Whether you are looking now or in the near future, there are certain points of consideration for either a seasoned tenant or a new starter. Here we try to explain the process in its most basic level and attempt to remove any issues that may trip you up or cause a delay in the moving process.
We are open seven days a week and have a constantly changing portfolio of properties to rent in the area. We always have an up to date rental list available although our own website is updated daily. The property market moves fast so to avoid disappointment contact us to discuss in detail you exact requirements. You really should be in contact with us two months prior to you needing to move. Many of our properties shall require a two month notice period and so we shall only know when a property is coming back on to the market once a tenant serves notice. Therefore you need to allow time to view as large a selection of properties as possible to get the best choice.
What do I NEED from the rented property and what can I compromise on? Do I actually need the three bedrooms, for instance, or do I need the garden, or the central location? Remember that the vast majority of applicants look at renting the following types of properties:
With the vast majority of properties now being available online, the web is a great place to look at the local rental stock. Be aware however that some of the property portals may be a day or so behind our own website. The rental market moves very quickly and many of our tenants are looking for the same property type. Therefore if you are able to view quickly then you should do. We are generally able to view on the same day though may sometimes need to arrange viewings via a current tenant and so it may not be until the following day that we can show you the property.
If the property is suitable let us know immediately. At this stage you will need to put down an initial holding deposit of ONE WEEK’S RENT and once this is paid the offer shall be put forward to the Landlord. The holding deposit is paid to hold the property for up to 15 days to allow the referencing to go through and for a Lease to be signed. Should the applicant not provide suitable references prior to this time then the applicant risks losing the holding deposit. Should additional time for referencing be agreed then Phillips and Stubbs can extend the timeframe for an agreed period in writing so long as the applicants are doing everything in their power to provide the details for the referencing. The holding deposit shall be off set from the RENT and is reflected in the completion money amount.
Reference forms shall need to be completed at this stage. These can be completed in our office, emailed to you or posted out to you. We have reference forms for Individual Tenants, Company Tenants and Guarantors.
You will need to be collecting a large degree of information at this stage and so be prepared to dig out the following:
Monies have been paid to the Letting Agent and the contracts have all been signed. Keys can therefore be picked up from our Office and your new home awaits! We shall in most cases provide you with a Full Inventory and Schedule of Condition for the property so that you can be checked in to the property. Meter readings should be double checked at this stage. Phillips and Stubbs shall contact the utility providers that you have taken up residence HOWEVER please do double check that your names have been correctly added and that you have a payment schedule in place.
We shall have notified you of whether we are managing your property or whether your Landlord is managing the property themselves. If we are managing the property then you will be given your own property manager and all the necessary contact details. You are able to contact them for any property matters.
If your property is managed by the Landlord then you should contact them directly for any property matters as we are unable to instruct any contractors or works on their behalf. If you have an emergency and are unable to contact the Landlord then please do call us and we shall give our advice on how to proceed.