Tenants Guide - During The Tenancy
Tenants Guide - During The Tenancy
Gas leak / Smell of Gas
If at any time you smell gas contact Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
Gas Emergency Services are a national company and will attend the property as soon as possible.
It is important to stay safe if gas is smelt so carry out the following:
Open windows and doors to ventilate the property.
Do not turn anything electrical on or off – including light switches.
Do not use naked flames i.e. matches, candles etc
Turn off the gas supply at the meter and wait for a qualified person to confirm it is safe to reinstate the supply.
Loss of Electric
If at any time you lose all electric and power in the property first of all check with neighbours if they also have a problem as it may be a power cut.
If it appears to be a power cut call 105 and you will be put through to Southern Electric where you will be able to report the fault or get an update.
If it is just your property that is effected then contact our office in the usual way.
General Repairs and Maintenance
We hope that your tenancy runs smoothly, however, if you should experience any problems with either the contents (owned by the landlord) or structure of the property, please contact us immediately during office hours on 01420 473333 and advise us of the problem. Once we have spoken with the landlord we will arrange for an approved contractor to investigate the issue.
In most circumstances where any work required is costly, it will be necessary for us to obtain more than one quotation from contractors. We will require your assistance during this time so that we can gain access for the quotes. If you would prefer to be present when a contractor visits, please let us know and we will do our best to arrange. Please be aware that should an appointment be arranged with a contractor and you are not home, you may be charged their call out fee. If the issue is found to be the fault of you as the tenant, you will be charged the call out and repair fee.
Maintaining the Property
During your tenancy there are certain things that a tenant is responsible to maintain which include normal household maintenance for example: replacing light bulbs, cleaning windows, cutting lawns, maintaining hedges, borders, the removal of pests such as fleas, ants, wasps etc. and any tasks that are considered normal household management.
Ventilation of the property is also a necessity, to alleviate condensation. Any condensation within the property will be the responsibility of the tenants.
Garden Maintenance
If there is a garden with your property, it is part of the tenancy that as tenants you must keep it in good order. You must not uproot established trees or shrubs, and you must not remove lawns already laid at the commencement of your tenancy.
Gas Appliances
It is a legal requirement that your landlord complies with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 and subsequent associated legislation. Your landlord must have ALL gas systems, appliances and flues tested and checked at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. These regulations do not apply to appliances owned by tenants.
You will be provided with a copy of the gas safety certificate by the Gas Safe engineer upon completion of the visit.
Changes to the Property
Your landlord will want you to treat the property as your home but it is imperative to remember, the landlord must give their consent prior to any redecoration or alterations. Failure to comply with this may result in you being charged for the cost of returning the property to its original condition at the end of the tenancy.
Lost Keys
We know how stressful it can be when you lose your keys, so if this happens, please call our office and where possible, we will do our best to assist you. If we hold a set of keys we will have a set cut at your cost.
If it is outside of office hours Graham Crane ( a local locksmith ) if available, can be contacted on 07887 514808
If a lock change is required as a result of lost keys you as tenants will be charged for the cost of the new lock and for all replacement keys. For properties in a block with communal entrance doors, you will also need to arrange a replacement key so that you can access your property and regrettably the communal door key of others in the same block.
Landlords will not accept liability for the loss of keys by a tenant.
Break-ins / Vandalism
We hope that you will never experience a break-in however, in the unfortunate event that this happens during your tenancy please do the following:
Firstly, report the incident to the police and be sure to obtain a crime reference number. It is important that the police are informed and a Crime Reference number obtained otherwise this may prevent you or your landlord from making an insurance claim.
Secondly, contact our office to advise us of what has happened.
Broken Glass and Windows
With anything dangerous like broken glass, please ensure that you report this to our office immediately. It is the responsibility of a tenant, to repair any windows or glazing broken at the property during the tenancy both internally and externally with like for like glass, however we can provide you with details of local contractors known to us to assist you with this.
Rent Reviews and Increases
At the end of your fixed term your Landlord reserves the right to review the rent and an increase may be sought. You will be contacted in advance of the end of the fixed term to advise you of any such increase.
Who May Occupy the Property
Anyone who is a legal tenant (as named on the Tenancy Agreement) has the right to occupy the property. Any guests over the age of 18 who are not on the Tenancy Agreement are not permitted to occupy the property. You may not transfer your tenancy to another person.
If one of the named tenants wishes to leave, regardless of whether they are to be replaced, please contact Kingswood Lettings immediately to enable us to make the necessary arrangements. References must be obtained and approved by the landlord and a new agreement signed before a new tenant can move into the property.
Please note: The incoming tenant must remunerate the outgoing tenant their portion of the deposit and all the parties must agree to the condition of the property at the time of transfer. We are not able to refund any part of the deposit to any individual tenant during the tenancy.
Holidays / Time Away From the Property
If you are going to be away from the property for any period of time you are required to take steps to protect the property. This should include making sure that all windows and doors are secure and locked and that the water is turned off.
