Guidance notes on taking a residential tenancy

The following notes are a guidance to taking a residential tenancy through David Richardson Residential Lettings. Not every aspect will be covered so do always ask should there be any questions you might wish to raise.

TENANCY APPLICATION: The first step is to fill in an application form, submit to David Richardson Residential Lettings, together with an application fee which based upon the rent level. The scale of fees will be provided but ranges from £176.25 for a monthly rent up to £550 and throughout the monthly rental range until £470.00 for a rental figure over £1500 per month. This fee is to cover the taking up of references and a contribution towards the cost of the preparation of the tenancy agreement and inventory/schedule of condition.

This is a single fee for the tenancy irrespective of how many tenants may be making an application. In addition there is a fee of £23.50 including vat, per applicant, for the taking up of credit references. In the event of a bank reference being taken up the bank may make a charge to you in the order of £10 to £12.

An application may be cancelled within 48 hours without penalty. Thereafter costs incurred will be deducted, likely to be in the order of £88.13 including vat maximum.

REFERENCES: Upon receipt of the application form, references will be taken up including a credit search, based upon the information given. The credit information will remain confidential to David Richardson and will not be relayed to any other party, although we will make a recommendation to the proposed landlord, based upon the result. Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 you may within 28 days of completing and returning form write to David Richardson requesting the name and address of the credit reference agency from which we have obtained the reference on you. You must then contact the agency directly, not David Richardson, should you require further details of the reference supplied. No information will be given over the telephone and no further correspondence can be entered into.

COSTS: Once the references have been obtained and approved by the landlord, an appointment will be made to sign the agreement. At this appointment it is essential that all parties to the agreement attend. At this appointment, which can be on the day of the commencement of the tenancy, the first months rent and tenancy deposit will be required.

Payment of the first months rent and deposit is required to be by a Bankers Draft or a Building Society cheque. No other form of payment will be accepted, including cash. Without the correct method of payment the tenancy cannot commence. Future monthly rental payments are required to be by Bank standing order only, from a single account.

TENANCY DEPOSITS: Tenants deposits will be protected by The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS). The Terms and Conditions of the DPS. can be found at www.depositprotection.com

JOINT TENANCIES: Where there may be two or more applicants taking a tenancy it must be noted that they enter a tenancy jointly and severally responsible to each other for all obligations under the tenancy.

All our tenancies are assured shorthold tenancies and under the provisions of the Housing Acts can only be granted for occupation as a main residence.

They cannot be granted for weekend or holiday homes.

All prospective tenants must be in full time employment or be able to prove an income level to sustain the monthly rent.

We do not offer student accommodation