COVID-19 UPDATE (CORONAVIRUS) | ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE

We wanted to update you in regards to COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) following government advice thus far.

RENTAL PAYMENTS

We advising our tenants to be cautious about the misreported information contained within the media. We are advising that rental payments must continue to be paid in the normal way with card or bank transfer so no arrears to be accumulated.

CONTRACTORS/REPAIRS/SAFETY CHECKS

We will only be doing essential repairs and Safety checks during the current situation, these include Gas Safety checks. We have introduced a policy for us to carry out the checks with minimum risk. All NON URGENT visits and repairs are suspended until further notice.

Appointments are to be made and we are asking tenants to leave the premises or go upstairs when any repairs are being carried out, ideally they will not be at the property during the visit but if they are they must be told to go to a different room and observe a safe distance protocol to minimise the risk of cross contamination.

All missed appointments will be charged for so please update us in-advance if appointments are missed (by email).

OFFICE

The office will be closed to all visitors; staff will be required to work from home and only attend the office to review files or allocate keys to contractors. Please call us on 07791 014714 please only call in an emergency as we are busy prioritising workloads. Please email us on info@thelettingcompany.net with anything that is routine and we will respond as soon as possible.

We wish you and your family, good health during these exceptional circumstances and thank you for your cooperation.

What You Need To Know…

Your tenancy gives you rights and responsibilities, It’s advised to stick to the rules and to your tenancy agreement.

We will guide you from the moment you make contact to us, through to find and viewing suitable properties, we will talk to you about the type of property you require, ideal area and price you want to pay, we are very flexible on viewing times, so we can make an appointment at a time that suits you,  the service doesn’t stop there, we ensure the properties we manage benefit from all the necessary  safety testing, however should you have any issues our experienced team  will be on hand 24 hours a day to resolve them.

Once you have found the perfect place to live, there will be some paperwork to complete and fees to pay, we have listed our fees below, based on the information you give us and referencing, allowing us to hand over the keys to your new home in the minimum time frame.

Rent is usually paid in advance, on weekly, monthly or quarterly basis (rent is worked out on a per calendar month basis), which is the weekly rent, multiplied by 52 weeks and divided by twelve months to give the per calendar month rental figure, check your agreement with us to clarify how much rent you have to pay and the day of the week/month that it is due on.

If you fall behind with the rent we may be able to evict you and claim back any money that you owe us. If you are having problems paying your rent, We will always help you avoid losing your home.

If you claim housing benefit to help pay your rent, you must also keep your claim up to date. Otherwise, you could fall behind with the rent and face eviction. You must inform the housing benefit department of any changes in your circumstances, and they may ask you for information from time to time even if your situation stays the same.

If your housing benefit is delayed, contact the council – they may be able to give you an interim payment on account while your claim is being processed.

Most tenants have to pay their own bills for electricity, gas, water and telephone, as well as paying council tax and getting a TV licence. Your tenancy agreement will say whether you are responsible for paying the bills or not. If you don’t pay them, the services could be cut off and you may have to pay to be reconnected.

Tenant Fees

After you’ve viewed the property and have decided to apply to rent it, we will ask you to complete an application form which lists the services we provide and the fees that are payable .i.e. Rent and Bond, also please take a-look here on other fees.

We are pleased to announce that we can now accept card payments for our services by debit* and credit card** at The Letting Company, as well as secure online payments via our Emails. Please view our policy here

Looking after your home and report repairs

Most tenants have some responsibilities regarding the upkeep of their homes. You should always look after the property as best you can and avoid causing damage to it or to your neighbours’ property.

As a tenant, you are responsible for: In general, landlords are responsible for repairs and maintenance of the exterior and the structure of the property, as well as the plumbing, wiring and central heating. They are also required to ensure that gas and electrical installations comply with safety standards.

• Looking after internal decorations and not using unsafe appliance.
• Reporting any repairs needed or other problems that you are aware of
• Minor maintenance such as checking smoke alarms are working, changing light bulbs, etc.
• Repairing or replacing anything you’ve broken or damaged – keep receipts for this, in case there is any dispute at the end of your tenancy
• dealing with your rubbish properly
• sticking to any terms in your tenancy agreement regarding smoking, pets, parking, gardening etc
• Heating the property adequately, particularly during winter to avoid frozen and burst pipes, and making sure it’s kept well ventilated, to help avoid condensation and dampness.

Ending your tenancy 

If you want to move out, it is very important to end your tenancy properly  first.

If you don’t end your tenancy the correct way, you could end up still being liable for the rent, even though you’re no longer living there.You can not  just post the keys through the letterbox and walk away.

You normally have to give us one month written notice before moving out.