APPLICATION PROCESS
Dear Prospective Tenant
Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding our property services. We are pleased that you have chosen a rental home that is managed by our company. By discussing your requirements in detail, we are able to save you the time of viewing unsuitable properties, and we make every effort to ensure your proposed tenancy commences with ease and minimal discomfort.
Once you have taken possession of the property, our professional service and advice is always available to you, and we advise you to make use of it whenever necessary. Please read the contents of this information booklet, as it is both relevant to your tenancy and also explains some of the terms and conditions that you will be bound by, once your agreement has been signed and you have taken occupancy of your property.
Full details relating to your tenancy, respective responsibilities and obligations are contained within your specific lease.
GENERAL TENANT INFORMATION
A separate application form must be completed as accurately and as fully possible, giving details which will be used to draw up your tenancy lease. Once completed, you must return the completed application to our offices as soon as possible together with the signed Applicant Declaration, where further documentation can be prepared.
You will be required to pay an application fee and return the completed application form within 5 working days. This amount is non-refundable should you choose to withdraw before the tenancy documentation is initiated, fail to return the forms within the required timescale or if the requested references prove to be unsatisfactory as a result of adverse financial or personal data. Paul Wright & Co will not supply copy references. Costs are broken down as follows:
| Paul Wright & Co Administration / Referencing Fee | £125.00 |
| VAT on above | £25.00 |
| TOTAL | £150.00 |
For joint or multiple applications the reference charge is reduced to £100 plus VAT per applicant.
If a Guarantor is required to complete the reference process, a further charge of £75.00 plus VAT is payable
Although an initial moving date may be provisionally booked, Paul Wright & Co cannot be held responsible should for any reason the tenancy be deferred to another date, should references not be forthcoming or other matters are raised as a result of the prospective tenant questionnaire being received. We will of course endeavor to insure that the required occupation date is adhered to.
SERVICES
Ingoing tenants should make provision and allow 7 working days for transfer and connection of services at the required tenancy address. It is the obligation of the ingoing tenant to contact the utility authorities at the earliest opportunity.
It is also the ingoing tenants obligation under the tenancy agreement to notify the Council Tax office of the local authority, giving full details of their proposed occupancy. Please note the following contact details which may be useful in helping you to notify the relevant authorities of your impending tenancy: At the end of the Tenancy, all utility accounts must be transferred back into the name of the LANDLORD (see Tenancy Agreement) NOT into the name of Paul Wright & Co Ltd
Electric & Gas Suppliers
https://switch.which.co.uk/energy-suppliers/suppliers-atoz.html
Phone
It should be noted that whilst there may be a phoneline in your chosen property any cost to enable connection will not be met by the Landlord without prior authority.
Television
It should be noted that whilst there may be a TV points in your chosen property any cost to enable connection will not be met by the Landlord without prior authority.
Water Rates
Anglian Water Services
Local Authority
For Council Tax registration and details of local authorities contact the relevant Borough Council or City Council. For all local authority services contact the relevant County Council. https://www.gov.uk/pay-council-tax
REFERENCES
As part of our service to our client we are required to take references on every ingoing tenant or prospective tenant.
We do require a period of up to 7 working days for references to be applied for and returned. We regret that we are unable to enter into any tenancy agreement until all references have been received and accepted by us as satisfactory.
THE LEASE AND TENANCY AGREEMENT
We will supply you with a lease in connection with your chosen property. This should be read carefully and fully understood, prior to you taking occupation of the property. It is a condition that each person over the age of 18 years must be named on the tenancy agreement and must also sign the tenancy agreement before occupancy will be permitted.
*Subject to agreement, subsequent tenancy renewals are subject to an arrangement fee of £75.00 plus VAT payable to our offices at the time of renewal.
RENTAL AND DEPOSIT MONIES REQUIRED
Paul WRIGHT & Co require the following monies from ingoing tenants before occupation of their chosen property will be permitted. Please note that if you pay by cheque, this money must be received by us at least 7 working days before the occupation date of the property. Bankers Drafts or cash will be permitted on the day of occupation. Monies are defined and required as follows:
1) Dilapidations deposit: these monies are held by Paul Wright& Co as stakeholders between parties and returned to the tenant at the end of the lease term subject to schedule of dilapidation. The full terms under which deposit monies are held are contained within the lease agreement. Paul Wright & Co register deposits via the TDS.
It is a requirement of Paul Wright & Co that the rent must be paid in advance. Standing orders can be arranged should this be required. Due to the increasing nature of banking costs and other associated charges, payments made via credit card are subject to a 3% handling fee.
It should also be carefully noted that should any legal action be taken by the landlord or the landlord’s agent for collection of the rental arrears or any breach of terms of the tenancy agreement, the costs of such action will be the sole liability of the tenant in full.
POSSESSION OF THE CHOSEN PROPERTY
Paul Wright & Co will make arrangements to meet you firstly at their offices and thereafter at the property prior to possession of the property being transferred to carefully check through the extensive inventory, therefore giving you the opportunity to make any necessary amendments. All parties who are on the lease must be present to sign. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough, as it will be the only record of contents and condition of the property prior to the tenancy being initiated. You will be required to sign the document and we will then countersign it before occupancy will be permitted. The inventory will be used as a “yardstick” against which the Schedule of Dilapidations at the end of the tenancy will be checked for damages or items, which will not be accepted as fair wear and tear. The original lease agreement and inventory will be kept at our office, although copies will be sent to both the landlord and the tenant for their information and safekeeping.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS SPECIFIED IN THE TENANCY AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDE: (Sample)
- Paul Wright & Co as agent, or the landlord, can at any reasonable time, subject to prior agreement, inspect the property and as our duties to the landlord include regular inspections, you will be contacted during your tenancy to make these required appointments.
- The tenant has an obligation to maintain the grounds and gardens of the property during the period of the tenancy. Should any maintenance be required to either the garden or the building Paul Wright & Co must be notified immediately.
- It should be noted that the tenant when terminating the tenancy should make arrangements for all mail to be redirected from the final date of the tenancy to the new place of residence.
- Notice to terminate the tenancy agreement must be a least 30 days prior to the end of the tenancy under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), and must be done so in writing to the landlords agents.
- It is the tenant’s responsibility to provide adequate insurance cover for their contents andpersonal effects within the property once occupancy has commenced.
TERMINATION OF TENANCY AND VACATING PROPERTY
When the agreed period of notice in writing has been given to the landlords agent, which generally amounts to 30 days prior to departure, it is the tenants obligation to notify all service authorities, for example gas and electric companies and British Telecom. After the final inspection, final meter readings will be taken wherever possible. Please notify the relevant authorities that services must not be disconnected and responsibility must transfer to the LANDLORD c/o Paul Wright & Co until a new tenant is found for the property.
It is also the tenant’s obligation to inform the local authority prior to vacating the property and to provide any related party a forwarding address.
On the day of departure from the property, Paul Wright & Co will inspect the property and carry out a Final Schedule of dilapidations. This schedule will duly be prepared and subsequently forwarded to the landlord for their approval. The property must be left in a clean condition throughout. Any individually negotiated clauses within the lease agreement must be adhered to such as professional carpet cleaning, curtains, white goods etc if applicable. The Schedule of Dilapidations will be checked against the original inventory and monies may be retained for damages, loss of contents or lack of cleanliness of the property pending dispute. Under the terms of the tenancy and the terms of the Tenants Dispute Service, retained monies can use of the property as well as acting as arbitrator between the tenant and landlord.
Tenants should be aware that Paul Wright & Co as agents are unable to return deposit monies until the Landlords authority to do so has been obtained. Under the terms of the lease the Agent has 10 working days at the end of the tenancy to notify the tenant if any deductions from the deposit are proposed. Thereafter the Tenant has 20 working days to dispute any deductions. Subsequently, in the event of a failure to resolve any differences an Independent Case Examiner appointed by the Dispute Service will adjudicate.
SUMMARY
Thank you for reading this information. Should you have any questions arising from points that have been listed, please do not hesitate to contact our office, when we will be only too pleased to discuss the implications and your obligations under your proposed tenancy. We do ask you to bear in mind that the property does belong to somebody else and ask you to treat it with the same respect and care as you would do your own home.