We will talk you through both the Landlord and Tenant sequence of checks in this complex process, including the right to rent guide, referencing with or without a Guarantor and the AST, assured shorthold tenancy.
Prior to selecting and viewing a property please use our affordability calculator, to consider the affordability of the property.
When inputting details please consider:
An AST is an assured shorthold tenancy which is the most common type of tenancy renting from an agent or private landlord. Under an AST you have:
We have further detailed below how and what Tenant fees could be charged under an AST in accordance with the latest Government regulations on Tenant fees.
| Type of Fee | Charge |
|---|---|
| Holding Deposit | Equivalent of 1 weeks rent – this will be deducted from your first months rent due |
| Tenant deposit | Equivalent to 5 weeks rental value, to be registered in the TDS |
| Late payment of rent – returned rent payments | 3% above the Bank of England base rate |
| Early termination – agreed with Landlord | All costs associated with the tenancy payable by the Landlord to the agent from the early termination date to the end of term |
| Lost or unreturned keys or fobs | All costs for the replacement of keys or fobs which have been lost or broken including new locks if required |
All occupants residing at a property over 18 years must be checked under an AST. It is against the law to only check those you believe are not British Citizens.
The right to rent check will involve requesting original documents that proves you can live in the UK and to ensure you have the right to rent a property in the UK. These documents will be requested prior to referencing. Copies will be taken and kept on file for up to one year after the tenancy expiry date.
The documents that permit the holder permanent right to rent in the UK include:
The following are acceptable document combinations, which two documents must be shown as a combination:
The following documents show a LIMITED right to rent check:
A tenant’s offer on a rental property, is always subject to contract and passed references with or without a Guarantor. If a Guarantor is necessary, (this can be determined by using an affordability calculator), they will be required to undergo the same referencing checks as the tenants to satisfy the Landlord, that in any eventuality the rent payments will be made.
Tenants referencing includes the following checks:
Landlords are comfortable with Guarantors as they are required to sign the AST in addition to a Guarantor undertaking, which will allow the Landlord to take legal action against the Guarantor as well as the tenants should the rent payments not be paid.
A Guarantor will only be accepted if:
A Guarantors responsibility ends when either the tenancy ends via mutual agreement between landlord and tenant by the serving notice in accordance with the AST or the property comes under a possession order by the courts.