Tenants

Tenant Application Procedure (Quick Guide)

1) After viewing one of our properties, if you wish to apply, you and any other person over the age of eighteen who will be residing at the property will be required to fill in a Bella Properties pre-application form. After we have received the completed pre-application form/s they will be checked by our lettings team and in some cases information regarding suitability will be passed onto the landlord for their appraisal. If you are the accepted applicant/s you will be required to supply the following documents:

• Photo ID (passport/driving licence)
• Proof of address (bank statement/utility bill dated within the last 3 months) and the
• *Holding Deposit* shown on the pre-application form, payable by cash or bank transfer.

The Holding Deposit will be no more than the equivalent amount of one weeks rent. This will be held until the application is successfully completed & the Tenancy Agreement is signed, at which point the Holding Deposit will be deducted from the first months rent. You will LOSE THE HOLDING DEPOSIT if;

• You fail to sign the Tenancy Agreement within 15 days from the Holding Deposit being received by cash or bank transfer and the funds are cleared in our bank account.
• You fail the Right to Rent checks.
• You provide false or misleading information to the landlord/letting agent, which the landlord/letting agent is reasonably entitled to consider in deciding whether to grant the tenancy because this materially affects their suitability to rent the property.
• You notify the landlord or letting agent before the deadline for agreement that You have decided not to enter into a Tenancy Agreement.
• You fail to take all reasonable steps to enter into a Tenancy Agreement.

Please note: The property will remain advertised & available for let, until all Bella properties application forms/documentation & the holding deposit have been received. If another application & holding deposit is received before yours the property may be let to another applicant.

2) Once accepted and on receipt of required documentation & holding deposit for all persons who are to be named on the tenancy agreement and a move in date has been mutually agreed, the full referencing procedure will begin. The information you supplied on your Bella Properties pre-application form will be forwarded to our third party referencing company, who will contact you directly via email and/or text. At this point Right To Rent Checks will also be performed on all Tenancy Applicants and Permitted Occupiers. (Permitted occupier is someone over 18 who is living with you but not named on the tenancy agreement).

In addition to referencing, and in line with current compliance regulations, we are required to carry out Anti-Money Laundering (AML) & Sanctions checks. These checks are also conducted via a third party checking company, who will also contact you via text.

Information will be required by both companies for the processing of your application and checks, this includes but not limited to:

• Proof of Identification
• References
• Credit referencing
• Affordability check
• Residency status
• Right to rent documents and share code where required
• Any further requirements needed for your tenancy.

3) After the referencing procedure is complete the referencing company will issue a report to Bella Properties. If your application is successful and has passed the referencing criteria, right to rent and AML/Sanctions checks you will receive a Pre-Tenancy Agreement for signature of acceptance of terms. Please read this carefully and ensure you understand it fully before signing as it is a written statement of the terms of the Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement (APT).

4) Upon receipt of the signed pre-tenancy agreement Prescribed Information documents will be issued for signing, along with a request for payment (where applicable) for the **Security Deposit**.

**Security Deposit** Where applicable you will be required to pay a security deposit to Bella Properties which is capped at the equivalent of 5 weeks rent. The deposit will be held by the Deposit Protection Service. The deposit will be registered with the DPS within 30 days of receipt, you will then be issued with a certificate to confirm your deposit is protected and held correctly. The tenancy agreement details the process for disputes in the event issues arise at the end of the tenancy. At the end of the tenancy, if an agreement has been reached by all parties, the DPS will return some or all of the deposit to you. If a dispute arises, the DPS will act as detailed in the leaflet issued with your tenancy agreement. The responsibilities of both the tenant and landlord are detailed within the tenancy agreement. Some properties are available with NO DEPOSIT terms – please ask for further details.

5) Once the security deposit is received and banked funds have cleared, we will contact you to confirm the moving in date. You do not have to move into the property on that date but the tenancy must start on that date. Once this date is set your **Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement** (see below) will be available along with all your other documentation/certificates to view and sign online. The Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement is a legal document. It is between the owner of the property (The Landlord) and yourself/ves (The Tenant). You should read the agreement carefully and ensure you understand it fully. If in doubt please seek independent advice.

**The Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement** (APT) places legal obligations on you, some of which are outlined below. (Please refer to the complete document for details of all your obligations). The agreement you sign will be a periodic tenancy, meaning there is no fixed minimum term. The Tenancy Agreement must be signed within 15 days from receipt of the Security deposit.

You have the right to remain in the property on an ongoing basis unless you choose to end the tenancy or the landlord regains possession in accordance with the law.

You may end the tenancy at any time by providing at least two months’ notice in writing. The landlord may only end the tenancy using the appropriate legal grounds and by giving the required notice as set out in current legislation.

All individuals aged eighteen or over who will reside at the property must be named on the agreement as either a tenant or permitted occupier.

You must not allow any additional person to move into the property without prior written consent. Any proposed occupant must complete an application, pass referencing checks, and receive approval from the landlord.

For more information on Assured Periodic Tenancies visit www.gov.uk/assured-periodic-tenancies-tenants

On your moving in day, keys will be issued.

Please ensure your months rent in advance (less then holding deposit) has been paid by cash or bank transfer to the account details provided.

You will also be invited to set up your Bella Properties online portal via PropertyFile is designed and built so that you can securely log into the system and access your vital information whenever and where ever you may need it, this includes;

• Documents, i.e. tenancy agreement
• Bella Properties handy Tenant Information Pack
• Rent statement
• Report any maintenance issues and view the status of your report.

*Application costs* In line with Government Legislation, NO application fees are payable by tenants

*Data Protection* Bella Properties are an ICO registered company (a copy of our privacy policy is available on request)

During Your Tenancy

The following fees/charges will be payable to Bella Properties if;

• Changes are required by you to the tenancy agreement
• Interest on late rent payments at a rate of 3%+VAT
• Payment of rent with an early termination of the tenancy

You are liable for any applicable charges for;

• Utilities; Gas, electric, water, sewerage & any other utilities
• Council tax
• Television licence
• Installation of & billing/subscription charges for internet, phone or cable/satellite television
• Any other charges not included in any of the above covered under relevant legislation

Rent

Your tenancy agreement is a legally binding document which requires you to pay the rent in full by cleared funds on the rent due date. Failure to do this will incur a late payment charge & means that you will be in breach of your tenancy agreement. If you share the property with other tenants you are jointly and severally liable for payment of the full rent on the rent due date. If any rent is outstanding on the rent due date then we may pursue one, some or all tenants/guarantor for the costs incurred and the balance of rent due.

Gas Safety Checks

By law your landlord must comply with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 and subsequent associated legislation. Your landlord must have all gas systems, appliances and flues at your property checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You will be provided with a copy of the gas safety certificate at the start of the tenancy and annually thereafter. These regulations do not apply to gas appliances owned by tenants for example a gas cooker. For your own safety we recommend that you too have your personal gas appliances checked at least every 12 months. . It is imperative you provide access to the property for this to be carried out.

EICR Electrical Condition Report

An EICR Test is ban Electrical Installation Condition Report. This report is also a legal obligation for the landlord. It exists to ensure that all electrical installations in the property are in a safe and reliable condition and can be used without danger, these reports are required every 5 years. Again it is imperative you provide access to the property for this to be carried out.

Inventory

Photos are taken & any discrepancies will be noted prior to the check in appointment, this records the condition and contents of the property at the start of the tenancy. A copy of this will be provided to you and we ask you to check this carefully as it is this document that will be used at the end of the tenancy to check the condition of the property on check-out compared to the condition of the property at the commencement of the tenancy, any damage other than fair wear and tear will be chargeable to you. We will take the inventory as fully accepted unless you report any changes to the inventory within seven days of receipt.

Inspections

As part of our service to your Landlord we are contracted to carry out an inspection of the property every six months. These inspections are to ensure you are looking after the property, that the property is in good repair and to discuss any issues you may have. You will be contacted when an inspection is due to arrange a suitable date & time for you to allow access.

Maintenance

You are responsible for;

The everyday maintenance of the property i.e. replacing light bulbs/batteries, cleaning windows, cutting lawns, maintaining hedges, borders, keeping all guttering and drains clear from leaves and blockages. If there is a garden with your property you must keep it in good seasonal order. You must not make or allow any alterations to the garden/s without prior written permission from the Landlord.

The regular checking of the smoke, fire, heat or carbon monoxide detectors fitted in the property. These will be checked at the start of your tenancy but are your responsibility from this point. If you have a fault please notify us immediately. Please remember these are for your safety, do not remove, tamper or cover any detectors.

The security of the property, if any damage arises from a break-in that is from doors or windows being left open, the cost of any repairs will be payable by you. Please report any break-ins or vandalism to the police who will supply you with a crime reference number which you need to pass onto us.

Keys, if during your tenancy you lose the keys/fobs/security devices, whatever the circumstances, you are responsible for the cost of replacement. If a lock change is required as a result of you losing a key etc you will also be charged the cost of the lock change. If you occupy a flat in a block which has a common entrance door, you may also be charged the cost of replacing the lock and/or all replacement keys. All keys must be returned for the property at the end of the tenancy.