START OF TENANCY
CONTENTS INSURANCE
You are advised to have your own contents insurance for your personal possessions. These items will not be covered by your Landlord’s insurance if the property is broken into or subjected to flooding, fire, etc. Neither My Home Solutions nor your landlord accepts any liability for a tenant’s failure to have their personal possessions fully insured.
UTILITY PROVIDERS AND COUNCIL TAX
It is your responsibility as tenant to arrange for the transfer of utility and council tax accounts into your name and it is recommended that you contact the utility provider and council tax authority at least 3 days before moving in to the property to allow yourself sufficient time to set your accounts up, take meter reading and for any disconnected services to be reconnected. We will not be held responsible for the services not being connected at the commencement of your tenancy if you fail to contact the service providers concerned.
Gas – If you need to find out who supplies gas to your new home, or your Meter Point Reference Number, contact the meter number helpline on 0870 608 1524.
Electricity – To find out who previously supplied the electricity to your home, or your Electricity Supply Number, contact the local electricity distribution company. The number is normally in the telephone directory under 'Electricity'. You should ask for the company's Meter Point Administration Service (MPAS) 0845 601 5467.
You may be charged for any administrative costs incurred by us if you fail to deal with these matters.
DURING THE TENANCY
PAYMENT OF RENT
Your tenancy agreement is a legally binding document which requires you to pay the rent in full in cleared funds on the rent due dates. Failure to do this means that you will be in breach of your tenancy agreement.
If you share the property with other tenants you are jointly and severally liable for payment of the full rent on the rent due date. If any rent is outstanding on the rent due date then we may pursue one, some or all tenants for the costs incurred and the balance of rent due regardless of whether you as an individual have made a payment to us.
REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE
Should you experience any problem with either the structure or contents (provided by the landlord) of the property, please contact My Home Solutions during office hours and we will arrange for one of our approved contractors to investigate the problem, or the landlord if not managed, immediately. In certain circumstances, and normally where any work required is substantial, either in terms of cost or magnitude, it may be necessary to obtain more than one quotation from contractors, or to instruct a surveyor to assess the nature of the problem so that it can be resolved effectively.
Please do not instruct a contractor yourself and send us the invoice, as this will not be paid by us your landlord unless we have previously agreed to do this.
If a contractor attends to a problem that you have reported and the fault is due to lack of care or misuse by you or other tenants occupying the property, you will be charged for the cost of putting it right.
It is very much in your interests to be available for appointments made with contractors in order that repairs can be carried out as quickly as possible. If you fail to keep an appointment made with a contractor then we may charge you the costs of the contractor’s abortive visit.
MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY
The tenant is responsible for normal household maintenance at the property i.e. replacing light bulbs, cleaning windows, cutting lawns, maintaining hedges, borders, keeping all guttering and drains clear from leaves and blockages, the removal of such pests as fleas, ants, wasps, etc. and any other tasks that are considered normal household management.
If there is a garden with your property you must keep it in good seasonal order. You must not uproot established trees and shrubs and you must not remove lawns as already laid at the commencement of your tenancy.
If you share a common entrance to your property with other residents you are required to keep this areas, and any other shared areas at the property clean and tidy and, in particular, free of rubbish and unwanted mail. It is particularly important that you keep shared entrances and exits clear and clean and tidy – this could be your escape route in the case of an emergency.
GAS APPLIANCES
By law your landlord must comply with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 and subsequent associated legislation. Your landlord must have all gas systems, appliances and flues checked at least every 12 months by a CORGI / Gas Safe registered engineer. These regulations do not apply to gas appliances owned by tenants for example a gas cooker. For your own safety we recommend that you too have your personal gas appliances checked at least every 12 months.
You will be provided with a copy of the gas safety certificate provided by the inspecting engineer. It is in the interests of your own safety and welfare that you cooperate fully with contractors making appointments with you to carry out a gas safety inspection.
TENANT DECORATION/ALTERATIONS
Your landlord wants the property to be treated as your own home. However, the landlord’s consent must be obtained prior to any redecoration or alterations being carried out. Failure to comply with this may result in you being charged the cost of returning the property to its original condition at the end of your tenancy.
You are not permitted to alter, add, pull down or remove any part of the fabric of the building.
LOST KEYS
If during your tenancy you lose your house keys, whatever the circumstances, you are responsible for the cost of replacement. In the first instance, please contact your Managing Agent as they may have a spare set of keys (provided that you haven’t changed the locks during your tenancy). The cost of having additional sets cut is to be borne by you, the tenant. If a lock change is required as a result of you losing a key you will also be charged the cost of the lock change. If you occupy a flat in a block which has a common entrance door key you may also be charged the cost of providing all tenants in the block with new keys. You must return the full compliment of keys to the property at the end of the tenancy and you will be charged for the cost of any duplicate keys or lock changes required if you do not do this.
BREAK-INS/VANDALISM
If you have suffered a break-in that has resulted in damage to the external doors or windows, please report the incident to the Police, and then contact your Managing Agent who will arrange for a contractor to secure the property.
It is important that the Police are advised and a Crime Reference number obtained as failure to do so may prevent you or your Landlord from making an insurance claim.
BROKEN GLASS AND WINDOWS
It is the responsibility of you, the tenant, to repair and/or re-glaze any windows or glazing broken at the property.
RENT REVIEWS AND INCREASES
Please be aware that each year on the anniversary of the start of your tenancy, your landlord will review your rent and an increase may be sought.
WHO MAY OCCUPY THE PROPERTY
You may not share the property with any adults (aged 18 or over) other than those named on the tenancy agreement. In addition, you may not transfer your tenancy to another person.
However, if one of the named tenants wishes to leave, regardless of whether they are to be replaced, please contact your Managing Agent immediately to enable the landlord to consider & to make any necessary arrangements. References must be obtained and approved by us and a new agreement signed before a new tenant can move in to the property.
Please Note: The incoming tenant must remunerate the outgoing tenant their portion of the deposit and all parties must agree as to the condition of the property at the time of transfer. We will not consider refunding any part of the deposit to any individual tenant during the tenancy.
END OF THE TENANCY
Your tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract; If it is for a fixed duration you cannot give notice to vacate before the expiry date. If you need to vacate the property prior to the end of the fixed term, you, the tenant, shall be responsible for rent until the expiration of the term of the tenancy. In addition, you will be responsible for the Landlord’s agency re-letting fees as applicable at that time.
If tenancy has a break clause the wording of this needs to be adhered to. Inventory check-out will be conducted when the property is vacant, or conducted on the last day of the tenancy. Please ensure keys are returned to My Home Solutions on the final day, or handed to any inventory clerk.
GIVING NOTICE
As per your tenancy agreement, you are required to give notice as per Section 13, however, if you are on a ‘rolling’ / statutory periodic tenancy one months’ notice is required from rent due date of your intention to vacate the property. During this time, we will require access to accompany prospective tenants to view the property and will give you at least 24 hours notice. Your co-operation in allowing access is greatly appreciated.
CHECK-0UT APPOINTMENT
Upon receipt of your notice letter, we will write to you to acknowledge your intended vacation. You will be charged on a daily basis until all keys and possessions are surrendered. If your property has been professionally cleaned prior to your moving in, it should be returned similarly cleaned, if not you may be charged for a professional clean.