Looking for a property can not only be stressful, it can also be time consuming and costly. We at Griffin Stevens have tried to ensure our tenants do not pay premiums just to get the right home. We want our charges to be straightforward and fair and they are lower than most of our competitors.
We want to help make this a pleasurable and stress free experience. Here are a few things that could help speed up the process up:
Think about your basic requirements. This will help you narrow down exactly what you are looking for in a property and help us find it. Consider: budget, the style, size, location, local amenities, schools and transport links.
Ensure you also take into account that most rental properties are exclusive of all utilities and council tax unless otherwise stated, it is helpful to factor these costs into your budget.
Placing an offer once you have found – You may be asked to pay a preliminary deposit which shows your intent and moves you to the next stage. We ask for one weeks rental which will be taken into account and deducted from the total you will need pay before you move in.
If you were to not able to proceed with the offer of the tenancy (if your references were unsatisfactory for example) most companies would not refund your deposit, however, if this was the case, we would only retain the administration charge and reference costs.
Be prepared to have references carried out on all tenants or guarantors over the age of 18. It would be a great idea to make your referees aware that they will be contacted. This will help move this process forward quickly.
References may include credit checks, previous landlord reference, employment reference, accountants reference and bank references. Griffin Stevens has a third party external company that carry these out.
You will be required to provide various forms of identification for money laundering and proof of residency. One proof with photo identification ( passport, driving license etc.) and two utility letters dated within the last 3 months.
A copy of your UK Work Permit and/or UK VISA will be required if you are a non EU National. If you are unsure what other documents you need to provide, please just call us and ask.
This is a legally binding agreement between tenant and landlord. The most common tenancy agreement is an AST (assured shorthold tenancy). All types of agreement used for renting a property set out the rights and responsibilities the landlord and tenants have to each other and to the property.
Also note that all persons over the age of 18 must be named on the tenancy agreement.
You will be asked to pay a deposit, usually 5 weeks rent (if you have an animal, landlords normally request 8 weeks) to be held by the letting agent or landlord (if registered with a deposit scheme) which is held as a security in case a tenant does not comply with their obligations.
Griffin Stevens would normally hold the deposit as stakeholders and are members of the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) is run by The Dispute Service Ltd. It is an insurance backed tenancy deposit protection scheme approved by the Government. Please ask for more information on this if required.
An inventory is a legally binding document that records the condition and contents of the property at the start and end of the tenancy. This includes furniture, décor, fixtures and fittings, gardens or outside space.
We use an external company, we only work with inventory companies in whom we have confidence, trust and who are fairly priced. Also good to remember, if the property was professionally cleaned at the start of your tenancy, you would be required to do this at the end of the tenancy.
These will normally be asked for once you have signed the tenancy agreement and completed the other processes. Please note move in monies have to be paid before the start of any tenancy.
For a typical tenancy with Griffin Stevens you will be asked to pay the following; the first month’s rental in advance, five week’s deposit.
Think about your basic requirements. This will help you narrow down exactly what you are looking for in a property and help us find it. Consider: budget, the style, size, location, local amenities, schools and transport links.
Ensure you also take into account that most rental properties are exclusive of all utilities and council tax unless otherwise stated, it is helpful to factor these costs into your budget.
Placing an offer once you have found – You may be asked to pay a preliminary deposit which shows your intent and moves you to the next stage. We ask for one weeks rental which will be taken into account and deducted from the total you will need pay before you move in.
If you were to not able to proceed with the offer of the tenancy (if your references were unsatisfactory for example) most companies would not refund your deposit, however, if this was the case, we would only retain the administration charge and reference costs.
Be prepared to have references carried out on all tenants or guarantors over the age of 18. It would be a great idea to make your referees aware that they will be contacted. This will help move this process forward quickly.
References may include credit checks, previous landlord reference, employment reference, accountants reference and bank references. Griffin Stevens has a third party external company that carry these out.
You will be required to provide various forms of identification for money laundering and proof of residency. One proof with photo identification ( passport, driving license etc.) and two utility letters dated within the last 3 months.
A copy of your UK Work Permit and/or UK VISA will be required if you are a non EU National. If you are unsure what other documents you need to provide, please just call us and ask.
This is a legally binding agreement between tenant and landlord. The most common tenancy agreement is an AST (assured shorthold tenancy). All types of agreement used for renting a property set out the rights and responsibilities the landlord and tenants have to each other and to the property.
Also note that all persons over the age of 18 must be named on the tenancy agreement.
You will be asked to pay a deposit, usually 5 weeks rent (if you have an animal, landlords normally request 8 weeks) to be held by the letting agent or landlord (if registered with a deposit scheme) which is held as a security in case a tenant does not comply with their obligations.
Griffin Stevens would normally hold the deposit as stakeholders and are members of the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) is run by The Dispute Service Ltd. It is an insurance backed tenancy deposit protection scheme approved by the Government. Please ask for more information on this if required.
An inventory is a legally binding document that records the condition and contents of the property at the start and end of the tenancy. This includes furniture, décor, fixtures and fittings, gardens or outside space.
We use an external company, we only work with inventory companies in whom we have confidence, trust and who are fairly priced. Also good to remember, if the property was professionally cleaned at the start of your tenancy, you would be required to do this at the end of the tenancy.
These will normally be asked for once you have signed the tenancy agreement and completed the other processes. Please note move in monies have to be paid before the start of any tenancy.
For a typical tenancy with Griffin Stevens you will be asked to pay the following; the first month’s rental in advance, five week’s deposit.
We try to work to a 5 to 7 day turnaround to add peace of mind to both Landlords and tenants. This is why we ask all tenants to act swiftly. Once an offer has been accepted there will be no more viewings carried out for 7 days (unless instructed otherwise by the landlord).
This is to allow all checks, monies to be paid and the tenancy agreement to be signed. If the process is not completed in this timeframe, viewings will normally recommence.
Whatever your tenancy type, you’ll need to be aware of the fees. Here’s a list to help you.
Please note that all prices are include VAT. Equally, As a member of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) for sales and lettings, Griffin Stevens subscribe to the TPO’s Code of Practice. This Government approved independent redress scheme gives consumers additional protection beyond that required by law.
A holding deposit of one week’s rent to reserve a property which will then contribute towards the first month’s rent.
The security deposit of five weeks’ rent, increasing to six weeks’ rent if the annual rent is in excess of £50,000.
The rent and utility bills as outlined in the Tenancy Agreement.
Any unpaid rent will potentially incur interest at 4% above the Bank of England base rate, as outlined in the Tenancy Agreement.
Tenants are liable for the cost of replacing any lost keys or security devices, including a change of lock or replacement of device as required.
Amendments to the Tenancy Agreement at the tenant’s request at £50.00 per change.
Should a tenant need to surrender the tenancy early and the Landlord agrees to re-let the property, the liability for payment of rent will end once a new tenant is found and takes up occupation.
The outgoing tenant will still need to cover the Landlord’s costs in surrendering the tenancy and re-letting the property.
For any tenant not renting a property under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, the following charges are also payable.
A one-off upfront payment of £150.00 per tenancy which is a contribution towards the processing of the application, drawing up the Tenancy Agreement and registering the deposit.
A tenant reference charge (£35.00 per tenant) which covers collecting and verifying references from employer/accountant and a previous Landlord reference, together with carrying out a credit check and collecting a copy of passport, proof of residency, bank statements and a recent payslip.
A Guarantor charge (£60.00 per Guarantor, if required) covers credit referencing and preparing a Letter of Guarantee as part of the Tenancy Agreement.
A professional check in fee, the cost of which will be between £105- £280 depending on the size of the property and if the property is furnished or unfurnished.
A renewal charge (£75 for the tenant) which covers the cost of negotiating and administering the renewal and re-registering the deposit with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
If a tenant decides to rent a property through Griffin Stevens in the name of a business or company, the tenancy administration and reference charge will be £180.00 for a new tenancy and £90.00 for each renewal.
