For Tenants

We will give you a Tenant Application Form to complete. This will be sent to you via email, but you can request a paper copy. Please note that the application for the property cannot be processed unless the Application Form has been completed in full. It is essential that all information given on the form is accurate.  Any knowingly false claims will result in the application being rejected.

Any personal information you supply to us will be treated confidentially and held in compliance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). On signing the Application Form you authorise us to share this information with the landlord in order that we can gain approval for the tenancy.

A holding deposit is a lump sum provided by the renter to the landlord to ensure that any damages can be corrected at the end of the tenancy. Landlords and letting agents are required to register your deposit with an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme. The deposit is then either held by the landlord, letting agent or the deposit scheme itself.

An initial payment of one week’s rent is required as soon as the landlord has accepted your offer. The remainder of the five the weeks’ deposit, plus the first months’ rent, is payable when you move in.

If you change your mind regarding renting a property or if the information you have supplied is false, then the initial part of the first month’s rent may be forfeited, especially if the landlord has suffered costs due removing the property from the market. 

Once you have paid your initial payment, and the landlord of your chosen property has approved your application, we will cease all viewings. The choice of tenant for the property is ultimately that of the landlord. If two parties are competing for a property, it is the landlord’s prerogative to decide which one he or she favours and may not be determined by who viewed the property first. We are not able to discuss other offers made on a property.

Referencing is where tenants applying to rent need to give information about their employer, income, previous address and a few bank details. All of this information will be checked to make sure they can commit to monthly rental payments.

Referencing allows us to verify your credentials when speaking to the Landlord. By checking your references like employment status, income and credit history, we can ensure that you can afford monthly rental payments. Additionally, references from previous landlords can help confirm you will care for the property.

It’s not uncommon for a tenant to be rejected following references being received. Some examples include students without regular income or someone leaving their family home for the first time with no renting history. There are still some options for tenants who have not been approved, like paying the rent for the full term upfront or seeking renting with a guarantor.

If a tenant isn’t approved by the referencing process, they can ask a guarantor to help them. A guarantor for rent (normally a parent or guardian), will agree to take responsibility for the rent of the property if the tenant fails to. Renting for a guarantor means that the guarantor is responsible for paying any rent arrears and for any damage that isn’t covered by the deposit. A guarantor must go through the same referencing process as a tenant.

A tenancy agreement is a contract signed by both the landlord and tenant, outlining all the rules that both parties must comply with.

An electronic copy of the Tenancy Agreement will be sent to you once you have completed and passed the referencing checks, usually around five to seven working days of us receiving your application form(s) and holding deposit. You will need to read and sign this agreement online. Once you and your landlord have both signed, a signed copy will be sent to you.

Your rent should be paid each month by standing order and this is a condition of your Tenancy Agreement. We will give you the required bank details to set up your standing order as this could be payable to us or your landlord. It is your responsibility to make sure that your rent reaches our account on the designated date each month.

On the day it has been arranged that you will move into your rental property, we will in most cases have arranged one of our check In clerks or the landlord to meet you at the property. You will be provided with keys  and relevant information relating to the property. On the day, or just before an email will also be sent to you with the safety documents for the property. It is not possible to release keys prior to the first day of the tenancy.

Your deposit will be held in accordance with the regulations of the three government-approved deposit schemes – DPS (Deposit Protection Service), My Deposits or the TDS (The Tenancy Deposit Scheme). If Aspire To Move are managing your property then your deposit will be held as stakeholder with the DPS Custodial Scheme. At the end of your tenancy, the deposit can be released as soon as agreement is reached, in line with government regulations. For more information, please refer to your Tenancy Agreement or go to https://www.depositprotection.com/agents-landlords/repayments/the-repayment-process  

Unless otherwise agreed, we undertake to take all meter readings at the beginning and end of the tenancy. However, you, as the account holder, are responsible for notifying the Utilities and Council Tax of change of occupier. Unless stated in your Tenancy Agreement, you will be responsible for paying these accounts. You must also make all arrangements for telephone and television services yourself.

Tenants should consider their need for insurance. Tenants are responsible for insuring their own possessions from the very beginning of their tenancy and it would be advisable to take out an appropriate contents insurance to also cover accidental damage to the landlords.

The amount of notice you give depends on the tenancy agreement and the type of tenancy you have. For a fixed-term tenancy, you must pay rent for the tenancy period unless you agree with your landlord to end it early. After that, you can give 1 months’ notice at any time for a periodic tenancy on your rent anniversary.

As a tenant you have responsibilities regarding repairs and conditions in your home. You must use your home in a ‘tenant like manner’. This means keeping your home reasonably clean, ensuring the safety on electrical appliances you own, keeping gardens or outside areas in a reasonable state, making sure your home is well ventilated to help avoid condensation and minor maintenance such as changing light bulbs or smoke alarm batteries.