Renting Guide

Example of costs to Tenants

Based on a rent of £500.

The example below is based on an unfurnished property with a rent amount of £500 per calendar month (there is an additional £100 deposit if the property is furnished).

• Application Fee (per person)£90.00
• Admin & legal Agreement Fee£150.00
• Deposit£600.00
• 1st months’ rent£500.00
• Total payable – One tenant£1,340.00
• Total payable – two tenants£1,430.00

If a guarantor is required an additional application fee of £75 is required.

Lettings Process

• After viewing the property, an application request form must be completed and signed (this can be obtained from our viewing representative).
• A full on line application form will then be sent to your email address for completion.
• The completed application form will then be referred to the Landlord for their consideration.
• If successful, you will be contacted by a member of our team to take payment of your Application Fee(s).
• You will then be asked to visit the office or property to sign your Tenancy Agreement and make a minimum payment of £200 towards your remaining costs (the total balance must be cleared one week before the tenancy start date).
• Subject to satisfactory referencing, we will advise you how and when your keys can be collected.
• Fees paid are non refundable.

Please note all tenancies are subject to satisfactory referencing along with no extra charges as part of our “Clear and Transparent policy” on pricing.

Vacating your property

What to do when vacating your property.

To ensure that when you vacate your property it is a smooth and efficient transition, we would ask you to read this vacating guidance pack which will help you to prepare the property for the final handover and make sure that the property is left in a clean and tidy condition.

Failure to leave the property in a satisfactory condition (in line with inventory) will result in charges being made against you. It must be noted that this is only a general guide as to what is expected of you and is by no means a comprehensive list.

Once you have vacated the premises a member of our team will conduct a check out of the property and you will be unable to re-enter from this point to rectify any damages that we may find.

When you serve your notice to us in writing, we will firstly confirm receipt of the notice and secondly advise you of your liability date that you are responsible for the property and your rent, otherwise your liability date could be extended.

DPS The Deposit Protection Service

Your deposit is currently held with the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) – Full details of this can be found at www.depositprotection.com. Please be aware that in order for us to process your refund direct with the DPS you must do the following;

Once a check out has been completed, Landlords, Agents and Tenants can all request the repayment of a deposit at the end of the tenancy, either, jointly or independently, online or by calling our office; OR you can request a paper form direct from the DPS.

When one party requests a repayment, the other needs to confirm whether they agree with the proposal. In order to agree YOU must log onto the DPS website with your unique log on details provided to you when you first occupied the property. This would have been sent to you by post which also includes your five digit repayment ID number which you will also need to claim monies back (if you have misplaced this you must contact the DPS for a duplicate, AR Residential cannot provide you with this).

It is within the best interest of all parties to agree promptly on how the deposit is to be dealt with and repaid.

We will require a forwarding address for vacating parties. If one is not provided this will delay the deposits process dramatically.

Guidance of what to do when vacating your property

The following list is to help and guide you in what you need to do when vacating a property that has been let. Please note as previously stated this is not a comprehensive list and should not be relied on as such.

• All items within the property, e.g. furnishings, light fittings, kitchen items etc should be returned to their correct position as per the inventory. Failure to do this will incur a charge to do so.
• The property should be cobweb free, e.g. walls, ceilings and light fittings etc.
• Skirting boards to be washed over and be dirt and dust free.
• Curtains – any nets to be washed, ironed and re-hung, other curtains to be professional cleaned and re-hung.
• All washable walls to be wiped down and left dust, dirt and stain free.
• Carpets to be cleaned as required and vacuumed. Stains/marks not recorded on the inventory may result in carpets having to be replaced at your cost.
• Kitchen and bathroom floors to be swept and cleaned.
• All windows must be cleaned on the inside and out.
• Interior and external window frames, ledges and sills should be wiped and cleaned throughout the property.
• All furniture to be dust free and polished if required (to include bedroom furniture).
• All white goods to be thoroughly cleaned on the inside and outside. Cooker doors, shelves, trays and interiors to be cleaned with oven cleaner. Fridges and freezers should be defrosted and wiped out and the door left open and switched off.
• Extractor fans/hoods to be cleaned and grease free along with replacement filters.
• Baths, toilets, wash hand basins, shower cubicles and screens and kitchen sinks etc must be cleaned and if necessary lime scale removed.
• Mattress and pillow protectors must be washed.
• Cupboards and drawers (especially kitchens) should be cleaned inside and out and any storage/ food removed.
• Washing machine soap dispenser must be washed and filter cleaned.
• All lampshades and ceiling lights/bulb holders should be dust free and bulbs replaced where necessary.
• Vacuum cleaner bags to be emptied and filters cleaned.
• All rubbish must be removed from the property and garden and placed in the bins provided. Bins should be put out for collection in the normal manner. Any rubbish left will be chargeable as this will have to be removed.
• The garage and any outbuildings (if applicable) to be swept out and clear of all items except those on the inventory.
• The garden (if applicable) should be left in a neat and tidy condition with borders being dug and weed free, lawns cut and shrubs pruned as appropriate. Also any evidence of an animal to be removed.
• All keys must be returned on the check out. This includes those provided at the start of the tenancy and any extras that have been cut.
• To provide us with details of your utility providers.
• All appliance instructions to be left in the property.
• Heating needs to be kept on low if you are vacating in the Autumn or Winter.

EPC Energy Performance Certificate

It is a legal requirement for all rented properties to have an Energy Performance Certificate as from the 1st October 2008. This does not affect an existing tenancy and only applies to new tenancies after this date.

AR Residential may need to contact you (on behalf of your landlord) to arrange access for an EPC inspector to visit the property to complete the report.