Viewing

Our offices are open 6 days a week from 9.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 2.00pm on Saturday. Please contact us (by email or telephone only currently) so that we can arrange a mutually convenient time for your appointment to view your selected properties. We like to speak to you in person if we can so call us on 020 8998 3333 but if that's not possible, just let us know by email the best days and times for you and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.

Please keep in mind that a range of rigorous checks on all prospective tenants will be carried out (including Right to Rent checks required by The Home Office) and most landlords will require five weeks' rent as a deposit and one month’s rent paid in advance. Should you be uncertain as to your suitability or have specific requirements, please contact us.

Tenant’s Guide

Although Letting Agents have different procedures, this guide is intended as a general overview to assist you when renting a property. We have set out below a few significant pointers to assist you.

Your Offer

Once you have found your ideal property, your offer will be submitted by us to the landlord for their consideration. This is done both verbally and in writing. We will give you a booklet which sets out the relevant information which you need to know in respect of your rental of a property, including the legal issues of which you should be aware, and which you need to complete with your personal details and reference information. You will, at this stage, have to provide your passports and any visas (for each proposed occupier) and in order to secure the property, we will ask you to provide a HOLDING DEPOSIT of one week's rent. Our preferred method of payment is direct bank transfer.

The holding deposit will be refunded where you enter into a tenancy agreement or where you fail to enter into an agreement within 15 days (or other period as agreed) except where false or misleading information is provided which affects the landlord's decision to let, a Right to Rent check is failed, you withdraw from the let or fail to take all necessary steps to enter into an agreement.

Agreeing the Let

As soon as your offer has been accepted by the landlord, we begin the referencing process and write to each of your referees (bank, employer, landlord and character). The bank reference usually takes the longest and your bank may charge you for this so we would, instead, be happy to review your last six months' bank statements. 

 You will also be expected to provide:

•  PROOF OF ADDRESS

 Only the following forms of identification are accepted:

• Utility bill (less than 3 months old)
• Full driving licence
• Council tax bill (less than 3 months old)
• Mobile phone bill (less than 3 months old)

Any guarantor will be expected to complete an application form and provide proof of identity and address.

Sign Up

An appointment will be arranged with you to visit our offices (with appropriate social distancing and safety measures) to sign the Tenancy Agreement once all references have been received and approval obtained from the landlord to proceed with the let.

Payment of Rent and Deposit

You will be required to pay the first month's rent and the dilapidations deposit (less the holding deposit already paid) before signing the tenancy agreement and taking possession of the property. Our preferred method of payment is direct bank transfer and we do not accept payment by cheque or in cash.

The deposit of five weeks' rent is required to be retained for the full term of the tenancy against loss, damage or charges payable at the termination of the tenancy. It is returnable in full at the end of the tenancy subject to final inspection of the property and agreement in respect of dilapidations and/or any breaches of the tenancy

During the tenancy, rent is to be paid monthly in advance commencing on the first day of the tenancy and then on the same day each month thereafter. The method of payment is by bank standing order (NOT direct debit).

Company Let

Applications for rental by companies are acceptable where the company will be paying the rent. The administration fee will be £240 inc VAT.

Inventory and Check in

If we have been instructed by the Landlord, an Inventory, including a report on condition, will be prepared of your new home and a convenient appointment will be made with the Inventory Clerk to carry out a Check In on the day you take up occupation (and whether you can attend at the same time will depend upon the Inventory Clerk's procedures). The Landlord will be responsible for payment of these costs.

All information is provided in good faith. It does not replace the advice of a qualified legal advisor instructed by you. We will accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies.

Other Points to Note:

1. The Tenant will be responsible for insuring their own possessions (including any furniture they bring to the property).
2. The Tenant will take over all utilities such as Gas, Electricity, Water/Sewerage charges, Council Tax and Telephone upon moving into the property and should check with the Letting Agent who will be responsible for contacting the relevant suppliers  prior to commencement of the tenancy and on its termination. At John Martin Estates, we usually deal with registering you at commencement of the tenancy but you are responsible for providing final meter readings noted at check out and paying your final bill to close each account.
3. The Landlord is responsible for any repair/maintenance problems but the Tenant is responsible for any breakages; all issues of disrepair or damage should be reported immediately.
4. Decoration of the property or any other alteration (including picture hanging) must only be done with Landlord’s consent
5. No pets are allowed unless the Landlord has given prior written consent
6. Reasonable notice should be given in the event that the Letting Agent or Landlord wishes to inspect the property outside pre-agreed times. It is usual for the Agent to inspect the property at least twice during the term of your Tenancy.
7. Most lets are for 12 months, although some Landlords may consider shorter terms of, say, 6 months, or longer terms.
8. Should you wish to end your Tenancy earlier than the agreed term, you will be liable for all rent and other outgoings until the end of the agreed Tenancy unless alternative arrangements are agreed.
9. There is no set law regarding the time limit for returning deposits but this is normally subsequent to the final inspection of the property. Letting agents generally encourage Landlords to employ a professional inventory agent to conduct the inspection and produce a report as to the condition of the interior at the beginning of the Tenancy and again at the end but this is not obligatory. In most cases, the deposit will be returned once any damages are ascertained by the Tenant/Landlord/Inventory Clerk and appropriate deductions agreed.
10. The most common type of tenancy is the Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) and usually takes the form of a standard contract between the Landlord and Tenant.
11. The Letting Agents will deal with the property viewings, references, agreements and moving you in. If the agent has been instructed to manage the property then you will normally report any repairs or queries to them. If not, then you will deal directly with the Landlord.
12. The Letting Agent, whilst acting for the Landlord, operates within accepted guidelines in the industry to ensure that you are able to rely on a professional letting agent taking your concerns seriously and advising the Landlord if they are being unreasonable. In this regard, you should be assured that the property conforms to all safety regulations and is fairly priced.
13. You require a professional service and John Martin Estates is a member firm of ARLA Propertymark (Association of Residential Letting Agents), NAEA Propertymark (National Association of Estate Agents) and The Property Ombudsman redress scheme and subscribes to the latter's codes of conduct. This ensures that professional standards are met.
14. John Martin Estates is also a member of the Propertymark Client Money Protection Scheme.