Student Guide
Finding a property and securing it
1. Arranging a viewing
When you have decided to view your student property, our representative will meet you outside of the property, at the time arranged.
PLEASE NOTE, IT IS ADVISABLE THAT YOU BRING YOUR £150 ADMINISTRATION FEES WITH YOU IN ORDER TO SECURE THE ROOM/PROPERTY FOR LET, AS OUR HOUSES GO VERY VERY QUICKLY.
2. Do I need to fill any forms out?
You will be asked to complete a Student Registration Form (this will be collect your details and your guarantors), and to read and sign a tenancy agreement. You will then have 3 weeks for the tenancy agreement to be filled in by guarantors, this may require a photo ID, utility bill AND proof of homeownership (depending on landlord, this is either a copy of your mortgage statement or your property deeds).
3. What will I need to pay?
Once you have decided to take the room, £150 (inc. VAT) administration has to be paid in cash. This secures the room for 2 weeks, until your tenancy agreement has been returned. If your tenancy agreement has not been returned within 3 weeks, the room may be remarketed and money lost. A security bond of £200 per room may be payable prior to move in, depending on your landlords policy. This security bond is held in a deposit scheme to comply with legislation.
4. Will I need a guarantor?
Each applicant will need a Guarantor. A guarantor is a person (usually a homeowner) who agrees to pay the rent if the tenant is unable to pay. The guarantor will be responsible for the full term of contract if rent has not been paid. The designated guarantor will be need to sign a deed of guarantor form, along with 2 forms of id (home utility bill, of which has to be within the last 3 months) and another of which will need to be photo based (driving licence). Additional information may be required depending on the property landlord, such as proof of homeownership.
Moving in
5. The tenancy agreement
This document contains both the details of your responsibilities and also the Landlord’s responsibilities. It will define the address of the property, the names of the Tenant / Tenants who have been granted the Tenancy, the rent that is due, the amount of deposit that you have paid, the start date of the agreement and the duration of the Tenancy.
6. On moving in
Prior move in you will need to book an appointment with us at our office to go through your move in, during this appointment you will be provided with the following:
- A copy of the valid gas safety certificate (if applicable)
- A standing order form which must be completed
- Instructions of how to report any maintenance issues
- You will be given Fire safety advice usually by Kevin, as he served 15 years in the fire service
- Sets of keys; sufficient for every Student
- Details of any parking provided with the property to include permits if applicable
- A copy of the Inventory and schedule of condition
7. Will I be given an inventory?
You will be given a ‘Schedule of Condition and Inventory’ relating to your property. This document is an essential part of your Tenancy. You have seven days to read the inventory over and to check it against the property. Any adjustments must be made on both copies, signed and dated. If not returned to our BedeBrooke Office within 7 days, the property will be deemed to be correct and accurate as a true reflection of the property. This inventory will be used on the check out of your property at the end of tenancy.
8. Payment of rent
If you decide to pay monthly, the 1st payment has to be paid on the start date of tenancy and each month thereafter. PLEASE NOTE THE YEARS RENT HAS TO BE PAID OVER 10 MONTHS. If paying on student loan, 3 equal payments on receipt of student loan to cover the year’s rent. Late fees will apply if rent is not paid on time.
9. Utility bills
If bills are NOT INCLUDED in your student package your BedeBrooke Property manager will contact the relevant utility suppliers and inform them of new occupancy. We will also notify the local Council department to let them know your student status, usually within 10 days of moving in. It is in your own interest to get a student council tax excemption form from your local University and hand it directly to the council tax department.
10. Stop cock
Please familiarise yourself with the location of your utility meters, the gas control valve, the electric fuse box and stopcock in case of emergency. In the event of an emergency occurring all Tenants must have knowledge to where these are located.
11. TV Licence
Some Landlords provide TV’s for the sitting room area. If this is the case the Landlord MAY provide (1) TV licence to cover this. If the Landlord does not provide a licence it is your responsibility to obtain one.
If any other licences are required by the student, this service can be arranged by the student on-line at www.tvlicensing.co.uk. At a cost to the student.
How to treat your home
12. Items posted on walls
If you wish to hang pictures / mirrors on the walls permission must be granted by the Landlord beforehand. Some Landlords permit posters on walls but only with the use of Blu Tak. PLEASE NOTE IF ANY WALLS HAVE TO BE PAINTED AT END OF TENANCY DUE TO VISIBLE MARKINGS A CHARGE WILL APPLY.
13. Furnishings
Where furnishings have been provided by your Landlord, you must treat these furnishings in a respectable manor, and must not be neglected, abused or removed from the property. The conditions of furnishings will be noted in the Schedule of condition. At the end of tenancy it is expected that these furnishings to be in the same condition as move in, with the exemption of wear and tear.
14. Appliances
If the Landlord has supplied appliances at the property any faults that may occur must be reported to the BedeBrooke office. If the repair has been caused through neglect of the appliance, the cost of the repair will be charged to yourself.
15. Neighbours and noise
As a Tenant in the property you will be expected to observe the level of noise at all times. Some student houses are located in private residential areas where families with young children live, and people who go to bed early in order to get up for work early the next day. It can cause bad feelings between neighbours if noise is to high on a day to day basis, you should endeavor to minimise any noise made by you or your visitors during the hours of 11.00pm and 9.00am (some instances police may be called). Please remember that you are also responsible for the noise levels of your guests.
If a party is going to be held it is polite and courteous to inform the neighbours, let them know it is a special occasion and a one off. You will be more thought of if you do this.
Noise and Nuisance caused by home occupants is dealt with by the local council’s environmental health department. They have the power to impose fines and to remove equipment which has caused the noise such as stereos. We may also alert your university of any anti social behavior.
16. Wooden floors
If your property contains any wooden floors it is advisable that you make sure that you remove any stiletto heeled shoes and any other footwear that could make indentations and damage to the floor. It is recommended that only soft soled shoes should be worn. Furniture may also cause damage to the flooring you should take precautions to minimise any damage. You are responsible for any cost to repair the flooring that occurs due to your misuse or neglect.
General house rules
17. Smoking
Smoking is not permitted within the property by you or by any visitors. Your Tenancy Agreement also states this. Smoking in a property means that the decoration will deteriorate more quickly than if there was no smoking. If it is noticed by an inventory clerk that you have been smoking then you may also be responsible for cleaning upholstery, carpets and curtains if they too show signs of damage due to smoke. It is advised that if you have a garden that you restrict any smoking to this outside area.
Most HMO properties have sensitive smoke alarms that will be activated by smoking, if one of these is activated by smoking there will be a call out charge to silence the alarm and the tenancy may be revoked with the full rent still having to be paid to end of tenancy.
18. Smoke Alarms
Quite a few student homes have hard wired smoke detectors with a main alarm panel, some properties have smoke detectors linked with no fire panel.
If your property has a battery powered smoke alarm, it is your responsibility to ensure that the battery is in good working order.
Make sure you you test the detector regularly and replace the battery as necessary.
It may be an idea to think THUMBS UP MONDAY (this little slogan will remind you to test the smoke alarm each Monday).
Be aware of any potential fire hazards that you may create in the property such as hot cooking oil, open fires etc.
(PLEASE BE AWARE CANDLES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN OUR STUDENT PROPERTIES).
At all times you should do everything in your power to ensure that you and your fellow Tenants are safe at all times whilst in the property.
NEVER wedge open fire doors, or take batteries out of smoke alarms as this could endanger your life or lives of others in the event of a fire.
Also, shoes are not to be stored in passages as these also cause a potential fire hazard.
19. Illegal Drugs
Illegal drugs must never be used at the property by any of the Tenants or visitors. Any evidence of use of these will result in the local Police being informed.
20. Pets
You should refer to your Tenancy Agreement regarding permission to keep pets or animals at the property.
If permission has not been granted prior to the commencement of the Tenancy, you must not keep any animals at the premises. You must always seek permission first.
21. Ground rules
It is a good idea to set ground rules as to visitors – everyone has friends and some have partners but quite often they can overstay their welcome – It may be a good idea to ask your fellow students to keep guests out of the communal areas. Students living in the property will always be put first before any guests, after all it is them who is paying rent. Be considerate to people who want to be alone to study.
What am I responsible for?
22. Saniflow toilets
A Saniflow toilet is used where an ordinary toilet cannot be fitted. These toilets are operated by electric, they have a blade inside the system that spins around when flushed. The waste is then pushed down a very small diameter piped under high pressure.
These toilets are very expensive and repairs to the system are expensive too.
The toilets are only designed for toilet paper (not sanitary items or toilet wipes).
If your property has one of these toilets fitted, any repairs due to misuse as stated above will be charged to yourself.
23. Ventilation
If a room does not have ‘’air flow’’ black spot or mould will occur. To this from happening open your bedroom window on a daily basis, do not leave your curtains closed all of the time. Don’t just let things lie against the walls.
Do not dry clothes on radiators.
If your bathroom has a window, open it on a daily basis, if your bathroom has a fan make sure it is turned on when using the bathroom. Rub the walls down after using the shower / bath.
24. Refuse collection
It is the responsibility of the people who are living in the house to put the refuse bins out on the day of refuse collection. The bins also have to be brought back in today the grounds of the premises on the same day. Most properties have recycling bin’s, these bins have to be used in the correct manor for the appropriate items.
25. Telephone
The Landlord of the property is not responsible for installing a telephone line into the property, nor is he responsible for any bills relating to a telephone line.
If there is a telephone line into the building and you wish to use it, it is your responsibility to transfer the telephone line account into your name, without changing the original telephone number (unless written permission is given by the Landlord or BedeBrooke Lettings).
- You are responsible for the light bulbs throughout the property
- You are responsible for any damage that has been caused
- You will be responsible for any blockages that has been caused due to misuse. This may be due to putting unsuitable items into toilets or sinks that leads into the drainage system, such as sanitary towels, cooking fats toilet wipes etc.
- You are responsible for keeping your house / bedroom clean and tidy at all times.
27. Malicious damage
Any malicious damage or break in at the property must be reported to the police and to the BedeBrooke Office. Should you wish to make a claim using your personal insurance, the company you are insured with will require a crime number. Your landlord’s insurer will also need this crime number.
28. Keys
Please keep all keys that have been issued to you safe place, including any garage controls or codes that may have been given to you. Any lost keys or change of lock will be charged for. Some keys that we issue cannot be cut locally as they are high security keys. These keys are very expensive to replace, so please take care of your keys at ALL TIMES.
Standard information
29. Electric and the trip switch
Most modern electric wiring are fitted with circuit breakers, these are called trip switches. If a fault occurs at any time, as a safety devise, the trip switch will ‘trip’ this means that the electric will switch off in a certain area or areas of the property.
In most instances it is due to an overload of a circuit and in most cases just to flick the trip switch back up solves the problem.
30. Safety
Please do not allow access to your property or give access via a communal entrance to anyone that you do not know or are not expecting.
Candles can be extremely hazardous and are not allowed in HMO properties. Remember that any cost incurred due to damage caused by candles etc. will be that of the Tenants, according to statistics Candles have been the cause of many house fires and many fatalities.
As the Tenant and occupier of the property, you are responsible for the security of the property. You must ensure must ensure at all times that the property is securely locked each time you leave the property. If an alarm system has been installed please make use of this security device.
It is common knowledge that students can be targeted by thieves, due to the electrical gadgets that students own (i.e. Lap tops and tv’s).
31. Restrictions
You are not allowed to do the following at the property without prior consent from the Landlord.
- Run a business from the property
- Decorate the property
- Repair cars at the property or store cars that you are not the owner of
- No pets to be kept within the building
32. Where is my deposit
Your deposit will be registered in a deposit scheme.
Deposits are now covered by legislation called ‘Tenancy Deposit Protection’. This means that no Landlord or Agent will be able to make deductions from your deposit money without first having your consent.
33. Renewing your Tenancy
At the start of December we usually put notices up in each student house to see who intends to stay another year, on these notices you can put your names, if you wish to remain in the property for another year. These notices will be taken down in the second week of December.
We will begin to market all houses that have no names against them. Student houses are usually spoken for very quickly, therefore we visualise very few viewing,s but you will be notified in advance of any viewings that will be taking place on your property.
Students intending to stay another year will have to pay a renewal fee. This fee covers the cost of any legal fees or office work to prepare documentation.
34. Moving Out
It is in your interests to have the property in a condition that is ready for a new Tenant to occupy. Failure to do so may result in charges being made and will be deducted from your security deposit.
- Windows must be cleaned on the inside window frames and window sils must be wiped clean.
- Walls and ceilings must be cobweb free any surfaces to be washed down and left dust, dirt and stain free.
- Skirting boards to be washed over and dust free.
- Floors – to be vacuumed throughout, if carpets are stained they are to be to be professionally cleaned. Kitchen and bathroom floors to be washed.
- All wooden furniture to be dust free and polished.
- Cooker to be cleaned thoroughly with oven cleaner, do not forget shelves in the oven, the glass door, grill pan and oven trays and changing the extractor hood filter – if applicable.
- Refrigerators and freezers should be defrosted and wiped out. The door must be left open and the appliance turned off.
- Baths, WC’s, shower screens, wash hand basins and kitchen sinks must be cleaned and any items removed.
- Insides of cupboards and drawers must be cleaned.
- Washing machine soap dispenser must be left clean.
- Vacuum cleaner bags to be emptied and filters cleaned.
- All rubbish/food, unwanted items of furniture/ belongings, must be removed from the property and disposed of.
- All keys / Key fobs must be returned no later than at the check-out appointment.
At the beginning of your Tenancy an Inventory and Schedule of Condition will have been carried out at the property by a BedeBrooke representative. This document will be used at the end of your Tenancy to conduct the check out. This will compare the initial document with the property on the day that you vacate the property.
A deposit will have been taken for safekeeping at the bigining of the Tenancy and your Landlord may ask to deduct money from your deposit for any dilapidations that have occurred which are your responsibility.
35. Organising your bills as a group
If utility bills is not included in your package, It is usual that all students within the property agree from day one the amount that each person has to contribute each week towards the household bills. It is advisable to start this agreement off from day 1 and to put your money into the pot religiously rather than to fall behind and finding it difficult later on and trying to catch up.
36. Insurance
The Landlord will have his property insured but this will only cover the building itself. He may also insure his own furniture but this will not cover accidental damage caused by you. You are responsible for your own possessions and furnishings and also for any accidental damage that may occur. It is recommended to have your own personal insurance for personal belongings.
37. The role of the BedeBrooke
Your Landlord has appointed BedeBrooke Lettings to manage his property on his behalf throughout the Tenancy. This means, should you have any queries throughout your Tenancy you must contact the BedeBrooke Office. The Landlord of your property has authorised us to deal with any matters relating to his property throughout your Tenancy.
However, there may be occasions where we may have to refer back to your Landlord for authorisation on certain issues. For for example, requests from you for permission to hang pictures and mirrors in the property, or for example whereby any essential maintenance or repairs have exceeded the delegated amount of money that your Landlord has permitted us to spend. In these circumstances, there could be a delay before we are able to confirm any requests from you or to permit any works that may need doing.
38. Management visits
BedeBrooke Lettings are agents acting on behalf of landlords at from time to time will carry out property inspections. We will either write or notify you when these inspections are going to take place. You do not have to be present for these inspections as we will have master keys for the property. If anything is noted on these inspections you will be notified in writing, so you will have time to eradicate the issue and a new inspection will be carried out on a later date.
39. Houses in multiple occupation
Your Landlord at all times must ensure that he complies with the HMO legislation. Your Landlord may be required to apply for a licence from the local council who will assess the property, they may need to grant a licence and they will also stipulate how many people can live in the property. It is essential that this limit of people living at the property is just those named on the Tenancy Agreement so that we confirm to the licence terms.
40. The responsibility of your landlord
- Your Landlord is responsible for ensuring that all gas appliances, which have been provided as part of the Tenancy is tested on a yearly basis. This certificate is known as a CP 12.
- Your Landlord is responsible for ensuring that all electrical sockets, switches, and electrical circuits are tested every 5 years. This is known as the 5 year electrical test.
- Your Landlord is responsible for ensuring that all furniture, which has been provided as part of the Tenancy which complies with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) ReguLations 1988.
- Your landlord is responsible for the structure of the property, the roof, guttering and down comers.
- Your Landlord is responsible for the maintaining the heating system, hot water and sanitary appliances, which will be repaired if necessary throughout the tenancy, unless the problem arising has been caused by yourself, in which case you will be held responsible.
