What criteria do I need to meet to become a tenant?
Each applicant must:
Earn a gross annual salary that equates to at least 2.5 times the annual rent.
Have a good credit history (subject to appeal where proof can be provided).
Have satisfactory references from a current employer.
Have satisfactory references from a previous landlord/letting agent (if applicable).
Should this criteria NOT be met, to return an accept decision, you may require a guarantor to progress your application for tenancy.
Additionally, you will require a guarantor if you are:
Self employed for less than 12 months.
Have a CCJ up to £9,999 or a bankruptcy order.
In receipt of housing benefit and/or you are unemployed.
Each guarantor must:
Earn a gross annual salary that equates to at least 3 times the annual rent.
Be a resident in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or Isle Of Man. NOTE: Guarantors residing in the Channel Islands, Ireland or elsewhere in the world are not acceptable.
Have a clean credit history – subject to appeal where proof can be provided. If any reports are returned as declined they will not be subject to appeal.
What do I need to know about renting a property?
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What is a holding deposit?
Each applicant has to pay one weeks rent as a holding deposit. The landlord has 15 days to make a decision once a holding deposit is taken.
If the tenancy does not go ahead then the money must be repaid in full within 7 days of the deadline being reached or the landlord backing out.
Repayment does not need to be in full if the tenant backs out of the tenancy agreement themselves, fails right to rent checks, has provided false or misleading information, or where the landlord tries their best to get the information needed but the tenant fails to provide it within the 15 days.
If the tenancy does go ahead, the holding deposit must be returned within 7 days of agreement, unless it is converted into part payment of the actual deposit or used towards the initial rent payment.
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Will I have to pay a deposit?
A deposit, usually equal to 5 weeks rent unless otherwise stated is required before you can move in. You can pay this in cash or bankers draft. We regret that we cannot accept a personal cheque or any form of card payment, as all funds must be cleared prior to you signing a tenancy agreement.
Your deposit will be held by Coulby Conduct in a seperate bank account for your own protection. Interest is not payable. If a landlord should choose to register the tenants deposit, all details of the government registered scheme will be obtained by the agent before the total amount of deposit is released to the landlord .
If the property is let on the “Zero Deposit” scheme then no deposit is required and damages to the property up to the value of one months rent will be underwritten by Coulby Conduct property maintenance any damages on vacating the property over one month’s rent will continue to be the responsibility of the tenant.
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How do I pay my rent and how much do I pay in advance?
Your rent is always payable in advance and the first month’s rent has to be paid in full before we can complete your lease and hand you the keys. Again, this must be cleared funds as personal cheques and card payment will not be accepted.
On the day you sign your lease, you will be provided with either our bank payment details or your landlord’s bank details. You must then contact your own bank to make payment arrangements.
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What do I do about gas, electricity and other utilities?
Nothing at all! We do it all for you. Coulby Conduct will arrange for all the utilities to be transferred into your name from the date your tenancy commences. We will confirm to you the current meter readings for gas, electricity and water (where applicable), and you will be asked to verify these when you first enter the property.
We will also write to the local authority and ensure that you are registered for the payment of Council Tax. Please note that this will also protect your voting rights, as it will alert the Council to include you on the electoral roll.
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What about an inventory of contents?
This is one part of a tenancy that can cause problems if simple rules are not followed.
When you sign up for your new home, if the landlord has instructed us to provide an inventory or they have selected to provide their own, you will be asked to sign copies of the current inventory of the property and we will provide you with one copy to keep.
Once you arrive at the property please check the inventory carefully and make any additions, amendments or comments within 3 working days of your tenancy commencement date. It is this inventory that will be checked at the end of your tenancy and thus it is in your best interests to ensure that all parties agree to the contents and condition of all items in your new home.
If no Inventory and Schedule of Condition is provided to you, you are welcome to compile your own report but this must be produced to either Coulby Conduct or your landlord within 3 working days of the tenancy commencing.
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What happens when my tenancy commences?
Once your application has been accepted, we will contact you to schedule an appointment date and time whereby ALL tenants will need to be present. This appointment will take place at our Lettings Office in Northwich and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
During this appointment, you will be asked to read and sign all relevant documentation including the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement and provide cleared funds (cash, bankers draft or prior arranged and confirmed bank transfer). We will make our best efforts to confirm your proposed tenancy start date as soon as possible.
