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- Paying Rent
- Permitted Payments
- Difficulties paying rent?
- Surrender of Tenancy
- Anti-Social Behaviour Advice
- Equality and Diversity
- Having Guests?
- Useful Links
Paying Rent
Rent is payable monthly in advance; your rental due date will be determined by the date that you move into the property. This means that if you move into a property on the 5th May, you will pay your first month’s rent before you move in to cover the period 5th May to 4th June, thereafter your rental is due on the 5th of each month.
Rent is payable by standing order, over the phone, or direct debit. A form will be sent to complete for direct debit payments.
It is important that your rent is paid on time, if you do not pay your rent then you could be at risk of losing your home. You will have signed a legal document and could be taken to court if you do not abide by it.
If you are having trouble paying your rent then don’t ignore it, contact us immediately and we will try and resolve the matter with you. We may be able to come up with a payment plan to assist you.
Permitted Payments
Before the tenancy starts payable to Blenheim Estate Homes
Holding deposit: 1 week's rent
Deposit: 5 weeks' rent for up to £50k per annum; 6 weeks' rent for over £50k per annum
During the tenancy payable to Blenheim Estate Homes
Rental payments
- Payment of £50 if you want to change the tenancy agreement (variation of contract)
- Payment of interest for the late payment of rent at a rate of 3% above the bank of England Base
- Payment of up to £200 for the reasonably incurred costs for the loss of key/security devices, which includes replacement of lock if necessary
- Early termination fees apply, please see the Surrender process
During the tenancy (payable to the provider) if applicable
- Utilities - gas, electricity, water, oil
- Waste - emptying of septic tank or cesspit
- Installation of cable/satellite
- Subscription to cable/satellite supplier
- Television Licence
- Council Tax
Other permitted payments
Any other permitted payments, not included above, under the relevant legislation including contractual damages
Tenant protection
Blenheim Estate Homes is a member of the Property Redress Scheme. You can find out more details on the agent's website or by contacting the agent directly.
We are not a member of a CMP scheme as we are landlords, not agents.
Difficulties paying rent?
Rent is your most important bill and it is essential that you pay this before any other expenses. However, there are several ways in which you can save money on your household bills which may make your rental payments more manageable. We advise that you:
- Set your thermostat to 18˚C - 21˚C, as turning your thermostat down by 1˚C (but no lower than 18˚C) could save £60 a year.
- Close doors and windows when the heating is on.
- Ensure curtains and blinds are closed at dusk, making sure they do not hang in front of radiators.
- Use your heating programmer to set your heating to come on for half an hour before you wake up and before you go to bed or leave the house.
- Use the thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to ensure that different rooms are set to the right temperature, rather than having them all set to maximum.
Surrender of Tenancy
To ‘surrender your tenancy’ means that you would like to break your contractual agreements on a given date before the actual end of your tenancy agreement.
The below information will explain the surrender process in full.
The surrender of a tenancy agreement must be mutually agreed by landlord and tenant. As the contract is being broken by one party, the landlord must not incur any costs associated with re-letting the property, as there would have been no costs for the landlord had the contract run until it’s natural end.
There are fees attached to a surrender, these fees cover any costs that the landlord would incur to re-let the property. The fees are broken down at the bottom of this document.
Process:
- Surrender date to be agreed by landlord and tenant.
- Surrender fee to be paid by the tenant.
- Landlord to market the house with an available date of five days after the agreed surrender date. The current tenant must permit an agent to conduct viewings at a convenient time.
- The current tenant will still be responsible for the property, rent and associated bills until a new tenant has moved in, this could be after the agreed surrender date as it depends when a new tenant is found.
- All clauses in the tenancy agreement will remain valid until such time a new tenant has moved in.
- Current tenant must vacate the property on the agreed date. Although keys should be held by the current tenant until a new tenant is found. Keys can be returned five days before a new tenant moves in.
- The property will still be the responsibility of the current tenant until a new tenant is found, the property should be checked regularly and heated sufficiently, any maintenance issues should be reported in the normal way. Property issues that are not reported and cause damage will be treated as neglect and will be the current tenant’s responsibility.
- Tenant must still pay the rent and associated bills until the day before a new tenant moves into the property – this may be after the agreed surrender date. Once a new tenant is found, the previous tenant’s responsibility for the property, rent and associated bills will terminate the day before a new tenant moves in.
- The current tenant will professionally clean the property as agreed in the tenancy agreement, the property should be professionally cleaned roughly five days before a new tenant moves in.
- Once a new tenant is found and a new tenancy agreement is drawn up the current tenant will sign a Deed of Surrender. This cannot be revoked once signed.
- If the property cannot be re-let before the natural end of the existing tenancy agreement, all rent payments must be upheld according to the tenancy agreement and the surrender fee will be returned to the tenant.
Surrender fee breakdown:
Check Out report for current tenancy cost: £125
Inventory report for new tenancy cost: £125
Marketing costs: £36 (£30+vat)
Referencing costs: £36 (£30+vat).
Administration time for new documentation: £100
Total: £422
Anti-Social Behaviour Advice
Click the button below for information on dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour.
Equality and Diversity
Our policy is to deliver effective services, exemplary homes and communities. We promote equality and community cohesion whilst recognising the different needs and experiences of our residents and customers is crucial to achieving this aim.
Having Guests?
If you are expecting guests to stay for an extended period of time please contact your property manager for approval. Please note the tenant is responsible for any damage they or their guests have produced.
Useful Links