Advice for Tenants

To assist you find your new home, here are a few tips to help you along the way…

Register your requirements
The first step is to register your details with one of our offices and our experienced staff will match your requirement to the range of properties we have available.

Viewings
Once you have viewed our selection of properties and found the one that best matches your criteria you will need to act quickly as rental properties tend to go fairly rapidly.

Holding Deposit
A holding deposit, equivalent to one week’s rent will be required to reserve the property. A Tenancy Agreement will need to be signed within 15 calendar days (Deadline for Agreement). Upon receiving satisfactory references, this will form part of your initial rent and deposit for the property.
This will apply to an Assured Shorthold Tenancy only and not Company Lets or tenancies outside the Housing Act 1988.

Please note that this is non-refundable if, you withdraw your application, fail the Right to Rent checks, provide false or misleading information or fail to sign the Tenancy Agreement within 15 calendar days which is the Deadline for Agreement.

Each applicant will need to provide a copy of a passport for identification which will have to be verified by a staff member of Boyce Thornton and a consumer credit bill i.e. electricity bill/ mobile phone bill/bank statement as proof of residency. If the applicant is coming from abroad, we will require a copy of their passport or work visa if applicable.

Tenancy Agreement
A draft agreement will be prepared. The draft will need to be agreed by both landlord and tenant. Once this has been agreed and satisfactory references have been received, the tenancy agreement will be sent for signature. Any changes to the Tenancy Agreement during the term will incur a charge of £50.

Rent
The rent is payable in advance, the first instalment to be paid on or before the signing of the tenancy agreement and thereafter by standing order to the bank account advised by Boyce Thornton. Payment of interest for the late payment of rent will be charged at the rate of 3%.

References
Before a tenancy can be granted, we must take up references on every Tenant. This is normally undertaken via a tenant referencing agency. As a general rule, if you are a sole Tenant, you can multiply your monthly rent by 30, (not including commission and bonuses).This should give the minimum you will need to earn on an annual basis (before tax) to pass our referencing procedure. If it is a shared Tenancy, then both salaries will be considered in the calculation. In some instances where there is insufficient income, it may be necessary to provide a guarantor. A guarantor must be a UK citizen who is domiciled in the United Kingdom. The guarantor must also co-sign the Tenancy Agreement and be referenced in the normal manner. A guarantor would need to earn 36 times the monthly rent. Alternatively, the Landlord may accept rental in advance for the period agreed for the Tenancy. Further information is available on request.

Security Deposit
A security deposit of five weeks rent (monthly rent x 12 divided by 52 x 5) or six weeks rent for properties exceeding £50,000 rent per annum, to be held by Boyce Thornton as stakeholder against any breach of the tenancy agreement. This is to be paid along with the first months’ rent on or before the signing of the agreement. As a member of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), your deposit is protected throughout the Tenancy and your deposit is returned promptly at the end of the Tenancy where there is no dispute. If there is a dispute, it will be fairly and efficiently dealt with by the TDS.

Tenant protection
In addition to the above Boyce Thornton is a member of CMP run by ARLA – Association of Residential Lettings Association, which is a client money protection scheme, and also a member of The Property Ombudsman which is a redress scheme. You can find out more details on the agent’s website or by contacting the agent directly.

Initial Monies
To be paid in cleared funds by bank transfer. Please note that we are unable to accept cheques or cash. Only once initial monies have been received along with the signed Tenancy Agreement, can keys be released after the check in with the inventory clerk.

Property Visits
If Boyce Thornton manages the property on behalf of the Landlord we are required to carry out inspections of the property to ensure that it is being well maintained. We will advise you in advance in writing of the date of our visit.

Utilities
We will arrange the transfer of utilities into your name. Generally, the tenant takes responsibility for the utilities, i.e. gas, electricity, water and council tax. It will be up to you to arrange the telephone/broadband, television connections and subscriptions, tv licence.

Insurance
The Landlord is responsible for the insurance of the building and his or her contents. The Tenant is responsible for the insurance of his or her own contents.

Permitted Payments
We will charge for reasonably incurred costs for the loss of keys/security devices - £50.
Payment of unpaid rent or other reasonable costs associated with your early termination of the tenancy. All other permitted payments, not included above, under the relevant legislation including contractual damages.

Home sweet home
Congratulations. Now, you can start to enjoy your new home.