TENANTS

RENEWAL OF TENANCY
This is to be discussed via our Client in advance, if you wish to extend your tenancy after each term (1 year).

PAYMENT OF RENT
The first instalment of rent becomes due 3 days before you move into the property. Thereafter, rent is payable by standing order (unless agreed otherwise) to arrive on the due date as stated in the tenancy agreement. This means that the standing order must be set up so that the funds leave your account three days before the rent is due. It is preferred that the standing order is paid by a single standing order – directly to our Client’s/our preferred bank account.

HOLDING FEE
We will request a holding fee (equivalent to 1 weeks’ worth of rent) of which will show your commitment to our Client that you are committed to taking up the new tenancy. Please do bear in mind though, that this holding fee does not constitute a tenancy or offer of a tenancy. The receipt of the holding fee will prevent our Client from letting the property to someone else in the interim period of processing your credit references. In the event our Client decides not to let the property, you will receive your deposit in full. But if it becomes apparent that you had given inaccurate information about yourself you could lose the deposit, the same will apply if you decide not to move in after paying the holding deposit and upon unacceptable references. This fee will be held by us in a ‘Client Account’ at the Royal Bank of Scotland, separate to Douglas & Maxwell Estates’ Business Account.

DEPOSIT
There are 2 options:

(a) A deposit equivalent to five weeks’ rent must be paid in cleared funds when you sign the tenancy agreement and is held by our Client/Douglas and Maxwell Estates Ltd. Our client/Douglas & Maxwell Estates Ltd will register your deposit with a governed deposit protection scheme – to safeguard it for your term. The deposit gives our Client protection against you leaving the property without paying your rent or for any damages not fixed. All deposit deductions must be agreed in writing by both parties upon the termination of the tenancy. The tenancy agreement entered, is between both parties, and therefore, the tenant cannot hold us, Douglas & Maxwell Estates Ltd liable for any deductions made from the deposit which may fall into dispute

(b) If mutually agreed and relevant criterion are satisfied, then you will not have to pay a 5 weeks’ deposit. Instead you will pay a membership fee to Flatfair of 1 weeks’ rent + VAT ​(tenant(s) must earn 2.5 times the cost of the rent; if a Guarantor is required they must be UK based earning 3 times the cost of the rent & have no County Court Judgements within the last 6 years)​. This fee and your membership will automatically cover our Client, in a similar way to how the scheme in option (a) operates – ​see further information here

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATIONS
We are subject to the Money Laundering Regulations 2007. As a result, we will need to ask you for suitable identification, and will be unable to proceed if we are unable to obtain this from all tenants. We hold customers’ identity on our records for a period of 5 years then these will be safely discarded.

REFERENCES/IDENTIFICATION
Due to the Right to Rent rules, we require photographic ID and/or other relevant documentation to satisfy the Immigration Act 2014 – before we proceed with your new tenancy.

We will take up references based on the details that you have supplied to us. These references may be passed onto our Client to aid them in their decision making on granting you a tenancy.

CHECK IN & CHECK OUT
We will be instructed by the landlord as to what arrangements are to be made for the inventory and condition report and check-in & out service. Unless agreed otherwise, our Client will be conducting this – we advise you to make yourself available for the check-in and check-out process.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PROPERTY
At the start of the tenancy we will advise you who is responsible for managing the property. This is not us. Where we are not managing the property, we cannot authorise any repairs/maintenance or guarantee the speed at which repairs will be carried out.

UTILITIES
Unless otherwise advised, you will be responsible for the payment of telephone, gas, water, electricity, TV licence, council tax accounts etc at the property during your tenancy – directly with the various providers. You will be responsible to notify these providers and the local authority that you are moving into/out of the property also to ​ensure you receive nil balance statements​ when you move out for our Client’s reference (It is in your best interests not to delay sending these statements as it will delay your deposit refund). Utility companies will always require the occupant to provide access for any visit.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Should you have any problems with our service to you, which you are unable to resolve, you should write to The Director at 52 Gonville Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 6DB. This complaint will be acknowledged within three working days of receipt and an investigation undertaken. A formal written response will be sent to you within 21 working days. If you remain dissatisfied, you are entitled to refer the matter by post to the Property Redress Scheme, Premier House, 1st Floor, Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1JH, within six months for a review by completing the form on their website found via ​HERE​ – you may telephone them also on 0330 321 9418.

DATA PROTECTION & PRIVACY POLICY
We will retain your file on our system for no longer than is necessary for the purpose we obtained it. We​ ​will keep your personal information secure from any 3^r​d​ party. If your details are needed for disclosure to serve an official purpose, you will be notified.

SUBLETTING
By completing this form you confirm that you intend to enter into a private residential tenancy in your name and that you will not (i) sublet the property; (ii) advertise the property on any print or other media, including (but not limited to) internet-based marketing website; or other social media or messaging website or app (iii) take in paying guests or lodgers, without the prior consent of our Client.