FAQ
How do I arrange to view a house?
Do I have to pay any application fees?
What security deposit do I have to pay?
What is the tenancy agreement?
How is rent calculated and paid?
Can I have an inclusive option?
Do all the rooms have internet access?
Do I have to maintain the garden?
What happens if anything goes wrong in the house?
How do I arrange to view a house?
We will be happy to show you around the house, just contact us to make an appointment that suits both you and the current tenants. If you want to take a gamble you may catch the current students in and they may be happy to show you around without us present.
Do I have to pay any application fees?
No, because we are private landlords we do not charge a non-refundable application fee unlike some agents who charge £50 per tenant.
What security deposit do I have to pay?
Each tenant will need to pay a security deposit of £250, which you pay when you sign the tenancy agreement.
Will we have an inventory?
At the start of your tenancy you will be given a detailed statement of condition and inventory and you will be asked to check it and sign it.
Will we get our deposit back?
At the end of your tenancy we will check the house with you and, providing there is not damage and no cleaning needed, your security deposit will be returned within two weeks of the end of your tenancy. We are members of the government authorised insurance-based scheme operated by mydeposits, see www.mydeposits.co.uk for further information.
What is the tenancy agreement?
We let our houses to either groups of students who fill the whole house or individual post-graduate students. All tenants will be required to sign an an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement as defined in Section 20 of the Housing Act 1988.
How is rent calculated and paid?
The rent for the whole year is specified in the tenancy agreement. This is calculated by multiplying the rent per week by 52 and by the number of bedrooms (if a group booking). Each student is responsible for paying the rent which is payable either monthly or every quarter, by standing order.
What bills do I pay?
In addition to the rent you will need to pay for the utility bills. Meter readings are taken at the start and end of the tenancy. There are Smart Meters in the house so that you know how much gas and electricity you are using. We ask you pay £ 14.00 or 15.00 per person per week depending on house. This should cover gas, electricity, water and internet (to the value of £250) Should the total bill at the end of the year exceed this, then you will have to pay the additional amount. If the utilities bills are less than the budgeted amount we pay you back this amount. There is no council tax to pay because students in full time education are exempt from charges. We inform Chanrnwood Borough Council at the start of your tenacy.
What about parking?
There are no restrictions for parking at any of our houses, unlike those in the centre of town. Two of our houses have private drives with spaces for several cars and one has an unrestricted communal parking area.
Do all the rooms have internet access?
Yes, every house is provided with a Web safe Wireless Router, with cable access. All you need to do is plug in an appropriate card into your PC (many come with one already) and arrange a broadband package. This allows all the PCs in your house to access the internet simultaneously without loss of speed.Virgin Media has some excellent package deals for students.
Do I have to maintain the garden?
We maintain the borders and hedges. All we ask is for you to cut the grass when you are there, we do it in the holidays. We provide a lawn mower for this purpose.
What happens if anything goes wrong in the house?
Because we are private landlords we respond quickly to problems, you just need to contact us. However, our houses have all recently been refurbished so we do not anticipate many problems.
Can two students share one room and pay one room rent?
No, because each house is only licensed to accommodate four students. Having two students in one room could result in the houses having too many students.
