Tenants
Renting a property is a relatively uncomplicated process as long as you are represented by a reliable and professional agent who will go an extra mile to make sure you find and enjoy your next home. When you choose Citydeal Estates you are choosing to deal with our highly skilled and dedicated team of property professionals who will ensure your renting experience is as positive and effortless as it can be. While being accredited members of ARLA, NAEA Propertymark as well as The Property Ombudsman we follow the strict guidelines and best practices to make sure you receive a bespoke level of service from us.
The Renting Process
Finding a rental property that meets your needs and wants can be a time-consuming exercise. Therefore, knowing what to expect can make the whole process smoother and less stressful. With this in mind, below we have created a helpful summary of the key steps to renting a property.
Start Your Search in Advance
Even though it eventually depends on your individual circumstances, it is usually recommended to start looking for your next home at least a couple of months prior to your move. Once you decide on the areas of interest and work out your budget you may, as a starting point, set property alerts on such portals as Rightmove, Zoopla, Onthemarket, etc. This will allow you to get a general idea of the range of properties that come to the market and those you can afford. When your search criteria become more defined, it is worth registering with local ARLA Propertymark agents who might let you know about the latest properties before these are listed online.
If you wish to be sent the details of our properties before these appear on the portals, please give us a call on 02088960800 or drop an email to mail@citydeal.co.uk. For our office address and opening hours please click here.
Time to Make an Offer
When you have viewed some homes and found the right property for you, this is the time to make an offer. At this stage, it is important to make sure you present yourself in the best possible light compared with other potential applicants. Therefore, we would recommend you to send us as much information as possible and ensure this can be supported by the relevant papers and references when asked for.
Holding Deposit
Once we receive the initial information from you and discuss your additional requirements, we will present the offer to the Landlord and ask you for a holding deposit (also known as a reservation fee) which will have to be paid in order to secure a property and take it off the market. A Holding Deposit Document with a full breakdown of the costs involved will be sent to you in advance.
Please note that a holding deposit is not an extra charge but the amount that will be credited to the first months’ rent due under that tenancy. It is also not the same as a tenancy deposit and hence does not need to be protected under one of the government authorised tenancy deposit protection schemes.
Referencing
An independent referencing company will carry out the necessary checks based on the details that you supply. This will include but will not be limited to credit and affordability checks, employment and landlord references. Each prospective tenant will be asked, as a bare minimum, for an ID document, proof of address and proof of income. Each applicant will also need to complete an online application form within 48 hours of receiving a link (there will be a hard copy available as well). Failure to fill in the form and provide the requested papers within this timescale will result in the property being put back on the market.
If you find it difficult to provide satisfactory references or, for example, do not pass a credit check you may be asked for a guarantor who will also need to go through a vetting process. If you have had previous issues that may negatively affect your reference checks it is best to raise this with us from the outset.
The Final Payment
Once referencing is complete we will send you a request to pay the final balance which will need to be received in cleared funds on or before the move in date. You will receive a full breakdown as per the Holding Deposit Document that will consist of one month’s rent in advance and the tenancy deposit (you can view our fees for tenants here). The latter will usually be equal to a maximum of five weeks’ rent and in most cases will be held by Citydeal Estates as stakeholder under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. You will receive an advisory leaflet and the tenancy deposit protection certificate in addition to the ‘How to Rent’ checklist, Energy Performance Certificate, Gas Certificate, and other relevant information before your tenancy starts. The tenancy agreement will be usually signed electronically or in the office.
Move in
As soon as the final payment is received and the tenancy agreement is fully signed the keys can be released. On the move in date a check-in will be arranged and utility providers notified accordingly. We will also send you a welcome email with the rent payment details and other essential information. Please note that monthly rental payments must be paid in full by a single standing order even where a tenancy is a joint responsibility.
If you have any questions regarding the above or would like to leave your details with us, please call our office on 02088960800 or complete the contact form available here. We are more than happy to assist you with your property queries!
