Application and holding deposit

Once you have found your perfect property and your offer is accepted by the landlord, you will need to fill in and sign an application form and pay a holding deposit by bank transfer, which will be the equivalent of one week’s rent. This amount will be deducted from the balance due for the first months’ rent. Please note: it is possible the holding fee will not be returned under certain circumstances, including failure to pass the Right to Rent check, providing incorrect or misleading information or deciding not to proceed with the tenancy, for whatever reason. If the holding fee is forfeited due to any of these reasons, we will confirm in writing and the fee will not be returned. All the details of the holding fee is outlined in the application form.

Proof of ID

At this stage we will also require proof of ID (passport or national identity card) and proof of current address (utility bill or credit card statement dated within the previous 3 months) to ensure all the personal information we have about you is accurate. We will also ask you to let us know the date you would ideally like to move (subject to referencing and contract) and how long you would like the tenancy to last.

The referencing process

Once you have secured the property, and subject to the landlord’s prior instruction, we will email you a link (or provide application forms) so the referencing process can begin. The referencing company will request information from each applicant/ guarantor so they can:

– Perform full credit checks
– Contact landlord(s) and/or employer(s) for references
– Verify employment/finances
– Carry out the Right to Rent in the UK check
– Ensure that you earn at least 2.5 times the annual rent

Do you need a guarantor?

If your circumstances match any of those listed below, you may need a UK home owning guarantor who earns 3.5 times the rent (before tax):

– You are 21 or younger
– Your household earns less than 2.5 times the rent (before tax)
– You are in temporary or contract based employment or you are currently in a probationary period at your work
– You are claiming any form of benefits
– Your credit score is low or you have adverse credit

Guarantors are required to sign a deed that makes them responsible for any
rent, damage or legal fees that are not paid for by the tenants. Remember to
talk to us about your individual situation as we may be able to help.

Finalising the agreement

Once satisfactory references have been received and all checks have been made, you will be advised how to make your payment to commence the tenancy. This payment will consist of:

– The first month’s rent
– A deposit equivalent to 5 weeks’ worth of rent. (The deposit is held and protected in a third party company – The Deposit Protection Servcice) Your holding fee will be deducted from this final balance. Payment needs to reach our account by bank transfer at least 24 hours prior to your check-in date so that our accounts team can reconcile the money.

At this stage you will also be invited to sign your tenancy agreement, usually electronically by Signable.

Check In

On the day you are due to move in, we will ask you to meet us at the property, bringing your ID with you. Prior to releasing the keys, we will confirm we have all the necessary information on file, including a copy of your ID, your Proof of Residency and your signed tenancy agreement and we’ll ask you to sign a letter to confirm we have provided you with all the important documentation and have checked the smoke alarms in your presence – this will then complete the check- in process.

In your tenancy agreement, details will be provided so you can set up a standing order for your rent payments. We will also provide you with, and ask you to check, the inventory and return it to us within 7 days of the commencement of your tenancy. This will include the move in electricity and gas meter readings. This is usually sent to you electronically, so you can add comments to it and return it to us online.