NOTES FOR TENANTS

SUBJECT TO CONTRACT & REFERENCES

1. These notes are being provided to set out clearly the process involved in renting a property through Davis Tate and to explain the charges that you will be asked to pay. Davis Tate has 11 office locations in Oxfordshire and Berkshire with nearly 800 properties under management. Each office has a dedicated Lettings Sales Manager who will be available to assist you with any queries that you may have.
   

Davis Tate is proud to be a part of ARLA (The Association of Residential Letting Agents) who promote high standards of practice within the residential letting industry.
            Why Choose an ARLA Agent?
ARLA members are required to work within a robust code of practice. Any money lodged with Davis Tate is held in a protected client account bonded by ARLA. As ARLA member agents we are also required to hold professional indemnity insurance and be members of The Property Ombudsmen Scheme.
             For further information about ARLA contact www.arla.co.uk
     
2.   In order to reserve a property, you will need to ensure that you have provisionally agreed the following information:

• Tenancy Start Date
  
• Tenancy Term
  
• Agreed Rent
  
• Full names and ages of occupants
  
• Number and types of pets, if any.
  
• Will there be any smokers in the property
  
• Any special tenancy clauses
  
• Any pre-tenancy action
  

(See Property Reservation Form)
3.   Once the terms of the tenancy have been provisionally agreed with your landlord you will be asked to pay reservation monies of £500 and complete the attached property reservation form.  (Reservation monies may be more for larger properties)
     
      You will be asked to provide photo identification and proof of current address for any applicant over the 18.
4.   Each applicant will receive within 24 hours of completing the Reservation form an e-mail from our referencing company Property Risks. It is important that you ensure that you check your e-mail spam filter and let us know if you do not receive the completed form within 48 hours.
5.   Property Risks will require the following information and it will speed up the process, if           you have this information ready and ensure that your referees contact details are accurate and up to date:
·         Residential addresses for the last 3 years
·         Previous landlord or agents contact details
·         National Insurance number
·         Employers contact details
·         Payroll number
·         Salary details 
·         Other sources of income
·         Bank details
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU MAY HAVE ANY ADVERSE CREDIT HISTORY, CCJ’S OR VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENTS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU INFORM US PRIOR TO REFERENCING BEING UNDERTAKEN.
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RISK LOSING YOUR RESERVATION MONIES
6.        Once we receive completed satisfactory reference reports we will draft a formal Tenancy Agreement, send you the Energy Performance Certificate and your first account invoice. This invoice will include the following charges: 
 

• Security Deposit, equivalent to one and a half month’s rent (2 months in some cases) which will be protected under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.(TDS)
  
• Administration fee, for referencing and setting up the tenancy £235  (plus £57.50 for each extra person referenced in addition to the first couple)
  
• Inventory Check-in fee of between £80 and £150 depending on the size and furnishings of the property.
  
• See Fees for tenants
  
• First month’s rent, less the £500 reservation monies. Rent is always payable in advance.
  

1. Method of Payments,
   

OUR PREFERRED PAYMENT METHOD IS

• Faster Payments  - which allows bank to bank payments normally within a couple of hours. Check whether your bank offers this service and also whether a maximum limit applies. You can use FASTER PAYMENTS with online banking.
  
• Make your payment to
  

      Davis Tate Ltd - HSBC Goring – Sort Code 402214 – Account No. 11219979
      Add an appropriate reference eg Your Name or Property Address to the payment.
Other payment methods are

• Personal Cheque – We require 10 working days for this to clear, so if you are moving with less than 10 days notice we will not be able to accept this method of payment.
  
• Paypal – Please contact your Lettings Sales Manager for details (Please note a 3% fee will be added for all card payments).
  
• Bankers Draft – A bankers draft will only be accepted by prior agreement.
  

1. Insurance
   

In order to protect your deposit it is a requirement that you have insurance to cover your own belongings and accidental damage to the property & landlords contents.
We recommend Property Risks who provide specialist Tenants Insurance from just £8.92 a month.
      Please contact your Lettings Sales Manager to provide you with a specific quote.
Please note we will require proof of adequate insurance before keys can be released
     
9.   Inventory Check In
We will advise you of a check in time when you will meet the inventory clerk at the property who will run through the Inventory and Schedule of Condition with you, take meter readings and hand over keys. If there are any issues with the property, you should raise these with the inventory clerk during this appointment. 
10.   Approximately 3 months before the end of your tenancy we will contact you to find out your                     future plans.
See the current ‘Fees to Tenants’ for inventory scale charges and other fees & charges.
Any fees outstanding at the end of your tenancy will be deducted from your deposit.