end of the Tenancy Lane and Browns will carry out a check out process which the tenant can request to be present for. The check-out process will comprise a full inspection of the Property and Contents and any items missing, damaged or otherwise in a different state to their condition at the start of the tenancy will be recorded.

The tenancy agreement is a legal and binding contract for the set term that you have previously agreed and signed for. If due to unforeseen circumstances, you need to leave the property before the expiration of the tenancy you remain liable for the full rent until the end of the tenancy. However, if you do wish to end the tenancy early, we may be able to let the property to a new tenant with the express agreement of your Landlord, but you would be responsible for the reasonable costs incurred by the Landlord or his Agent in respect of the early termination of the tenancy.

Should it not be possible to relet the property immediately, you would be responsible for all rental, gas, electric, water and sewerage, council tax, television licence and telephone charges (if any) until the new tenants have taken up occupation of the property or until the original termination date of the agreement, whichever is sooner.

You will be required to serve one month’s notice in writing to vacate the property, given on the first day of the month, or a month before the last day of your initial six month tenancy, if this is still running and hasn’t reverted to a periodic tenancy.

This notice can be served by email. You will then receive a vacating letter from us which must be completed and returned on the last day of your tenancy together with all keys that were provided to you at the start of the tenancy and any subsequent keys that you have had cut during the tenancy.
The tenancy only ends when all the keys have been returned with the vacating form completed. If the keys are not returned to the office on the last day of your tenancy, we will continue to calculate the rent due on a daily basis until all of the keys have been returned to us.

If the landlord manages the property, you will need to liaise directly with them to arrange a time and date to meet at the property to complete a check out and hand the keys back.

Taking into account normal wear-and-tear, if the property is in the same condition as when you moved in, getting your deposit back should be no problem.

• Give the property a thorough clean, including carpets, windows, walls, interior & exterior
  doors, all woodwork, all appliances including the oven and extractor hood and ensure the
  bathroom and kitchen are left in a standard clean enough for a new tenant to move in to (the
  hire of a professional cleaner may be required).
• Tidy up the garden, de-weed & mow the lawn (if the weather permits or instruct Lane &
  Browns to employ a gardener from your deposit) and clear away any rubbish.
• In accordance with the inventory ensure that all landlords’ contents are replaced or returned
  to the correct area of the property including curtains.
• Leave the wheelie bins empty even if you must empty and take the rubbish to the local tip.
• Return all the keys including any you have had cut or copied.
• Remove all your personal belongings.
• Advise the post office of your new address and cancel your standing order for the rent
  payment with the bank.
• Read the meters and settle all payments with the utility providers and council tax department.

Lane & Browns will aim to carry out the outgoing inspection on your property as near to the vacating date as possible.

Our standard Lease precludes pets of any kind except upon written consent. It must be pointed out that although visible damage caused by animals can normally be noticed, there have been problems with flea infestation and smell after 2-3 weeks of the property being vacant. We will require all carpets to be professionally cleaned upon vacation and for you to employ a professional company to treat for flea infestation, a receipt must be provided from you for this work before the deposit will be returned.

Where the Tenant is unsatisfied with any service provided by the Agent, the Tenant should contact the Agent in the first instance to try to resolve matters using the Agent’s in-house complaints procedure. The Agent is a member of The property Ombudsman (TPO) and if matters cannot be resolved using the Agent’s in-house complaints procedure the Tenant can refer the complaint to this scheme for a further decision. Details of the Agent’s in-house complaints procedure and the redress scheme are available upon request from the Agent.

In processing your tenancy application, we shall be required to process and store personal information on your behalf and liaise with credit referencing agencies and your landlord. We shall make every effort to keep such information safe and secure. Once you have moved into the property, it may occasionally be necessary to share contact information with trusted contractors (for example to arrange access for maintenance work), utility companies and other related parties. We will not divulge or pass on your details to any third party for marketing purposes without prior approval unless this is necessary to comply with a statutory obligation.

Where there are rent arrears or other charges remaining at the end of the tenancy, we reserve the right to pass on your details to a tracing agent or debt collection company to help recover the money owed. Leaving unpaid rent and other bills at the end of your tenancy may affect your credit rating, and your ability to obtain a new tenancy, or other credit facilities.