Tenants Guide

Browse our available rentals on the To Let page or register your requirements with us and we’ll contact you as soon as a suitable property becomes available. You can request a viewing directly from any property listing page, or call us on 020 7352 5386.

We accompany every viewing personally and are happy to answer questions on the spot about the property, the area, or the tenancy process.

No rental bidding: Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, landlords and agents cannot solicit or accept offers above the advertised asking rent. The price you see is the price — bidding wars are now illegal.

If you’d like to proceed with a property, let us know and we’ll confirm the key terms with you: the monthly rent, proposed start date, and any special conditions. Once both sides agree in principle, we’ll move to referencing.

Before we can proceed to a tenancy agreement, we need satisfactory references for every named applicant. We use an independent referencing agency to verify:

• Credit history (CCJs, insolvency, affordability against the rental amount).
• Employment status and income (or accountant’s reference if self-employed).
• Previous landlord reference.
• Right to Rent identity check — required by law for all adult occupants.
• Guarantor checks, where the main applicant does not meet affordability alone.

You’ll need to provide photographic ID (passport or driving licence) and proof of address. Please ensure these are current and accurate — providing false or misleading information may result in your application being declined and your holding deposit being forfeited.

To reserve a property while referencing takes place, we ask for a holding deposit of one week’s rent. This is the maximum permitted under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

The holding deposit will be returned to you (or put towards your first month’s rent or tenancy deposit) once the tenancy is signed, unless:

• You withdraw from the tenancy.
• You fail a Right to Rent check.
• You provide false or misleading information.
• You fail to sign the tenancy agreement within the agreed deadline (usually 15 calendar days).

Once referencing is satisfactorily completed, we’ll prepare your tenancy agreement and send it for signature. From 1 May 2026, all new residential tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies (APTs) — rolling month-to-month agreements with no fixed end date.

This means you are not locked into a set term. You can end your tenancy at any time by giving two months’ written notice. Your landlord can only end the tenancy using one of the legally defined grounds for possession under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988.

Your agreement will set out the monthly rent, the start date, your obligations as a tenant, and the grounds on which the landlord may seek possession. You’ll be given time to read it before signing — please raise any questions with us before you sign.

Tenancy deposit. A tenancy deposit — capped at five weeks’ rent (or six weeks where annual rent exceeds £50,000) — is payable before the tenancy begins. Your deposit will be registered with a government-approved Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) scheme within 30 calendar days of receipt, and you will receive the prescribed information about the scheme.

Your deposit is held against any damage, unpaid rent, or other losses at the end of the tenancy. It cannot be used to pay your rent during the tenancy.

Rent payments. Rent is paid monthly, by standing order or direct debit, in accordance with your tenancy agreement. You cannot be asked to pay rent before your tenancy has started, and you cannot be asked to pay rent in advance beyond what is set out in your agreement.

Before you move in, an independent inventory clerk will prepare a detailed schedule of condition — listing the contents and state of every room, with photographs. You’ll receive a copy to review and sign. Please read it carefully and raise any discrepancies with us promptly.

The inventory is the key document in any deposit dispute at the end of your tenancy. The more thoroughly it is agreed at the start, the smoother the checkout process will be.

Meter readings (gas, electricity, water) are taken at check-in, and utilities transferred into your name from the start of your tenancy.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, your landlord can only increase your rent once in any 12-month period. Any increase must be at or below the local market rent, proposed using the formal Section 13 notice process, and given with at least two months’ written notice. You have the right to challenge any proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

If you find any fault or need a repair, contact us as soon as possible — do not let problems worsen. We will liaise with the landlord and arrange for works to be carried out. For genuine emergencies (gas leak, burst pipe, loss of heat in winter), we have a 24/7 emergency line.

Your landlord is responsible for maintaining the structure and exterior of the property, heating and hot water systems, and ensuring the property meets the Decent Homes Standard.

We carry out routine inspections at agreed intervals. You will always be given at least 24 hours’ written notice before any inspection, and visits will take place at a reasonable time of day.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, you have the right to request a pet in writing. Your landlord must consider your request and cannot unreasonably refuse it. They may ask you to take out pet damage insurance as a condition of consent. Please contact us before acquiring a pet and we will manage the request on your behalf.

You must obtain written permission from the landlord (through us) before making any alterations or decorating the property. Reasonable requests are usually considered — please ask us first.

The property must be used solely for residential purposes unless you have the landlord’s prior written consent. Please speak to us if this is something you need to discuss.

As a tenant, you are responsible for gas, electricity, water, broadband, and council tax, unless your tenancy agreement states otherwise. You are also responsible for a TV licence if you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer.

Your landlord is responsible for buildings insurance and (where furnished) insurance on their own contents. You are responsible for insuring your own personal belongings — we strongly recommend taking out contents insurance.

• Pay your rent promptly on the date specified in your tenancy agreement.
• Pay all utilities, council tax, and other charges you are responsible for.
• Report any damage or repair needs to us as soon as they arise.
• Take good general care of the property and its contents.
• Respect the needs of your neighbours and avoid causing nuisance.
• Not sublet or take in lodgers without written consent from your landlord.
• Allow access for agreed inspections and repair works with proper notice given.

You can end your periodic tenancy at any time by giving two months’ written notice to us. Your notice must be given in writing and expire at the end of a rental period.

At the end of your tenancy we will conduct a full check-out inspection, comparing the property against the original inventory. Fair wear and tear is taken into account — you cannot be charged for normal use of the property. Any deductions from your deposit will be agreed with you wherever possible; if there is a dispute, the matter is referred to the independent adjudication service of the relevant TDP scheme.

Your deposit will be returned within the statutory timeframe once any agreed deductions have been made.