Finding a Property

The first step is to contact Habiter Property Solutions and provide brief details about yourself and your requirements. Once you have registered with us we will search our database for suitable properties for you to view. If your search is not urgent we will record your details and contact you as suitable properties become available. We recommend that you start looking about one month before you wish to move as the most sought-after properties let very quickly. Our tenancies are contracted for a minimum term of six months and no more than 3 years.

Viewings

Viewings are by appointment only, arranged for a time to suit you during our normal office hours. For security reasons we always request the first meeting to take place at our office. We will then be pleased to accompany you to the properties selected and answer any questions you may have.

Reserving the Property

Once you have decided on a property to rent and the Landlord has accepted your offer, you will be required to pay a holding deposit of £500.00 to Habiter Property Solutions in order to secure the reservation of the property and for it to be removed from our property listings. Assuming the Tenancy goes ahead, this sum will be deducted from the monies due before you move in.

By putting down a holding deposit you are agreeing to take the property together with the contents as viewed. If you require any other furnishings or alterations to the property specification, you must inform Habiter Property Solutions before an offer is put to the Landlord. We cannot guarantee that further negotiations will be entered into once the holding deposit has been paid to Habiter Property Solutions.

At this stage we will also require some form of photographic ID from you, for example a passport or driving licence. We will take a copy of this to keep on file.

Please note that we are unable to return the holding deposit if you decide not to proceed with the proposed let or if you are unable to pass our referencing procedures. If however the Landlord should withdraw the property, the holding deposit will be refunded minus any fees Habiter Property Solutions have incurred in the referencing procedure. If references have not been processed we will return your holding deposit in full.

HomeLet Referencing

Once terms have been agreed between yourselves and the Landlord, you will be required to undergo and pass our referencing process. You will need to complete an application form, which we will forward to Premier HomeLet. Each prospective Tenant over the age of 18 years will need to complete a separate form. We are Premier Agents for HomeLet, which means that we have the online referencing facility. We are able to carry out the whole procedure with 30 minutes, providing you give us all the information.

Rent

Rents are quoted calendar monthly and are payable monthly in advance by standing order.

Rents are exclusive of all utility bills, Council tax, water rates, gas, electricity and telephone charges, unless otherwise stated. The Tenant is also responsible for paying the licence fee for any television set in the property during the Tenancy.

Deposit

A security deposit equal to one calendar month’s rent is due as cleared funds at the commencement of the Tenancy. A security deposit is held to cover damage, breakages, cleaning or other responsibilities under the terms of the Tenancy Agreement. Where Habiter Property Solutions are managing the property on behalf of the Landlord, the deposit will be held by Habiter Property Solutions as stakeholders in a designated client deposit account in accordance with recommended practice. Monies will be refunded after the termination of the Tenancy and the inventory check-out and once both parties have agreed any charges, which will be deducted accordingly. Please note that the return of the deposit is subject to any deductions.

No interest will be paid on the deposit. ‘Let only’ Landlords will hold the security deposit themselves and you will be informed of how your deposit will be held before you put down a holding deposit on a property.

The Tenancy Agreement

Once Habiter Property Solutions receives satisfactory references from Premier HomeLet for all Tenants, a Tenancy Agreement will be drawn up and an appointment made for you to come to our office to sign the document. The Tenancy Agreement is a legally binding document between the Landlord and you as the Tenant. The Tenancy Agreement must be signed by everyone over 18 years of age who is going to live in the property and also by any guarantor, where appropriate. You should read the Tenancy Agreement thoroughly and ensure you fully understand all parts before you sign it. We shall be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Please note that when you come to our office to sign the Tenancy Agreement we shall require either a bankers draft, a building society Cheque or cash for the rent, security deposit and agency fees. We are unable to release keys until we receive these monies as cleared funds. You will be informed of the exact amount due before you come to the office.

Broadly, the charges involved in moving into a property are as follows:

One month's rent in advance

One calendar month's rent as security deposit

Agency fees (one weeks rent minimum £150) for preparation of the Tenancy Agreement and other administration costs

Referencing costs

Moving-in Date

Should you need to delay the date of your move for any reason, you will still be liable for rent and Tenancy obligations from the date you agreed with the Landlord at the time the Tenancy was approved.

The Inventory

After signing the Tenancy Agreement, a representative of Habiter Property Solutions will meet you at the property to carry out the inventory check-in. You will be required to sign the inventory as an accurate record of the contents and condition of the property on that date and you will be held responsible for any variation in the condition of the property and its contents at the end of the tenancy, fair wear and tear accepted. We will provide you with a photocopy of the signed inventory for your records.

If your Landlord manages the property themselves, they may carry out their own check-in and we will inform you of this at the appropriate time.

The Landlord pays for the inventory check-in and the Tenant pays for the inventory to be checked at the termination of the Tenancy. The cost is dependent on the size of the property and whether or not it is furnished.

Insurance

It is the Tenant’s responsibility to insure their own possessions during the Tenancy. As appointed premier agents for Home Let we are able to offer you a variety of insurance policies.

Under the terms of the Tenancy Agreement, Tenants are liable for damage they cause to the Landlord’s building and contents. Often Landlords insist Tenants take out insurance.

The Landlord will be responsible for insuring the building and any of their contents supplied with the property.

Management of the Property

You will be advised if Habiter Property Solutions are acting as managing agents on behalf of the Landlord or if the Landlord will be managing the property. If the property is managed by Habiter Property Solutions you should contact our office for advice and queries relating to the Tenancy and with any maintenance issues. If the Landlord is managing the property, you will be provided with their contact details.

If you move into a property managed by Habiter Property Solutions you will be given a Tenants pack which will contain details about the property and list action to take in the event of any emergency maintenance issues occurring.

Property Inspections

All properties managed by Habiter Property Solutions are inspected on behalf of the Landlord every three months to check the condition.

Pets

Pets are only permitted to stay in the property with the prior written consent of the Landlord and it is usual for a larger deposit to be held. At the end of the Tenancy, Tenants will be responsible for having all carpets professionally cleaned and flea treated once the property has been vacated.