► Housing
House Hunting Tips
When searching for accommodation there are a number of factors to bear in mind:
Budget
In addition to paying rent you need to allow for utilities such as gas, electricity and water; Telephone/internet charges; Television Licence fees and general living expenses such as food , travel, entertainment and so on.
Holding Deposits
A Holding Deposit is a sum of money a landlord or letting agency asks a prospective tenant to pay when he/she agrees to rent a property but has not yet signed a contract. It is a guarantee that the tenant will take up the tenancy and also imposes obligations on the landlord or letting agency not to let the property to anyone else. It is different from a Security Deposit which is discussed below.
Do not pay a Holding deposit unless you are certain that you want to take up the tenancy as it can be difficult to get the money back if you change your mind.
The amount of the Holding Deposit will normally be set against the Security Deposit you pay when you move in.
Security Deposits and Advance Rent
Most landlords will require a Security Deposit in case of damage , unpaid rent or bills and some may also require a month’s rent in advance. Deposits paid to a private landlord or letting agency after April 2007 must be protected in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Your landlord or letting agent must tell you within 14 days of receiving the deposit the details of the scheme they choose to use and how it operates. There can be penalties if they fail to do this.
There are rules about when your landlord can keep your deposit at the end of the tenancy. For instance he cannot keep it to remedy any fair wear and tear. Contact the Advice Centre for more information.
Read The Contract
What is the term of the tenancy i.e. how many weeks does it cover. Bear in mind that if the tenancy does not finish until after the end of the university term you will have to carry on paying rent until the tenancy ends even if you have already gone home. Once you have signed the tenancy agreement remember that you are legally bound by the terms. If you change your mind about your course and wish to leave university or have a disagreement with your housemates this will not alter your legal obligations. You will have to pay the rent for the remainder of the term of the tenancy unless you can find someone to take it over who is acceptable to the landlord.
You also need to check what the rent covers. Are the utilities and things such as telephone and internet charges included or will you need to pay them separately.
Be aware that there are some circumstances in which, even if you have not signed anything, a valid verbal tenancy may be held to exist, especially if you have moved into the property already. Contact the Advice Centre if you need more information.
Joint and several Liability
When you share a house liability for the entire rent payable for the house will normally be joint and several as will liability for bills such as gas and electricity. This means that if one tenant fails to pay their share of the rent or bills the landlord or utility supplier can look to the other tenants to make up any shortfall. Whilst those tenants could take court action to recover this money from the defaulting tenant this can be costly and far from straightforward especially if the defaulting tenant has no money to settle the judgement debt. If this is not your first year choose your housemates carefully. Are they people you know fairly well and feel are trustworthy?
Practical Matters
Ensure that you obtain receipts for any sums of money such as deposits or advance rent that you hand over.
On moving in it is a good idea to draw up an inventory – a detailed list – of the contents and condition of the property. Inform the landlord or agent immediately of any damaged or non working items and it may be an idea to take photographs of any stains or marks and let the landlord/agent have dated copies.
Put as many of the housemates names as possible on the supply agreement for the utilities so that you are not the only person being chased in the event of any problems. In addition, take meter readings of gas, electricity and, if relevant, water when you move in and communicate these readings to the supplier.
Keep copies of all communications that you have with the landlord or his agent and their replies to you. This can be very important if there are any disputes.
Please note that it is not possible to cover all possible scenarios in this general advice. If possible bring a copy of your contract to the Advice Centre before signing it so that we can draw your attention to anything out of the ordinary or that we think you should be aware of.
For more information - Visit the Students' Union Advice Centre
Drop in - First Floor Students' Union Building, 9.30am-4.30pm Monday - Friday
Telephone - 01752 588373
Email - advice@su.plymouth.ac.uk
Website - http://upsu.com/advice
Or you could contact the Student Accommodation Office
Ground floor, Mary Newman
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1752 588644
Happy House Hunting!
Deposits
Deposits in Private rented Accommodation
When a tenancy agreement is made the landlord will normally require a SECURITY DEPOSIT. This is intended to cover the landlord against issues such as rent arrears or damage to the property.
Most students will have a type of tenancy that where there is a legal requirement on the landlord to pay the deposit into a tenancy deposit scheme and to provide the tenant with information about the scheme and the tenant’s rights under it within 14 days of receiving the deposit. Such a scheme safeguards the deposit so that a tenant is guaranteed to get it back at the end of the tenancy PROVIDED HE OR SHE IS ENTITLED TO IT.
It is reasonable for the landlord to take money off the deposit to cover things such as damage to the property, missing items or outstanding rent. However ‘fair wear and tear’ is excepted.
It is therefore important that the tenant and landlord or agent agree what the contents and the condition of the property are at the start of the tenancy. A written inventory signed by both parties is a good way of doing this. The tenant may also wish to take (preferably dated) photographs of any pre-existing damage or disrepair to the property or its contents in case of dispute at a later date.
For further information on problems with deposits please contact the Advice Centre.
If you are unsure as to whether or not your landlord should be keeping your deposit then you could use Shelter's online Deposit checker.
Getting Your Deposit Back
At the end of the tenancy the landlord or agency will usually inspect the property before deciding how much of the deposit should be repaid to the tenant.
It is reasonable for the landlord to retain money to cover damage to property or furniture or missing items which were listed in the inventory. It is not reasonable for the landlord to retain money to cover damage that could be regarded as fair wear and tear.
The type of tenancy deposit scheme your deposit is held in will determine the way in which it is returned. Check the details you have been given or visit the relevant website and contact the scheme.
Each tenancy deposit scheme provides a free alternative dispute resolution (ADR) service that the landlord and tenant can use to resolve disputes over the deposit.
Visit the Advice Centre for more information and support if you are having difficulties that you are unable to resolve on your own
