Tenants

On receipt of application/s, documentation & holding deposit your referencing procedure will begin. The information you supplied on your Bella Properties application form will be forwarded to our third party referencing company who will contact you direct via email & or text. The referencing company will request all relevant information required for the processing of your application, which includes but not limited to:

• References
• Credit referencing
• Affordability check
• Residency status
• Right to rent check
• Any further requirements needed for your tenancy.

Once 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 we will contact you and arrange a moving in date (no more than 15 days from the application date). Once this date is set your **Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (see below) will be drawn up by the referencing company and will be available along with all your other documentation/certificates to view and sign online. The Tenancy Agreement is a legal document. It is between the owner of the property (The Landlord) and yourself (The Tenant). You should read the agreement carefully and ensure you understand it fully. If in doubt please seek independent advice.

You will then 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.

On your moving in day, a months rent in advance (less the holding deposit) & the *Security Deposit* (see below) will be payable either by cash or bank transfer so the funds are cleared in our bank account. Once this is received in full we will then issue the keys.

*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 28 days of the date shown on the Bella Properties application form. 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.

**The Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement** places legal obligations on you, some of which are explained as follows. The agreement you sign will be an Assured Shorthold Tenancy that is for a fixed minimum term of six months. You can only leave the property at the end of the period stated in the agreement, after the six months is complete the tenancy will automatically transfer to a Periodic Tenancy you can end the tenancy by giving one month notice. If the Landlord wishes to end the tenancy you will be given two months notice to leave. The signing of the Tenancy Agreement must be within 15 days from the date shown on the Bella Properties application form. Everyone that will be residing at the property over the age of eighteen must be named on the agreement. You cannot move anyone else into the property unless you have informed us in writing, they have successful completed an application & passed a referencing check, and we have permission for you to do so from the Landlord. Prior to or on the agreed date you move into the property you will be required to pay in cash or by bank transfer; one months rent minus the holding deposit plus the *Security Deposit* (see below). On receipt of these, all documentation will be issued i.e. gas safety certificate, inventory etc. & keys will be handed over. *Security Deposit* At the commencement of the tenancy you will be required to pay a security deposit to

*Security Deposit* At the commencement of the tenancy 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 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.

*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
• nstallation 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.