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Tenants

Please also see ‘ABOUT US’ which contains important tenancy information too.

Before you move in

Once you have looked at the details online then you should contact us for a no obligation viewing.

If you like the property then you will be required to fill in a detailed application form, show ID and discuss possible move in dates. We will need to know how much notice you need to give to your existing landlord.

You would then have to pay a small portion of the deposit for the property (not a fee) to show your commitment to proceed. At this time we will then reserve the property for you pending references.

We use a specialist referencing company who will undertake a detailed analysis of your creditworthiness. They will contact your current and previous employer and your current and previous landlord.

If you are an agency worker, have bad credit history (CCJ’s etc), are in receipt of benefits or have had a dispute with a previous landlord then we will be unlikely to help you. Likewise we do not generally accept pets and smokers must sign to the effect they will only smoke outside the property.

Assuming the references pass then we would agree a provisional move in date. On that day or before you will be required to pay one month’s rent in advance and the deposit (usually 6 weeks rent) in cleared funds less deposit already paid. This may be in cash, banker’s draft or electronically in advance. Cheques are never acceptable and the move in will be cancelled until funds are cleared – up to 5 days. Students will be required to pay rent termly in advance.

Move in day

Someone from Ferndale will meet you at the property at a time agreed. They will show you around, make sure everything works, show you how the central heating is operated, take electricity, gas and water readings etc. They will run through the inventory and record of condition of the property and contents with you. We will already have taken photographs of the property. You will be required to sign the inventory, tenancy agreement, documents etc at this meeting. Keys will be issued.

After move in

We will contact all of the utilities on your behalf with meter readings where necessary. They will then contact you directly to open an account.

You should arrange insurance for your own belongings, we take care of insurance for the building.

Rent will be payable monthly in advance via standing order, the mandate for which will be completed on the day you move in. We then submit this to your bank. You must ensure that they set it up correctly. Rent arrears are not acceptable. By prior arrangement and in exceptional circumstances we may agree a delay in payment.

Should you wish to request a repair, routine maintenance or have a general query then this should be put in writing to the office (email is acceptable). Aside from emergencies (burst pipe, gas leak, power failure etc) no action would be taken on any matters until confirmed in writing.

In the very unusual event that there is an emergency (danger to health, risk to safety of tenants or serious damage to the building/contents) then you would telephone the office 01622 880003. If we are not in the office there is an answering machine service. Messages are collected by us every 24 hours. You would leave precise details of the problem and how you may be contacted. This would be followed up in writing.

Repairs are prioritised according to their merit and we respond to urgent requests more quickly. We have the below standards to which we aim to adhere wherever possible.

Emergency Repair

Repairs or work required to avoid a danger to health, risk to safety of tenants or serious damage to buildings or belongings. Repair or replacement within 24 hours of the report of the defect or fault.

Routine Repair

Repairs or work required to remedy defects which materially affect the comfort of the tenant residents. Repair or replacement within five working days of the report of the defect.

Non – urgent Repair

Day to day reactive repairs. Repair or replacement within 28 days of the report of the defect.

All of our tenancies are initially for six months (except student houses). After this period we do not issue new contracts. The tenancy agreement simply becomes a statutory periodic tenancy – ‘holding over’. Essentially the same terms with the tenant required to give one month’s written notice to vacate and the landlord two months.

You are advised to get spare keys cut as we will charge you a minimum of Ł30 to call out and a further charge to replace lost or stolen keys. We may not be available the same day and will not call out during anti-social hours.