GUIDANCE NOTES FOR TENANTS

Once you have found the property that you wish to rent through Templeton Chase Properties Ltd., we will endeavour to take you through the process as smoothly as possible.

If you have never rented a property before, hopefully you will find the information on this page to be useful and informative about things you may not already be aware of. Demand for rental properties remains high in Southampton so being ready to proceed if you see a property you really like will be of huge benefit to you. Register your details on our Contact Us page or call us on 02380 682394.

Once you have found your new home with us, you will be asked to pay a holding deposit, thus allowing us to take the property off the market. The holding deposit is £300.00, and is considered to be part of your security deposit, not an additional fee. You will also be required to pay your administration fees at the same time as the holding deposit. If, once you have paid the holding deposit & admin fees you subsequently pull out, not move in, or fail the obligatory credit references, the administration fees are non refundable. If however, the Landlord pulls out for any reason other than the reasons mentioned above, your deposit will be returned to you in full. Taking a holding deposit shows commitment on behalf of both parties (Landlord and Tenant) that you are able to proceed to the best of your knowledge with the tenancy, and it allows Templeton Chase Properties Ltd as the agents to commence the administration such as referencing.

Your security deposit is equivalent to exactly one months rental PLUS £100.00 unless specifically agreed otherwise.  This is held until the end of the tenancy against damages, loss of contents and dilapidations. The deposit will be held in a designated clients’ deposit account and will be returned shortly after the end of the tenancy. Legislation that came into affect from April 6th 2007 means that your deposit has to be registered with a government approved body as part of the Tenants Deposit Scheme. This scheme is applicable to deposits that are held by Lettings Agents as part of a Full Property Management service and Landlords who look after their own Property Management once you as the tenant move in. This is a scheme designed to help protect your rights as a tenant and should help to give you peace of mind that your security deposit is safe.

After you have paid your deposit and secured the property, the remaining move-in monies i.e. the remainder of the security deposit, and first rental payment (at least one month in advance), must be paid to Lettings Direct, by way of debit/ credit card (plus 2.5% processing fee), cheque, bank transfer or cash at least five working days prior to move-in. If your desired and agreed move-in date is less than five working days, please be advised that we can only accept cleared funds as payment as soon as is practicable prior to key release.

The agreed rent pcm, is normally paid monthly in advance by Standing Order, and as such a standing order mandate supplied by Lettings Direct, must be completed and returned to us prior to the move in date. 

Our administration cost covers the preparation of the tenancy documentation, obtaining referencing, key release and check-out processing and registering your security deposit under the Tenants Deposit Scheme.

Prior to the tenancy being commenced a full referencing check is compulsory for all tenants. We will provide you with the necessary forms to complete, and we normally will have an answer back from our professional referencing agents within 3 working days subject to availability of information. Should it be required that a quick turn around of referencing is required, we can request it be fast tracked on a 24 or 48 hour service. Guarantors may sometimes be requested in certain situations. A credit check will be required prior to any application being considered. It is the responsibility of the potential tenants to make sure that guarantors sign the lease and other documentation prior to or on the day of sign up, or a move-in will not go ahead. All guarantors are signing a legal document and must be aware of their liabilities to cover the rent and security deposit should tenants default on payment or if the property is damaged. Please bear all of the above in mind particularly if guarantors live a long distance away.

Once move-in day arrives, you will need to come to our office on Canute Road to collect your keys and sign any outstanding paperwork if required. This will include you signing for the keys and we will also endeavour to provide you with an up to date inventory or schedule of condition report.

When you have given notice to end the tenancy, the check-out report will be scheduled for completion once you have handed back the keys to the property. Should the check-out report bring to our attention items that need addressing in the property upon your departure that are deemed beyond the realms of reasonable wear and tear, we will advise of these costs to make good and deduct them from your security deposit prior to its return.

All monthly rents are exclusive of utility charges and telephone bills, unless specifically agreed to be included in the rental costs by the landlord prior to the commencement of the tenancy.  You are required to transfer the utility supplies for telephone, SKY, TV licence etc as applicable, into your name at the start of the tenancy.  Lettings Direct (or your Landlord if it is managed by them) will advise electricity, gas and water companies as is applicable. Payment of the Local Authority Council Tax is not included in the rental costs, again unless specifically agreed as above. Lettings Direct or your Landlord will also advise your local authority to open an account in your name upon move-in.

In the event that you are starting a tenancy in a new build property that has never been occupied before it is likely that you will need to pay a ‘one off’ landline telephone connection fee to the property (c. £125 inc. VAT)

As the occupier of the property, during the period of your tenancy you are responsible for the payment of the TV licence, regardless of whether the television was provided by the Landlord. (£142.50 a year approx.)

Where Lettings Direct are not responsible for the management of the tenancy, the security deposit will be forwarded to the landlord to hold if they can prove they are on a government approved scheme, if they aren't we will ensure that your depsouit is legally registered. You will be supplied with the Landlords contact details to report any maintenance issues.

Some rental properties have certain restrictions allocated by the landlord or leaseholder relating to sharers, smokers and tenants with pets. If authority is given for a pet reside in a rental property, then the security deposit will reflect this, depending on size and species of pet. All applicants must be over the age of 18.

Last, but not least, once you have signed the tenancy agreement, responsibility for the property will rest with you, the tenant. You must report immediately any maintenance, gas or electrical faults to your landlord or the agent for landlord.