Tenants Guide


Tenant registration

You can register your details and search criteria with us on line, by phone or just visit one of our offices directly. Our experienced and knowledgeable lettings team will be happy to register your details and answer any questions, they will also be able to guide you through the properties we currently have available to rent.

Viewings

If you wish to view a property, a member of our team will be happy to set up an appointment and will accompany you on the viewing. If you are a couple or sharers looking to rent, we recommend you make sure all parties are able to attend the viewing, as landlords are usually reluctant to agree to a let , unless everyone who will be living in the property with you has seen it. If you are likely to be delayed or unable to make an appointment, please inform us and we will gladly rearrange.

Offers

Offers can be made in person, by phone or email and we recommend any preferences, requests or conditions, such as move date, furnishings etc be followed up in writing or by email.

You will be asked to pay a preliminary holding fee of one week’s rent. This will be held by Eden Harper and will be refunded should your offer not be acceptable to the landlord. If your offer is accepted, then this is retained towards the initial move in monies for the tenancy.

Once your preliminary holding fee is paid to Eden Harper, it will be held pending our taking up references upon you. It is no guarantee that the property will be let to you. If references do not prove satisfactory to the landlord or Eden Harper, or if you withdraw for any reason the preliminary holding fee will be passed onto the landlord, less referencing and the administration cost, which will be retained by Eden Harper.

If the landlord withdraws for any reason then the whole of the preliminary holding fee will be refunded to you, A full breakdown of any tenant fees and costs are detailed on the link at the bottom of this page 

References

Each prospective tenant will be referenced using an independent referencing agency, unless otherwise advised. We will also require you to bring into the office proof of identity in the form of a passport or identity card, in order for us to take a copy.  All tenants must prove that they have the right to rent in England. In order to grant your tenancy, ‘right to rent’ checks will be carried out. Eden Harper need to check your original documents (e.g. passport, visa) in person and make copies of them which will be kept on file.

Initial Monies

Before commencement of the tenancy, the initial monies will be required in cleared funds in the form of a bank transfer, banker’s draft or by card payment. We accept Visa and MasterCard payments. Payments on line or by card cannot be accepted on the day of move in and all monies should be received by Eden Harper  48 hours prior to your move in. We will usually require the following and will provide you with a breakdown.

• The first month rental payment in advance

• Five weeks deposit – usually held in the Deposit Protection Scheme (please see deposit section for further details)

Rental Payments

All rental payments thereafter must be made by standing order as specified in your tenancy agreement. Details of our bank account or the landlords account will be provided to you. If you are paying your rent to Eden Harper, then the payment must be made from one account, if there are multiple tenants. We recommend that a joint household account be set up, so the rent can be paid from one account.

Please ensure rent is paid in cleared funds on or before the rent due date. We recommend setting up the standing order three days before the rent due date in order that once transferred the rent arrives on the due date.  Interest on late payment of rent will be charged as stated in the tenancy agreement.

Guarantor

If a guarantor is required for the tenancy, the guarantor will be referenced as detailed above. The guarantor will be required to sign the guarantor agreement and be provided with information regarding their responsibilities. We will also require ID from the guarantor in the form of a driving licence/passport and utility bill.

Tenancy Agreement 

All prospective tenants must be named in the tenancy agreement and are jointly and severely liable by the terms of the agreement.

The tenancy agreement forms a legally binding contract between the landlord and the tenant(s). If you are unsure of its contents or your rights and obligations we recommend you consult a solicitor.

You will also be issued a copy of the Prescribed Information Form as well as any safety or compliance certificates. These should be kept safely as further printed copies are not provided.

Utilities

The term of the tenancy require the tenant to pay for gas, electricity, water, telephone charges and Council Tax unless otherwise stated. Tenants should contact the utility companies directly to ensure that the supplies are transferred into their name and are not disconnected.

Deposit

If your landlord has requested that Eden Harper register your deposit, then we will take the following steps.

Eden Harper will register your deposit with the DPS ‘Deposit Protection Scheme’ unless otherwise advised.

 https://www.depositprotection.com/

You will be provided with information on the scheme and a copy of the registration certificate.

Subject to the landlords agreement, Eden Harper will arrange for an independent inventory clerk at the start of the tenancy to check the contents and decorative condition of the property. The tenant and landlord will receive a copy of this report to sign and approve. At the end of the tenancy this document will be checked against the actual state of the property after your tenancy and any discrepancies will be highlighted in the Checkout report. This report will be sent to the tenant and landlord to agree any dilapidations that may be recorded. The landlord pays for the inventory check at the beginning of the tenancy and the tenant pays for the check out report at the end of the tenancy.

Should the situation arise where there is a dispute and agreement cannot be reached, the matter will go to independent arbitration as per the terms of the DPS.   

Tenancy Renewal 

Eden Harper will contact you approximately two to three months before the expiry date of your tenancy to establish what your plans are for remaining on in the property. Should you wish to renew we will negotiate the terms of the renewal with your landlord.  However, should you wish to seek alternative accommodation to rent or to buy we will be very happy to assist you in your search.

Tenancy Changeover (admin fees apply)

Should a tenant wish to leave a shared tenancy and has found a suitable replacement, please email your request and details to brixpropman@edenharper.com. This will be subject to Eden Harper credit check and referencing and the landlord's agreement.

Eden Harper tenant fees and charges

Tenant charges as of the 1st of June 2019

Eden Harper Emergency Repairs

If you are a tenant in an Eden Harper managed property and you have an out of office hours plumbing or electrical emergency, please contact Maintracts on 020 8682 2244