The Tenancy Agreement
The agreement you sign is a legal contract between the landlord of the property and yourself. You should read the agreement carefully and ensure you understand it fully and if in doubt consult a solicitor or other qualified person. The tenancy agreement places legal obligations on you, some of which are explained below.
Term
The agreement is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, which means that you can stay in the property for the period of the lease, provided you meet all the obligations of the tenancy. You have the right to an initial minimum term of six months.
Notice period
If the landlord wishes to end the tenancy we will serve what is known a section 21 Notice, which gives you two months’ notice before you have to leave the property.
Early surrender
Due to the terms of the agreement, you are contracted to remain at the property until the end of the period stated in the agreement. Should you decide to leave at the end of the period stated in the agreement, you must notify us in writing, giving a minimum of one months notice prior to the end of the period.
Please Note: should you vacate the property prior to the end of the contracted period, whether or not you give a month’s notice you will be liable for all the rent payments due until the end of the contracted period, or until we are able to find a replacement tenant. You will also be liable for the landlord re-letting fee for the new tenancy.
Sharers
Every adult that moves into a property (eighteen years old and above) must be named on and must sign the new tenancy.
Please be aware that it will be a breach of the agreement should anyone else move into the property during your tenancy without express written permission from the landlord. Should permission be granted, a new tenancy agreement will be drafted and must be signed by all adults.
Property visits
We conduct regular visits of all tenanted accommodation, normally every two to three months. The purpose of the visit is to check to ensure there are no maintenance issues that need attention and also to check the property is being maintained in a fair manner.
Each visit will normally take less than twenty minutes, and we will contact you beforehand giving you notice of our intention, with an appointment date and time. If for any reason the appointment is inconvenient, please contact us immediately so that we can reschedule the date.
Faults & Repairs
If a fault becomes apparent at the property, you must inform us immediately. Failure to do so may mean that you are held responsible for any further deterioration as a result of the delay. Once we have been informed of a fault we will contact the landlord and act upon their instructions. If you live in a managed property you will be provided with an out of hours contact number.
Please Note: you must not instruct a contractor to undertake any work without our permission. The cost of any works carried out without our permission will become your responsibility.
Smoke/fire & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
When any detectors are fitted in the property, under the terms of your agreement, you are obligated to ensure they are checked regularly and are kept in good working order. This is for the safety of your family. We recommend a daily check, however, they must be checked at least once a week. If you become aware of a fault you must notify us immediately.
Decorating
Should you wish to make any changes to the property, you must inform us in writing and wait until written permission is given before any work commences. Permission will not be withheld unreasonably. However, should the redecoration be anything garish, at the end of the tenancy we may insist that the property is repainted to the same standard as when you moved in?
Gardening
If your property has a garden, it is your responsibility to ensure the lawns are cut regularly and the borders are kept tidy and free from refuse
Deposits
We require a deposit for every tenancy and will be registered with an approved government scheme. This deposit is a refundable only after you have vacated the property and provided that:
- Your rent is paid up to date;
- All utility bills relating to the tenancy have been paid;
- The property has been well maintained and no damage is present;
- Any items listed on the inventory are all present and in goods condition.
The landlord must be satisfied with the property before the deposit is refunded. As long as the points are satisfactory, the deposit will normally be refunded within two weeks, by company cheque, and sent to your forwarding address.
Rent
Tenants are responsible for ensuring the rent is paid in full and on time. Paid by standing order, rent is deducted from your bank and should reach our account by the rent-due day. This saves you the worry of taking the trouble of bringing the rent to our office, and protects you from the potential of bad payment history, should the rent be brought in late.
If you are in receipt of housing benefits you have an obligation to ensure that payments are made as quickly as possible. Please note, we will liaise with the housing benefits office prior to issuing you the tenancy, to ensure your application has been confirmed.
Please Note: Should we incur any costs as a result of late payment in rent, this cost may be passed on to yourself.
Insurance
The landlord is responsible for ensuring the property and any items owned by them and left in the property. You are responsible for arranging your own insurance for your possessions. Neither the landlord nor ourselves will accept any responsibility for loss or damage to your possession whilst at the property.
Going away?
If you are going away from the property for more than two weeks at any one time you must inform us in writing. Being unoccupied for a period may affect the house insurance and we may have to take steps to protect the property.
Vacating
You must vacate the property on the agreed date (usually the last day of the tenancy agreement). We will make an appointment to meet you at the property where we will take meter readings and collect the keys. We will require a forwarding address and will contact you at this address when we are able to release the deposit.
Pets
You must gain written permission from the landlord before introducing pets into the property. You must consult us prior to introducing a pet and submit a written request which must include the age, type, and breed. Permission will not be withheld unreasonably. However please be aware that the introduction of some animals may cause an increase in the amount of deposit we hold.
Local resources
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They can help with all sorts of queries, including council tax, refuse collection, any issues with neighbors, etc. |
Swale Borough Council
Swale House East Street Sittingbourne Kent ME10 3HT Tel: 01795 424341 |
| Can be contacted for non-emergencies on: | 01622 690690 |
| Emergency numbers:
For any emergency maintenance issues, please contact the office on 01795 473434. For all emergency, contact your local police force, ambulance service or fire station, on 999 or 112 For suspected gas leaks, call the British gas emergency line on 0800 111 999 |
We hope you will be happy with the property. If we can help in any way please do not hesitate to call us on 01795 47 34 34 or complete our enquiry form here.
