How to Apply for a Property with Easy Home Lets

Completed application forms will be sent to an outside referencing agency that will carry out the necessary reference checks, employment or accountant reference, current landlord reference & credit check. Due to recent 'Right To Rent' laws we must now see original passports or EEA National Identity Cards for all Tenants in addition to ID required for referencing. Along with your application form you need to provide us with photo ID (passport & photo driving license), proof of your current address, i.e recent utility bill or bank statement (dated in the last three months) and your last three month's wage slips. In order to satisfy the criteria for referencing your gross income should be equivalent to 2.5 times the monthly rent and you must be in permanent employment, or have savings equivalent to 3 times the annual rent.

In order to process your application form & undertake references & credit checks, we will require a holding deposit equivalent to 1 weeks rent. If your application is successful and a tenancy is granted then this holding deposit will be deducted from the 1st month's rent. The Deadline for Agreement is 15 days unless a different deadline has been agreed in writing. This means that the tenancy agreement needs to be pre signed by all parties with payment of the remaining 1st month's rent within the 15 day deadline of when your holding deposit was paid. The bond/deposit equivalent to 5 weeks rent MUST be paid across to us at least 3 working days prior to the start of the tenancy agreement. Tenancy agreements must start within 1 calendar month of the holding deposit being paid. Failure to pre sign the tenancy agreement and pay across the remaining 1st month's rent within the 15 day deadline would result in the property going back up for let and you would lose your holding deposit. Keys are to be collected from our office on the tenancy start date. Please note that no keys will be handed over unless we have the cleared funds for the 1st month's rent and bond/deposit and have received all the ID we have requested.

Every applicant to live in the property over the age of 18 must be referenced and be put on the Tenancy Agreement. Unless stated otherwise all tenancy agreements will be for 12 months. Should you require a 6 month tenancy this must be agreed prior to you paying the holding deposit. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that complete and accurate information is provided on the application form regarding income, credit history including any current or satisfied CCJ's and disclose any rent arrears. All ID requested must be given to us within the deadline period. Should the Tenant(s) withdraw, not meet the 15 day deadline, fail referencing due to non-disclosure and/or falsified references the holding fee will not be returned. If you have any concerns over your credit history, please speak to a member of staff.

In certain cases you may be required to provide a guarantor, for example; if you are unable to prove your income, you are between work positions or your credit is a little below average. The purpose of the guarantor is to honour rental obligations, if you are not in a position to. All guarantors will be required to complete the application form and undergo the same referencing process as the tenant. The guarantor must have a good credit score with no adverse history and be in receipt of sufficient income (3 times the annual rent) or have equivalent savings/pensions or a combination. If going off salary the guarantor must be in permanent employment.
The Guarantor is responsible for all rent arrears and damages and all subsequent extensions, renewals, rent increases and amendments of this agreement/tenancy agreement until the tenant either: vacates the property, is re-referenced & passes all reference checks on their own merits or provides another guarantor who is successfully referenced to take over. Guarantors cannot be removed from the tenancy unless one of the above outcomes is FIRST carried out successfully and all legal paperwork signed and in place. Guarantors are not required to sign extensions or renewals of this agreement as their guarantee rolls on. it is the tenants responsibility to keep them informed of any rent increases and amendments to the tenancy agreement.

Guarantors + Tenants MUST be available to come into the office in person to pre sign the tenancy agreement and guarantor lease within the 15 day deadline.

Once your application is successful

Once your application has come back accepted, we will then confirm move in dates with you. The tenancy start date must be within 1 calendar month of the payment of the holding deposit. The tenancy agreement must be pre signed by all parties including any guarantors and the remaining 1st month's rent paid across to us within the 15 day deadline period. An appointment will be given to you for this to attend our office during our working hours. The deposit/bond which is the equivalent to 5 weeks rent can also be paid at this time should you wish to do this, but it MUST be received at least 3 working days prior to the tenancy start date. Keys are to be collected from the office on the tenancy start date.

Your deposit/bond

We are a member of Deposit Protection Service Custodial Scheme (DPS) and if we are managing the property all deposits (equivalent to 5 weeks rent) will be held by the (DPS) which is a government approved custodial scheme. (If we are only doing a tenant find, the bond will be passed onto the Landlords to arrange this themselves).

When vacating a property you must always make sure the property is thoroughly cleaned, including carpets & appliances to a professional standard and gardens must be cut and free from weeds. For managed properties we will conduct a checking out inspection on behalf of the Landlord. You must leave the property in the same condition as it was at the start of your tenancy or deductions will be made from your bond.

You are legally bound for all the rent and payment of utilities until the end of a tenancy. After the final inspection, provided there are no missing items or damage and the property is left clean and tidy, we will contact the DPS to release your bond. The Final month's rent MUST be paid in full, the bond should not be used to pay the final rental payment as the bond is there in case of damage to a property not to pay your last month's rent.

Insurance

The tenant should consider the need to obtain adequate contents insurance to cover their own possessions and the landlord's fixtures and fittings in case of accidental damage caused by you. The Landlord is not providing any insurance cover for the Tenants personal possessions; the Landlord will not be liable for any of the tenant's contents under ANY circumstances.

Shorthold Tenancy Agreement

The Tenancy Agreement is a Legally Binding Contract between the Tenant & the Landlord/Agent. The tenant is responsible for paying all the rent for the full term of the Tenancy on which they have signed.

Where the tenant(s) consist of more than one person they will all have joint and several liability under this agreement (this means that they will each be liable for all sums due under the agreement, not just for a proportionate part). PLEASE NOTE: if you have a joint tenancy agreement, any notice served by any tenant will end the tenancy for all tenants, so please ensure you have a discussion together first.

Should the tenant wish to end the tenancy agreement then 1 Months written notice from the tenancy start date is required providing the fixed term of the lease has come to an end or will come to an end after the given notice term.

Tenants are responsible for the conduct of each/any member of the household or visitor to the property. The tenant will be liable if a visitor causes a nuisance or damage to the property. Tenants are responsible for the conduct of each/any member of the household or visitor to the property. The tenant will be liable if a visitor causes a nuisance or damage to the property.

Permitted Payments

Holding Deposit equivalent to 1 weeks rent.

Rent

Bond/Security Deposit equivalent to 5 weeks rent.

Payments to change the tenancy when requested by the tenant - There will be a fee of £50 payable by the tenant for each amendment to the tenancy agreement. This includes permission for a pet, name changes for adding or removing tenants and any other change requested.

Payments associated with the early termination of the tenancy agreement - Your tenancy agreement is a legal agreement and as such you are legally responsible to pay the full rent for the full term of the tenancy agreement. However, should you be in a position where you wish to end a fixed tenancy within the tenancy period for any reason, this MAY be possible, but only with the agreement of the Landlord. If the landlord agrees, this WOULD result in you being required to pay the landlords fee in finding new tenants and dealing with all the associated paperwork which is currently £475 + VAT. You will also still be responsible for the rent & utilities until the day a new tenant moves into the property to ensure the landlord is not out of pocket for agreeing to this. This fee must be paid in full by the tenant before re-advertising commences.

Payments in respect of all Utilities & Council Tax

A default fee for late payment of rent

A default fee of £50 for lost keys and security devices - This fee could be higher if a lock smith is required to attend the property.

Any damage caused by the tenant or tenants guests through negligence or breech of tenancy must be paid for immediately. Failure to do this will result in the cost of this damage being deducted from the bond at the end of the tenancy.

The landlord is permitted to undertake a rent review and increase the rent accordingly at the end of a fixed period. Should the landlord agree for a pet to be added to the tenancy either at the start of the tenancy or during the tenancy this will result in an increase in the monthly rent and a £50 permitted payment for amending the tenancy agreement.

Easy Home Lets is a member of CMP which is a client money protection scheme. We are also a member of TPO which is a redress scheme. Contact us if you wish to find our further information.

• Salary - Employed - Last 3 months wage slips for monthly salary (or last 6 if paid weekly)

• Salary - Self Employed - Current tax return (SA302/SA100) or Accountants contact details ONLY

Other or Additional Income

• ESA (only)* with DLA & PIP

• Incapacity Benefit* (long term only)

• Carers Allowance*

• Child Tax Credit/Working Tax Credit*

• Universal Credit

• Child Benefit

• Maintenance (regular payments last 6 months)

• Pension/Pension Credits

• Student Grants etc (that don't need to be paid back)

• Commission from Employment (50% taken)

• Overtime from Employment (50% taken)

• Employment Bonuses (50% taken)

• Savings (Full Amount work out on guarantor affordability)

To prove the additional income - Last three month's bank statements
Anything with an * MUST have original benefit letter as evidence (not bank statements)

To prove tax credits/working & child - We MUST have the current award letter from the council.