Tenant FAQ's

You will need a few supporting documents with your application i.e. proof of ID and proof of address.  You may also be asked for bank statements and payslips.  We will provide you with a list of what is permitted for proof of ID and proof of address.

If you have arrived in the UK and want to rent a property with us, you will need the following:

• A Share Code so that we can check you have the Right To Rent in the UK.  We will use the Home Office website to determine this status
• Proof of ID such as passport
• Proof of address in your country of origin

Proof of Income

• If you have a contract of employment in the UK our referencing company will need to see this or an employment reference.  If there is no fixed start date then the likelihood is that you will need a UK-based guarantor
• If you have arrived in the UK without any job then you will need proof of savings, dated within the last 30 days.  The most recent balance will be taken and it must be 30 times the monthly rent.  If the account is not denominated in £ sterling then it will be converted at the prevailing exchange rate

Take your gross annual income divide by 12, divide by 2.5

For more information on affordability go to  our section here

Affordability – Northwich (belvoir.co.uk)

We aim to deal with the return of your deposit in a timely manner.  Although there is no legal guideline as to timeframe we see this as a priority as the property needs to be prepared swiftly for the next tenancy or if the owner intends to return to or sell the property.  As a rule of thumb, we complete the majority of deposit returns within 30 working days from the date of vacating.

It very much depends on how the property is left and how much work is needed to meet checkout standards.  You will need to refer to your inventory as to the standard expected.  There is an allowance for fair wear and tear but the property will need to be as clean as possible and the garden satisfactory if applicable. For more information to guide you on what is fair wear and tear please take a look at our blog (link below)

We tend to find that most claims against a deposit are for lack of cleanliness so we must stress the importance of this when preparing a property for handover.

In summary, the less things that we need to put right the quicker the return of your deposit will be.  It is vital that you consult your inventory prior to preparing your property for handover as this is what we will be comparing to when we conduct the checkout inspection.

During your fixed period of either 6 or 12 months you will need to give us at least 1 months’ notice in writing before the end of this fixed period. After this fixed period the tenancy becomes what’s called a monthly contractual periodic tenancy.

For example let’s say you signed a 12 month tenancy agreement from 15^th March to 14^th March the following year.  If you wanted to vacate the property on 14^th March at the end of your fixed period you would need to provide us with 1 month’s written notice on or before 15^th February.  If you hand notice in between 16^th February and 14^th March the notice would run to 15^th March and 13^th April respectively.

After the end of the fixed period the rules change significantly so this is important to note. In this example from 16^th March the tenancy becomes a monthly contractual periodic tenancy.  The difference here is that it is 1 calendar month’s notice you need to provide.  So if you handed notice in on 15^th March onwards you would be obliged to pay rent until 14^th May as the notice period would run from 15^th April until 14^th May, which as you will appreciate is effectively 2 months’ notice which is why it’s really important to be aware of your tenancy dates!

This depends on the management package your landlord is subscribed to. You will made aware of this at the start of your tenancy with us and we will direct you to who you need to contact in which circumstances. For example on our fully managed package we will liaise with you for all your property issues in the first instance unless agreed otherwise.

Your landlord is ultimately responsible for the décor however they are not obliged to do this. Here at Belvoir we can only offer advice and guidance to the landlord about keeping the property to a high standard. If you wish to decorate yourself, this is often acceptable however you would need to seek written  permission from ourselves or the landlord, depending who manages the property.  (See question 3)

We do actually have quite a few cases of pest whether it be wasps & bees or squirrels in the roof. If not dealt with promptly they can cause a lot of damage so you need to get on top of the issue. Take a look at our Blog PESTS IN PROPERTIES – which advises you on the best cause of action…………….

Pests In Properties- Who Is Responsible – Tenant or Landlord? – Northwich (belvoir.co.uk)

If in doubt give us a call as we are here to help.

Check out our Renting Guide  at Renting Guide – Which bills are tenants responsible for? (belvoir.co.uk)

Yes you are entitled to change to a provider of your choice. If you are a tenant of ours and would like any advice and support to do so please give us a call at the office and we would be happy to help 01606 783599.

Yes by law you are completely entitled to change your meters to smart meters. We advice this as a good way to monitor and make energy savings.

Having a smart meter should mean you are aware of how much energy you’re using so you can try to be more efficient. It also means no more estimated bills so you bills will be more accurate.

We just ask that you inform us as the letting agent or if you landlord is managing their own property that you let them know.

-They may well already be there but if not as a tenant you can order them from the council yourself for free

Order new or replacement bin | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Note- there is a charge for Green Waste

Not normally, as many properties will have various appliances so this would not be possible for us to do. However, we will do our best to support all our tenants and ask that Landlords ensure they provide documents and manual for appliances at the property to assist with use.

If you have any further questions do not hesitate to give us a call as we are happy to help 📞 01606 783599👍

As stated in your tenancy agreement …. The Tenant agrees to test all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on a weekly basis, to clean the alarms on a three monthly basis using the soft brush of a vacuum cleaner. The Tenant agrees to notify the Landlord’s Agent as soon as reasonably practicable of any issues (including replacement batteries but the Tenant can replace them should they choose to do so).

– Tenancy Agreement

– How to rent guide

– Deposit protection scheme terms & conditions

– Inventory

– Electric certificate

– Gas certificates (if property has gas)

– Legionnaires guidelines

– EPC