Williams Residential has produced this guide to inform Tenants of the procedures and requirements relating to a tenancy taken through Williams Residential. If you are unsure, then please contact us for further explanation prior to arranging any viewings.

As a tenant it is important to ensure when renting a property you receive the best quality of service both prior to and during your tenancy. At Williams Residential we strive to ensure tenants are provided with up to date and relevant information with regards to their tenancy, as well as competitive referencing and administration fees. Williams Residential is a bonded member of UKALA, The Property Redress Scheme, The DPS and we are a selective agency recognised The National Landlords  Association (NLA), therefore you know we act within strict codes of conduct and your money is protected with our Client Money Protect Policy.

The first step to finding the right property is to register you details with us and let us know what your requirements are, either by emailing or phoning. Our website is updated daily and our properties feature on Onthemarket.com 

Once you have chosen to rent through Williams Residential, you will be required to complete a reference application for tenancy and you may state any special conditions, such as allowing for pet(s). We will then communicate this offer to the landlord. 

Williams Residential's Obligations:

The obligations of Williams Residential will vary dependent on which of the following services we provide for the Landlord. 

A.    Let Only (no management) 

B.    Letting and fully managing the property

You will be notified which of the above services applies to your tenancy and should your application for the property be successful and we will provide you with details of who to contact on the day your tenancy commences.

Once an offer is accepted by the Landlord which is subject to contract and acceptable references, a holding deposit, equivalent to one weeks rent will be payable.

The holding fee of one weeks rent will be payable to reserve the property and will be non refundable should you decide not to proceed with the tenancy or if your reference fails. This extends to any misleading information contained on your application form including your credit reference applications. The sum will be deducted from the total monies due and the remaining balance will be payable on the day you move in.

Once the holding fee has been received in cleared funds, the property will be suspended from the market whilst references are being processed.  

We will require the following information for you to complete are referencing checks. 

Each tenant(s) Full Name 
Contact Number 
Email Address 
Passport/ Birth Certificate 
Proof of Address Driving Licence/Provisional/Copy of Utility bill dates with 3 months
If Guarantor is required, we will require all information from them as detailed above

Rent4Sure are our tenant profiling agency will email you you application to be completed, please open this link and complete the applications as best as you can, should you get unsure or get stuck please contact us and we will be able to assist you through the application. 

Once your application has been accepted, your tenancy agreement will be prepared and further pre-tenancy preparations will be made, such as property pre-tenancy inspection, necessary remedial works, arranging Inventory and Check-In booked with you. 

Upon your moving-in day, please note that the remaining balance due must be paid in cleared funds, either cash or by cleared transfer. If monies due are not cleared we will not be able to proceed with your move-in. You will complete and sign The Deposit Protection Service's Prescribed Information for the Custodial scheme for your deposit and sign the Tenancy Agreement pertaining to the property. Rent will be due monthly on the day your tenancy commences. You will be required to complete a Standing Order Mandate for future payments of rent. A copy of your inventory will be provided, which you will have 7 days to check and notify us of any discrepancies. It is important that you take care in agreeing the Schedule of Condition/Inventory at this stage, as it will form the basis of any claim for damages by your Landlord at the end of the tenancy. Williams Residential, will notify utility companies relevant to Gas, Electric, Water and Council Tax with opening meter readings. Should your property is not managed by Williams Residential, we will provide full contact and emergency contact details of your Landlord.

Finally you will be given your keys to your New Home

Should you have any questions about the above please do not hesitate to contact us, 

With Kind Regards 

David Williams

Director 

Williams Residential (Sussex) Ltd is a member of UKALA and The Property Redress Scheme 

We are a member of Client Money Protect (CMP), therefore your money is protected at all times.

Definitions and terms explained below 

Lead Tenant

In order to comply with our obligations under The Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS) a Lead Tenant will need to be nominated. In the event of a deposit dispute at the end of a tenancy, the deposit scheme will only deal with one person, the Lead Tenant. The Lead Tenant will have the responsibility to log on to the DPS website, confirm the amounts and enter each tenant’s bank details for deposit return. It is therefore VERY IMPORTANT that the Lead Tenant nominated is contactable at the end of the tenancy and seen as the most responsible person by any group of tenants.

Joint and Several Liability

All Tenants named on the Tenancy Agreement are considered ‘jointly and severally liable’ for the obligations of the tenancy. This means that each tenant is fully responsible for all the conditions of the agreement, including paying the full rent and any damages, both individually and collectively with the other tenants, not just their share.

Tenancy Agreement

This is the contract between Landlord and Tenant(s) agreeing the terms of the tenancy. All signatures will be required to sign the tenancy and a copy will be provided prior to the commencement of the tenancy. Please therefore read the agreement thoroughly as soon as possible and bring to our immediate attention any questions or requested amendments, these cannot be facilitated on move-in day.

Please also be aware of the different clauses contained within, especially those concerning subjects such as noise. It is very important to remember to be respectful to neighbours, to enjoy the neighbourhood your home is located, they often have elderly and young families close by that can be affected by adverse noise disturbance.

Pets

Are not permitted in properties, unless the landlord has given permission. 

Deposit

By law your deposit must be registered with a government-approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme. This will mean that landlords cannot unfairly hold on to a tenants deposit and will also provide an independent resolution if any dispute arises between tenant and landlord.

At the commencement of the tenancy, we will advise you with which Tenancy Deposit Scheme your deposit has been lodged with. This can be carried out by either ourselves or the landlord. If it is us, your deposit will be with the company DPS. www.depositprotection.com

When you leave the property, an Inventory clerk will attend the property to carry out a ‘check out’ comparing the condition of the property and any contents, to the inventory made at the start of the tenancy.

If there are no damages or rent arrears, your deposit will be returned within 10 days.

If the Check-out identifies any damages to the property or its fixtures and fittings, your landlord may choose to claim the amount necessary to rectify any works needed. If this is the case, the Lead Tenant will receive by email within 10 days, a written break-down of any charges proposed. Should there be any proposed charges to the deposit based on the check-out, the Landlord or ourselves will in the first instance negotiate on the matter.

If agreement is not reached, DPS will act as an independent arbiter.

As detailed in Lead Tenant section, only the nominated person can speak for any group, both to ourselves and the DPS, we unfortunately cannot speak to other tenants or guarantors on any dispute matters, as only the Lead Tenant has the authority to reclaim the deposit.

Utility bills

The utility providers will be notified by ourselves of each tenants name, date tenancy commenced and meter readings where applicable (managed properties only). The details of your providers can be found on your Property Information sheets (for Managed properties) which will be given to you at commencement of tenancy. We recommend that you make contact with the providers to check your details are correct. At the end of the tenancy, if there are any outstanding amounts, the utility providers are given the tenants forwarding addresses.

Insurance

The landlord will have in place suitable Buildings insurance. This however will not normally cover the Tenants contents and belongings. It is advisable for tenants to consider taking out an insurance policy to cover their possessions and possible accidental damage to the landlord’s property.

Standing Order

It is a requirement that all rent is to be paid by Standing order/bank transfer. 

Inventory/schedule of Condition

The Inventory/schedule of condition of the property, its contents, fittings and effects will be prepared by a third party. This will be checked and agreed with you at the commencement of your tenancy as part of the Check-in process (managed properties only) with a member of Williams Residential. It is important that you take care in agreeing the accuracy of this document as it will form the basis of any damages claim by your Landlord at the end of the tenancy. At the end of the tenancy, the Landlord will usually instruct for a Check-out to take place. An Inventory clerk will attend the property the day after the tenancy finishes and prepare a report against the original inventory.

House Visits

As part of our Managed service to landlords, we will carry out interim property inspections. The purpose of these is to ascertain the condition of the property, its cleanliness, garden maintenance and the way in which the tenancy is being conducted generally. These appointments are booked in advance at convenient times. It is recommended that you are present to bring anything to our attention, it is however not essential.