Why choose to rent a property from RE/MAX Property Services? As well as advertising on the worldwide recognised RE/MAX website, our properties can be found on all the leading portals, including Lettingweb, Citylets, Gumtree etc etc - so you will always be able to find out which properties are available. We can arrange appointments to view properties outside 'normal' working hours, meaning you can arrange a viewing without taking time of work. You can be assured of a friendly, professional service from us - we are members of the Ombudsman of Letting Agents, and as such must provide a level of service to meet strict guidelines.
We aim to far surpass our competitors when dealing with tenants. A common problem appears to be two levels of service, one superior level given to Landlords, and a much lesser third rate service for tenants - we very muhc oppose this way of working, and realise that without tenants, we would not have a business! So please check our available properties today, and contact us if you would like more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

  Useful Information

The Renting Process

How much money do I need?
To reserve a property you will usually be asked for a reservation fee, to guarantee (subject to satisfactory references) that the property is secured for you whilst agreements are drawn up. The reservation fee is deducted from the total deposit taken with the first month’s rental. See deposit below. You will need to pay for the credit and reference check that we carry out - we do not ask for any administration payment or 'agents fees' for preparing agreements. If you change your mind about renting a property after it has been reserved you may be charged a cancellation fee.

Read and Understand!
You will be asked to sign a tenancy agreement and other paperwork. While we use standard agreements, you should read these carefully an understand your obligations. Please do ask us if there are any points you do not understand or are unsure of.
This avoids any confusion or disputes at a later date.

Patience is a Virtue
In the event of any faults in the property you rent, please do not have unrealistic or unreasonable expectations of either the Landlord or us. While we make every effort to resolve any problems as soon as possible, we can only dela with these problems the same way as you would were the house your own - in other words, while we have an excellent choice of tradesman to appoint, they may not be able to attend within an hour, or give a specific appointment. We do have emergency numbers, but these should only be used when it is indeed an emergency - not to tell us a bulb has blown!

Furnished - but where's the sound system!
There are no strict rules about what constitutes a fully furnished, part furnished or unfurnished propery. Both expectations and reality can vary in different areas of the country, within different niche sectors within the local markets, and even from Landlord to Landlord! Generally, a property offered as “fully furnished” would come with all the main fixtures, furnishings and fittings, white goods etc., plus the standard crockery, cutlery, glassware, pots and pans etc., that a reasonable tenant would normally use on a day to day basis.
At the other end of the scale, an “unfurnished” property would normally be provided only with such basics as carpets, curtains and light fittings. And most Landlords will not leave any stereos, TVs etc - in either case!

Safety First
There are specific legal obligations and responsibilities on a landlord with regard to Fire safety for Furniture & Furnishings; Gas supply and appliances; plus Electrical wiring and appliances. Please be assured, we advise our Landlords of what steps to take, and adhere to all legislation.

Insurance
We advise our Landlords to have both buildings and contents insurance in place for their property. However, tenants should take care to review any existing policies when renting or letting a property for the first time as some standard insurance products will either not provide cover, or might place restrictions on cover, for rented property and/or its contents. A failure to inform your insurer that you are renting/letting a property could invalidate any subsequent claim. It is for a landlord to insure the building and his/her contents, fixtures and fittings.
Tenants are responsible for insuring any of their own possessions. There are various specialist insurance products designed for landlords and tenants and rented property: - Buildings, Contents, Legal Expenses, Emergency Repair cover, Rental Guarantee cover etc.
[It is illegal for us (or any other letting agent unless they are authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA),) to advise on or sell such general insurance products. We would recommend searching online to find the best deal.

Inventory
This is an absolutely essential document that provides a written benchmark, which will be amended, updated and recreated before the beginning of each new tenancy. Our inventory is a properly constructed Schedule of Condition, detailing the fixtures and fittings, describing their condition and that of the property generally. The inventory helps protect the interests of both landlord and tenant.

Tenancy Agreement
A tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract between a landlord and tenant that sets out both the legal and contractual responsibilities and obligations of the two parties. Our agreement is written in plain and intelligible language (no unnecessary jargon!) and its terms and clauses are fair and balanced, taking account of the respective positions of the parties and does not mislead about legal rights and responsibilities. Tenants should take care to individually negotiate any particular terms or conditions that are important to them or especially relevant to the particular let or property.

The Deposit
Whenever we let a property, we ask for a deposit of an amount equivalent to one months rent plus £100. This is held during the tenancy against the satisfactory performance by the tenant of all the various obligations under the tenancy agreement - but mainly, those relating to the cleanliness and condition of the property. This deposit is held by us in a stand alone deposit bank account - no interest is payable on this amount, and at the end of the tenancy will be refunded to the tenant if they have adhered to their Tenancy Agreement and there is no damage to the property or cleaning required.

What if the Landlord (or us) want to end the tenancy?
There are only limited ways in which this can happen; the landlord cannot make the tenants move out, nor can the tenants lawfully walk away from their obligations to fulfil the contract. Either party might request of the other that a formal “surrender” of the tenancy be allowed. It would then be up to the parties to agree the terms and conditions of such a surrender. This might include some financial compensation for inconvenience or costs incurred. If you are in this position, we recommend you speak to us as early as possible to try and come to a suitable conclusion for all parties concerned.

Will my rent ever increase?
In general terms, rent of an existing tenancy can only be increased once every twelve months. Where an assured shorthold tenancy holds over as a statutory periodic tenancy, a specific prescribed form (a section 13 notice) must be used to notify tenants of a proposed increase in the rent.
It is usual, if creating a longer fixed term tenancy at the outset (or one with a binding option to renew), to include a clause that allows for an increase of the rent on an annual basis, typically linked to, or as a multiple of, something like the Retail Price Index (RPIX) or similar.

Can you just walk in at any time?
A landlord, or any member of RE/MAX Property Services has a right to view a property to assess its condition and to carry out necessary repairs or maintenance at reasonable times of the day. The law says that a landlord or agent must give a tenant at least 24 hours prior notice in writing (except in an emergency) of such a visit. Naturally, if the tenant agrees, on specific or odd occasions to allow access without the 24 hours prior written notice, that is acceptable. This may be to carry out a repair, or assess damage.

Who pays for the utilities?
Normally the tenant takes over all of the utilities including water and council tax, which are not included in the rent. At the start of your tenancy we will take gas & electric meter readings, and notify the relevany supplier, as well as contact the local authority regarding the council tax.

Who do I deal with - the letting agent or landlord?
We will deal with the property viewings, references, agreements and getting you moved in to your rented property. From that point onwards, your point of contact depends on whether the Landlord pays us to ‘manage’ their property. If the property is ‘managed’ the tenant will normally report any repairs or queries to us, otherwise the tenant and landlord must liaise directly with each other. We will inform you who to contact at the start of your tenancy.

Can I rent a room to a flatmate or flatshare?
As any guide to renting will explain, the names of all of the occupiers must be declared on the Assured Shorthold Agreement (AST). If a tenant sublets to a flatmate or flatshare which is not detailed on the AST, they will be breaking the terms of the agreement.  Where several people are sharing a property the tenants are ‘jointly and severally’ responsible, and as such as listed on the AST. This expression means that each tenant is liable to for any breach of agreement and to pay all of the rent.

Repairs
A landlord, in very general terms, has a legal responsibility to repair the structure and exterior of the property, including drains, gutters and external pipes; to keep in working order the installations for the supply of gas, electricity and water; and, for the installations for the provision of space and water heating. The landlord also has other legal responsibilities relating to the safety of such items as gas, electricity and furnishings as well as the general standard or fitness of the property for habitation.
A tenant has an implied covenant to act in a “tenant-like manner”. Broadly, this means to report disrepair promptly; to take reasonable steps to ensure that neither the tenant nor guests damage the property, its fixtures and fittings; to do the minor day to day things any home-occupier would normally do e.g. replace light bulbs, fit a new battery in a smoke or CO2 detector, tighten an odd screw which has come loose on a door handle etc.; to keep the property reasonably warm and aired to help prevent condensation or freezing of pipes; to leave the property secure when absent from it; to keep the garden and other areas reasonably tidy and free from rubbish. 

Can I stop paying rent if repairs are delayed?
It is a dangerous tactic to withhold rental payments for whatever reason because you would be in breach of the tenancy agreement, for which the Landlord could take you to court. Discuss any concerns with us (if we are managing the property). To avoid ambiguity, many letting agents ask tenants to report any requirement for repairs in writing - for your convenience and to avoide delay, we do not usually ask this. However, if there is any doubt, we will ask you to confirm your queries / requirements in writing. If the landlord is managing their own property, then it may be worth taking advice from a solicitor if any important repair is not dealt with. We are often authorised to instruct repairs up to an agreed value, but we may still have to seek the Landlords permission.

I want to renew my tenancy, what happens?
This is a very common situation, and we will negotiate between landlord and tenants and prepare the necessary formal documentation for a replacement tenancy or fixed term extension.

Disclaimer - The information above is believed to be accurate, however, it should not be relied upon in place of formal legal advice.

Here we list the steps making up the renting process with RE/MAX Property Services, from finding a property to rent to moving in.

1. Find the property you like
2. Contact us to arrange a viewing
3. Resere the property
4. Credit and reference checks instructed, e-mail to prospective tenant
5. Complete the details on the credit check and submit
6. Credit check passed, we contact you to dicuss a moving in date
7. All tenancy agreements and associated paperwork completed
8. Deposit and first months rent paid
9. Keys for the property are given to you
10. An inventory of the property is carried out
11. You make yourself comfortable in your new home!

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