Renting Process


1Register your interest

When on the hunt for your ideal home registering on a rental database will ensure you hear about new properties as soon as they become available. You can register your interest with us and outline your desired criteria and budget. We will then contact you as soon as a property matching your interests becomes available. To avoid disappointment, we ask that you make sure you’re easily contactable once you’ve registered as desirable properties can be taken quickly.

2Finding the right property

When registering your interest, you will have decided on some of your basic desirable features such as the number of bedrooms, the area you wish to live in and your budget. Once you’ve done so we recommend you put together lists of the things you would like your new home to have. It’s important to consider the things the property must have and the things you would consider to be a dealbreaker. It is also important to consider any added costs alongside your rent such as council tax, utility bills, the cost of moving and any regular transport costs to and from your new home if you’re commuting.

3Is a short let right for you?

It is important to consider the best length of tenancy for you to suit your circumstances. An assured shorthold tenancy agreement is issued for either 6 or 12 months. However, if you’re waiting for the purchase of a property to go through or you’re relocating for work for a short time, you may want to consider a short let. Periods available can be anything from a month rolling contract to 5 months. However, the rent you’ll pay for these lets are significantly higher as a result.

4Holding payments

Once you’ve found a property you like we will confirm all the details of the proposed tenancy, and you will be asked to pay a holding deposit of £150.00 which can be paid by credit/debit card or bank transfer. This payment will go towards your first months rent and also ensures that your chosen property will be withdrawn from the rental market whilst we conduct the referencing process.

5Referencing

Once your holding deposit has been placed, we will run reference checks to confirm your identity, place of work and earnings as well as checking for any adverse credit. As well as protecting the property’s landlord it also helps us decide if this is the best property to suit your circumstances.  You will also be verified as permitted to reside in the UK and are not subject to any immigration controls.  You should declare if you have any unsatisfied CCJ or bankruptcies.  You will be asked to provide a photographic ID together with evidence of Right to Rent in the UK, your earnings and your current address.

6Guarantors

Dependent on your financial circumstances you may be asked to provide a Guarantor. Someone acting as your Guarantor should have a clean credit history, be in full-time employment, and be based in the UK. They will also be referenced through our referencing agents to ensure they are a suitable person to act as your Guarantor. The Guarantor should understand their obligations as they will be asked to sign a legally binding Guarantor Deed agreeing to conditions which will include being liable for the rent in full should you default on your rental payment for any reason.

7Your tenancy agreement

The tenancy agreement details your rights and obligations as a tenant and the obligations and expectations of your landlord, and the agreements made by all parties involved. This document will also explain the core terms and include all the rules of the property.

 

We will provide you with a copy of the draft tenancy agreement for you to read in your own time before signing. Ensure you are clear about what the tenancy agreement asks of you as a tenant and that you can adhere to this. If there is anything you are unsure on or would like further clarification of, we are more than happy to go through this with you and answer any questions you may have.

8The security deposit

Before moving in we will ask you as the tenant to provide a security deposit. This is used to cover any losses incurred by the landlord due to the fault of the tenant. This could be damage to the property by the tenant, non-payment of rent, or loss of rent due to damage to the property. The security deposit is typically paid at 4 weeks’ worth of the property’s rent. By law this must be protected in a government approved deposit scheme within 30 days of the start of the tenancy. We will organise the protection of your deposit and provide documentation of this for your records.

9The inventory

At the beginning of the tenancy we will provide you with an inventory for the property. This will outline the cosmetic condition of the property and its contents. We will ask you to confirm this is accurate and discuss any questions you have with us.

 

Once your tenancy ends, we will use this document to assess the condition of the property and discuss any changes with you. Once this assessment has taken place, we will award the deposit appropriately. If we see the need to take any charges from the deposit for any damage to the property this will be discussed with you whilst the deposit is still protected.

10The end tenancy process

The end of your tenancy will depend on your tenancy agreement. For a tenancy that was agreed for a specified length of time it is likely you will have known your exact end date from when you signed your agreement. For a tenancy that runs month by month and is usually known as a ‘rolling contract’ there will be a notice period that must be provided. This is the case for both you notifying the landlord (or us as property management) that you will be vacating the property and for us or the landlord to notify you of a date to vacate the property. Notice periods can be a month or two but will be specified when your tenancy agreement is signed.

 

Once notice is served or before your agreement comes to an end the property will usually be put back on the market. This will be done in enough time for us to find occupants to move in once your agreement has ended. This means we will offer viewings to prospective new tenants; therefore, we ask you to keep the property tidy for us to do so. We will liaise with you to provide you with sufficient notice of viewings taking place.

On your last day at the property we will visit to go through the inventory with you and conduct a check out process. This is the point at which you will hand your keys back to us and won’t be able to return to the property. We will then get in touch with you (usually within 10 days) to discuss returning your deposit. If there are deductions to be made from your deposit, there will be a procedure to follow. This procedure will be detailed on the website of the deposit protection scheme we have used.

Sales

Our highly experienced team are well equipped with extensive local knowledge and expertise to assist in selling your property. Our sales progression team has been developed to ensure all parties are kept informed and the sales process moves forward smoothly.

Lettings & Property Management

We work with a number of landlords across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to manage and maintain their property. This includes finding suitable and reliable tenants while ensuring the property is well looked after and payments are managed.

Probate Services & Estate Management

Our Estate management and probate valuation services are available across the UK. We offer a bespoke service depending on the client’s needs and have experience working across Wales and England.

Land, New Homes & Part Exchange

We assist property developers of all sizes with many aspects of development land and new homes; assessing and finding potential development land sites, marketing and selling new build property and the valuation and disposal of part exchange property.

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Fees

Refundable Holding deposit - Capped at 1 weeks rent

Security Deposit - Capped at 5 weeks rent for annual rental under £50,000, or 6 weeks rent for annual rental over £50,000

Rent - The agreed monthly rent

Changes to tenancy - Capped at £100 inc VAT

Early termination charge - Not exceeding the landlord’s financial losses

Late payment of rent - Interest of 3% above BoE base rate for each day the rent is late, once it is 14 days overdue

Replacement keys - Reasonable costs or give the tenant the option to purchase themselves

Utilities, council tax, communication services, TV Licence etc - Tenants own responsibility unless otherwise stated in contract