Tenants Information

Prospective Tenants – Why Choose Us

At Let Lucas, we believe it is better to do a few things really well, rather than several  adequately. If you’d like to live in a quality property, dealing efficiently with rental professionals who really want to help you find your ideal home, please get in touch, whether you’re thinking of renting a property for the first time, experienced in renting, a local company seeking accommodation for employees or a relocation agent.

10 good reasons why you should choose us:

1.      Great service from one consistent point of contact

2.  Being members of ARLA, the industry body which sets the highest standards in residential lettings, we operate to the highest professional standards.

3.  We won’t waste your time.  We’ll give you an honest opinion recommending properties we believe are right for you and tell you when they’re not. 

4.  We promise our properties will be clean and tidy when you move in. The vast majority of our properties are finished to a high standard.

5.  Prominent online advertising with internal and external photos saving you time. 

6.  We accompany all viewings so that any questions or queries you may have can be answered.

7.  Locally owned yet we work with trusted associates with a great reputation to offer you more choice and better service.

8.  We know and use trusted local trades people thereby helping to keep repair times down and local employment buoyant.

9.  A professional inventory and detailed schedule of condition at the start of your tenancy.  Home Rental Specialists use finely tuned systems to ensure the checkout process runs smoothly.

10. Let Lucas Rental Specialists are members of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, approved by the Government and one of the three governing bodies able to hold tenant deposits.

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What our customers say about us…

…”Pleased with the help you offered to us from the very beginning, including what to expect when moving to the UK. “

…”Your service is very good.”

…”Our tenant was very impressed by the professionalism and attention to detail, and so were we.”

…”Really helpful and goes out of her way to help customers”.

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Application Process

Registering

Please feel free to contact us at any time, by telephone, email or call into our offices, and we will be more than happy to discuss what properties we have which would be best suited to your needs. We do not want to waste your time showing you property that really is not what you are looking for. So contact us now and if we haven’t got what you want immediately, we can add you to our mailing list so that as soon as we have we will call you.  It’s likely we’re already talking to landlords about your ideal property.

Offer/Application

• Having decided on this property, you will need to complete appropriate written application forms. At this time, any details or requirements can be provisionally agreed, such as occupancy date, duration of letting, etc.

• On submission of your application, the Admin/reference fee and holding deposit will be required (cleared funds).  We have a ‘Personal Check List’ to help you through the letting process.

Identification & Proof of Address:

To enable the references to be completed quickly and your tenancy to be confirmed, we require sight of the following original documents:

• Proof of identity e.g., full passport, or full driving licence, etc.

• Proof of income e.g., last 3 months pay slips, or last 3 months bank statements showing receipt of income, or P60 end of tax year certificate, etc.

• Proof of current address e.g., paid utility bill, or paid credit card bill, etc.

Please note that copies of these will be taken and held on file.

 References:

•  We will take references on behalf of the landlord.  Normally, these include your employer, any former landlord and a credit check. Our Credit Reference Agency will give us a report as speedily as possible.  To assist them in obtaining references quickly, please advise your employers and other referees to respond promptly.  To avoid delays and unnecessary costs, please let us know when you complete the application form if you have experienced any current or previous credit history problems. 

• Where an applicant is unable to meet the required income or credit checks or has no traceable credit or residency history in the UK, the tenant may be required to provide a suitable Guarantor or to pay rent in advance for the period of the tenancy (additional administration fees may apply).

• Where a property is to be three or more unrelated persons an additional security deposit may be required.

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Fees & Timescales

On application an admin & reference fee is payable, with a reduced fee for each additional applicant. A £200 holding deposit is also payable.

On signing the tenancy agreement, the first months rent and the remainder of the deposit is payable.

We accept credit cards however there is a 3% + VAT handling charge.  There are no handling charges for debit cards, direct bank transfers or cash.

On receipt of your application with fees, and provided your application is successful, we can usually give approval within 3 to 4 working days.  We will then contact you and agree a mutually convenient date and time to sign the tenancy agreement, pay the remaining monies, etc.

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Companies:

• If the applicant is a company then the Company Application Forms need to be completed.

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Tenancy Agreements:

Tenancy agreements are a legally binding document between you and the landlord, applicable only to you and the property you are renting, that states the amount of rent, the length of the tenancy, your rights and responsibilities. Your agreement will most probably be an Assured Short-hold tenancy under the Housing Act as amended in 1996. For bona fide companies and/ or rental values over £25,000 a year, the agreement will be drawn up under contract law.

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Pets

Where the landlord’s consent is given to keeping a pet or pets an additional security deposit may be required.

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Insurance

It is a condition of all Home Rental Specialist’s Tenancy Agreements that Tenants must insure their own contents in the property, together with Accidental Damage cover (against damage to any of the Landlords fixtures and fittings) to a minimum of £2500. This will help to protect your security deposit. We will be pleased to provide details of suitable insurance, which meet all the requirements in the Tenancy Agreement.  If you choose to insure your contents and obligations with another insurer a Certificate of Indemnity will be required.

For more information please ask for a separate sheet “Tenants Contents Insurance – Explained”.

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Safety Regulations

An inventory and all appropriate legal requirements will be completed before you take occupation of the property, such as Landlords Gas Safety Certificate, Portable Electrical Appliance Testing, etc.

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Smoking

Under the terms of our tenancy agreement, smoking is not permitted in any of our properties.

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Utility Services, Council Tax, Telephone, TV Licences, Gardening

• Gas, electricity and water supplied should already be turned on before you move into the property and the meters will have been read.  It is your responsibility to make applications for the continuation for the supply of these services, including the water, whether metered or not.

• You will be responsible for the payment of council tax on the property during the period of your tenancy and you will need to make application to the appropriate Local Authority for any discounts to which you may be entitled.

•  Telephone companies will not allow us to make an application for a telephone on your behalf.  Please apply to them direct for the line to be put into your name.  Do not have the number changed or the service disconnected.

•  You will need a TV licence for your new home.

•  You will be responsible for the upkeep of the garden.

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Tenant’s checklist of things to do for a successful application 

• I need to return application forms and fees to Let Lucas.     

• Let Lucas will notify me of tenancy approval. Confirm date of anticipated moving-in day.  Make sure the initial payment is with Home Rental Specialists at least 5 working days before Tenancy starts.

• Make sure I have the full bank details to complete the standing order form.                    

• Arrange contents/accidental damage insurance through Home Rental Specialists.

• Arrange for the gas and electricity supplies to be put in my name from the moving-in day (find tel. numbers in ‘phone book under Gas & Electricity.)

• Arrange with Telephone Company for the phone to be put in my name from moving-in day.  

• Notify Post Office of my new address and complete their mail forwarding form.

• Notify Local Authority Council Tax Office of moving-in date and obtain the benefits of any discounts which may be available.  

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What happens at the end of the tenancy if I want to stay on?  Or leave early? 

Tenancies are frequently renewed and agents often agree the terms for the renewal at the beginning and include them in the tenancy agreement. If you're likely to leave before the end of the original term agreed, you must negotiate break clauses to be written into the agreement. If not, you will remain responsible for the rent until the end of the term agreed, unless a new and satisfactory tenant can be found usually at your expense.

What must I do at the end of the tenancy?

Ensure you fulfil your obligations stated in the tenancy agreement to leave the property in the condition it was in at the start, or deductions will be made from your deposit. 

These will include thorough cleaning (and may include professional carpet cleaning, professional oven cleaning or professional ‘spring’ cleaning) and cleaning all linen, used or not, freshly laundered. If you've moved furniture, return it to where you found it at the time of the inventory.

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When & how is my deposit returned?

After an inventory check and condition inspection, provided there are no missing items or damage, the landlord & yourself will sign a form to release your deposit.  Once the landlord & tenant agree how the deposit should be returned, in full or in part, it will be paid back within approximately 2 weeks.  In the case of a dispute, within 2 weeks of being notified of the ADR’s (Alternative Dispute Resolution) or Courts decision. You cannot set your deposit against any rent payment due. Once the landlord and tenant agree how the deposit should be returned, in full or in part, it must be paid back within 10 days of the scheme being notified, or in the case of a dispute (see below), within 10 days of the scheme being notified of the ADR service's or court's decision.

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Opening hours and viewings

Our offices are open six days a week:

Monday – Friday 9.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.

Saturday 9.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

We offer accompanied viewings as standard and by appointment we can arrange viewings outside office hours. Messages are monitored 7 days a week.

Next step… if you wish to register your property with us, or have any further questions, please telephone or email us at:

Tel:  Banbury 01295 234717

Tel:  Southam 01926 250007

Email:  banbury@rentalspecialists.co.uk

Or      southam@rentalspecialists.co.uk

Note: We are sorry but we do not currently have any landlords who rent properties to DSS claimants.

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© Let LucasTM Rental Specialists 2008