RE: YOUR NEW RENTAL PROPERTY AND OUR REFERENCE PROCEDURES

By the time you will be reading this you will have decided to take up a rental property via ourselves. Firstly, we do appreciate that this can be a very stressful and fraught time for you, and we do assure you that we will do everything in our power to make this process as easy as possible. However, we do need to bring to your attention a few things, particularly with regard to referencing.

1. All tenancies granted are ‘Subject to Contract’ and the receipt of satisfactory references. With regard to references, please note that these can take up to 14 days to be processed by CCV, our referencing agency, from the date of us receiving completed application forms from you. However, the speed of the return of your reference does depend very much on the quality of the information you provide and the speed at which your referees respond to CCV. Also, please don’t forget to sign the Declaration on page 6, as CCV cannot process your application without it.
2. Please bear in the mind that in certain circumstances a Guarantor may be required. If this is the case, we will explain fully who this is required and will provide the necessary documentation.
3. We will inform you as soon as your references have come through. With this in min, we strongly advise you not to make definite arrangements with removal companies etc, and we cannot be held responsible for any financial loss etc arising from this.
4. We are unable to ‘Hold’ properties for tenants without receiving an agency and referencing fee. Upon receipt of the agency and referencing fee we will not conduct any further viewings on the property. However, tenants are advised that sometimes a landlord instructs more than one agent, or even tries to let the property themselves, and we have no control over this happening.
5. Finally, and most importantly, we really do understand what a stressful time moving home is. We are also human beings and don’t like being given verbal abuse when things don’t go to plan, which can sometimes happen. Our job is a difficult one and we only really want to help you move home as quickly and as easily as possible.
   

CLIFTONS ESTATE AGENTS LIMITED

TENANTS TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS

Upon accepting a property, the following fees will need to be paid:

Agency Fee – 30% of a calendar month’s rent plus VAT, subject to a minimum fee of £100 + VAT.

Referencing Fee - £75.00 including VAT for each individual’s reference. Where the property is let to ‘Sharers’, we reserve the right to reference each individual separately.

Hold Deposit - £150.00 this becomes payable within 48 hours of receipt of satisfactory references. Please will you note that is you do not proceed with the tenancy after the above monies have been paid, you will forfeit all monies in their entirety.

Deposit and Rent in Advance – this is payable on the signing of the tenancy agreement. We will deduct £150.00 already paid via the Holding Deposit from the total amount of the deposit payable.

If you decide to withdraw from the tenancy for whatever reason, all monies paid are forfeited. However if your landlord decides not to take your application further, we will refund all monies paid.

If your application is declined due to unsatisfactory references, we reserve the right to withhold all referencing and agency fees for the work undertaken by us.

All tenancies granted are ‘Subject to Contract’ and the receipt of satisfactory references. With regard to references, please note that these can take up to 14 days to be processed by CCV, our referencing agency, from the date of us receiving completed application forms from you. However, the speed of the return of your references does depend very much on the quality of information you provide and the speed at which your referees respond to CCV. Also, please don’t forget to sign the Declaration on Page 3, as CCV cannot process tour application without it.

Please bear in the mind that in certain circumstances a Guarantor may be required. If this is the case, we will explain fully who this is required and will provide the necessary documentation.

We will inform you as soon as your references have come through. With this in min, we strongly advise you not to make definite arrangements with removal companies etc, and we cannot be held responsible for any financial loss etc arising from this.

We are unable to ‘Hold’ properties for tenants without receiving an agency and referencing fee. Upon receipt of the agency and referencing fee we will not conduct any further viewings on the property. However, tenants are advised that sometimes a landlord instructs more than one agent, or even tries to let the property themselves, and we have no control over this happening.

We shall require cleared funds no later than the day your tenancy commences. If you are paying by personal cheque, we shall require receipt of your cheque 5 working days prior to the commencement of your tenancy. We are also happy to accept debit card payments over the telephone. We shall require from you one month’s rent in advance and a deposit, which is the equivalent of 150% of the monthly rental figures, i.e. rent £500.00, deposit £750.00. (Please will you note that a deposit is repayable at the end of the tenancy subject to the property being left in a satisfactory condition, fair wear and tear accepted.)

Should you decide to leave before the end of your tenancy you will be responsible for rent payments until another satisfactory tenant is found, or until the end of the tenancy, whichever come first. Unfortunately, you will still be responsible for the payment of the Landlord’s costs in finding another tenant (i.e. our fees). This will be discussed and agreed with you at the time.

All tenancies are subject to satisfactory references.

Please note that unless otherwise agreed, all our Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements and Company Tenancy Agreements are for a minimum period of six months and their terms are non-negotiable. It is important to know that when you wish to vacate, having completed the fixed period, you will be required to give a month’s notice, which must always commence from the anniversary of the date that you moved into the property. A draft copy of the tenancy agreement is provided along with the application for tenancy forms for your information. Should you have queries regarding the Agreements, please seek independent legal advice prior to signing the tenancy agreement.

If your application for tenancy is declined, or you have to withdraw for whatever reason, we are not able to accept any liability or responsibility for any costs suffered by applicants. Cliftons Estate Agents Limited also reserves the right to refuse any application without giving reason.

All tenancy agreements must be signed by all parties, well in advance of the day on which you are moving in. Should it be necessary to post you your tenancy agreement/Guarantee form, it will be sent to you via guaranteed next day delivery. It must be returned to us by the same method at your own expense. We will draw your attention to the fact that should the tenancy agreement/Guarantee  form not be received by us prior to the date you wish to move in on, you may not be able to take up the tenancy on the chosen date. Please also note that all parties to the tenancy, including guarantors must have signed the tenancy agreement prior to it commencing, or be present to sign the tenancy agreement at check in. Failure to do this may result in us not being able to release keys as it is a legal requirement that all parties to a tenancy agreement sign it before the commencement of the tenancy.

All the tenancies are for the parties named on the tenancy agreement only, and are binding on all the parties ‘Jointly and Severally’. Should you decide to introduce another party to the property after the tenancy agreement has commenced, permission must be sought from your Landlord/us. We reserve the right to charge this party for taking up references and preparing a tenancy agreement.

Rent is to be paid monthly by standing order unless otherwise agreed. NB, only one standing order per property. Please note that the rent date cannot be changed.

Stamp Duty may be payable on a Tenancy Agreement. The tenant is strongly advised to contact their local Stamp Office, Solicitor or Citizens Advice Bureau. It is the tenant’s responsibility to ensure that any Stamp Duty due is paid.

If monthly rental receipts are required, they will only be issued if Cliftons Estate Agents Limited is provided with stamped, addressed envelopes and an advance administration charge £10.00 plus VAT to cover each six-month period.

A charge of £25.00 plus VAT is payable to Cliftons Estate Agents Limited if a building society/bank reference for the mortgage purposes is requested.

We do ask that tenants ensure their belongings under their own contents policy, which must include accidental damage to Landlords contents (proof of policy will be required at the commencement of the tenancy).

Your deposit will be held in one of the schemes backed by the government, under the terms of The Housing Act 2004. Full details of the given scheme will be given to you upon signing your tenancy.

Finally, and most importantly, we really do understand what a stressful time moving home is. We are also human beings and don’t like being given verbal abuse when things don’t go to plan, which can sometime happen. Our job is a difficult one, and we only really want to help you move home as quickly as easily as possible.