Why rent a house from Belvoir?
We pride ourselves on the customer service levels which we provide to our tenants. We are professional and we hold Client Money Protection Insurance through the Propertymark Scheme (Propertymark) which means your rent is in safe hands.
From the moment we first show you around a property, through managing your tenancy, to moving you out at the end of your contract we will continue to deliver the highest standard of customer service.
We have qualified, fully insured contractors on our books who respond to maintenance requests quickly and effectively.
When moving into a property you will be given a full colour photographic inventory of the property, documenting the exact cleanliness and condition of the property. You will be given 7 days to check the inventory off. This will protect both yourself and the landlord to ensure the property is maintained the way in which it was found.
Where we manage the property for the landlord, you pay your rent directly to us and we transfer it on. This ensures there is a clear record of all transactions and you may request a receipt for rents paid at any point you wish.
We register your deposit with the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), where it is held until your final move out inspection, following which, providing there is no damage, missing items, cleaning or rent arrears we will arrange for it to be released in full. The amount of a deposit will vary for each property but is often the amount of 5 weeks rent.
To rent a property from Belvoir Newcastle-under-Lyme you will need to pass a professional reference check. This will usually include a full credit check, previous landlord reference, employment reference and affordability test. Additional checks may also be carried out and vary dependent upon each individuals circumstances.
In order to apply for a property each adult over the age of 18 will be required to complete an application form. You will need to pay 1 weeks rent as a holding deposit, this will secure the property for you for 14 days whilst your application is being processed.
Within 14 days you will be notified as to whether you have been successful or unsuccessful with your reference and credit checks. If you are unsuccessful for reasons such as us finding you have CCJ’s or a bad landlord reference, or other reasons explained in the application form, or if your references are not received back within 14 days you may lose your holding deposit. In certain circumstances we will discuss with you an extension of the 14 day period. More information is contained within our application form.
Once you have been referenced and have been successful, a move in date will be agreed with you. On or just before your move in date you will be required to pay your 1st months rent in + a deposit which will vary depending upon the rental value of the property but will usually be 5 weeks rent. The 1 weeks holding deposit which you have already paid on application will be deducted from the total amount which is now due for payment. This will be discussed with you prior to your application and is explained on the application form.
Depending upon your individual circumstances, age, employment status you may require a guarantor. If a guarantor is required, your guarantor will be required to complete an application form and he/she will also be credit checked and referenced. Again, if your guarantor should have any CCJ’s or fail the referencing for any other reason your application will be unsuccessful and you may not receive your 1 weeks holding deposit back.
There are certain circumstances where we could not rent to you even if you had a guarantor. Full details of the application process can be read on our application form which is free to request a copy of.
If you are applying for student accommodation you will require a guarantor.
Belvoir highly recommend that all tenants should take out Tenant Liability insurance prior to moving in, we can provide you with a quote for this if required. This insurance will help to protect your deposit and will cover the cost of certain accidents around the home. For full details you should consult the policy schedule when obtaining a quote.
A change of tenant during a tenancy will involve a new contract being required, this will in turn mean re-referencing all tenants and guarantors again incase there have been any changes in circumstances.
After your initial fixed term (usually 6 months) your contract becomes a rolling contract. There is no requirement to sign a new contract, you can simply let it roll on month by month, however if you would like the security of a new fixed term contract then we would again need to re-reference you. This will not apply to student accommodation as contracts will need to be signed for 11 months each time.
If you wish to break your contract early, only if the landlord permits us to find a replacement tenant, once a replacement is found and passed referencing then you may be permitted to break the contract, a fee will be payable if this is all agreed, the fee will reflect that which the landlord would normally pay for our services and will vary depending upon their chosen service
Other contractual fees may be incurred during the tenancy which could vary but are all listed in your tenancy agreement which is free to take a look at prior to making any applications. Examples are: interest charges for late rent payments, charges for lost keys or replacing locks,
All fees are inclusive of VAT.
