Tenant information pack

Transcription

1 Tenant information pack 1

2 Welcome to Help to Rent This pack provides information on the services we provide through the help to rent scheme and the things you need to consider when renting a property in the private sector. Contents Page 3. Help to rent Page 4. Record of important information Page 5. Your responsibilities Page 6. Your landlord s responsibilities Page 7. Tenancy documents Page 8. Rent Page 9. Insurance Page 10. Ending a tenancy Page 11. Check out process Page 12. Useful contacts 2

3 Help to rent Help to rent is a deposit guarantee scheme that helps families unable to raise a deposit to access the private rented sector. The support we offer to both landlords and tenants contributes to successful tenancies, with the average lifetime of a tenancy lasting 3 years. The team are here to support you throughout the tenancy. The office is open 08:45-17:15 Monday to Thursday and 08:45-16:45 Friday. Contact us By pshousing@dacorum.gov.uk By post: Strategic Housing, Dacorum Borough Council, Civic Centre, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1HH By phone: and ask for housing 3

4 Record of important tenancy information Fill in the information below at the start of your tenancy and kept it safe. Start date of tenancy: Address of property: Landlord name: Landlord address: Landlord telephone number: Landlord address: Help to Rent reference number: Housing Benefit claim number: Gas company name: Gas company telephone number: Gas company account number: Electricity company name: Electricity company telephone number: Electricity company account number: Water company telephone number: Water company account number: 4

5 Your responsibilities As the tenant you are responsible for minor repairs and for the maintenance of the property. This usually relates to: internal decoration (e.g. carpets and wallpaper); garden maintenance; and furniture and equipment. You are also responsible for the following: Paying the rent on time each month and supplying any requested information to the Housing Benefit department. Paying Council Tax, gas, electricity and water bills during the tenancy. Keeping to the terms of the tenancy agreement. Maintaining contact with the help to rent team and your landlord throughout the tenancy and informing us of any changes to your contact details. Regularly checking fire alarms during the tenancy. Seeking permission from your landlord in regards to having pets and/or making changes to the décor of the property. This permission must be in writing. Reporting any property issues to the landlord in a timely manner. Please read your tenancy agreement for full details of your responsibilities. A breech of the tenancy agreement could result in you losing your tenancy. 5

6 Your Landlord s responsibilities As your landlord they must: Complete essential safety checks before the start of the tenancy. Let you live in the property without unnecessary interference. Give you notice if they need to visit the property. As best practise 48 hours should be the minimum amount of notice given. Carry out any repairs needed to the exterior or structure of the property, for instance, to the roof, chimney, walls, guttering and drains. Carry out any repairs needed to keep equipment for supplying water, gas and electricity in safe working order. Keep to the conditions of the tenancy agreement. Make sure gas safety checks are carried out every year by a qualified and registered engineer and provide a copy of a gas safety certificate to yourself and the Council. Provide you with a rent statement every six months. 6

7 Tenancy Documents The Tenancy Agreement The tenancy agreement is signed on the day you move in to the property. The tenancy agreement is for an initial minimum fixed term of six months, however we encourage landlords to provide 12 month fixed term periods. Unless the fixed term is then renewed this period is then followed by an on-going agreement that continues until a notice of termination is issued by you or the landlord. You will have a copy of the tenancy agreement to keep and refer to during the tenancy. Inventory and condition Report On the day you move into the property we complete an inventory and condition report. This report provides a detailed record of the original condition of the property. The condition of every room in the property and items provided is noted. Photographs are also taken to support this report. Both you and the landlord will receive a copy of the report. If you wish to make any changes then you should notify the team as soon as possible. We use this report to compare the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy to the end of the tenancy, and it will be referred to in the case of a claim being made against the deposit guarantee. 7

8 Rent The rent levels charged by landlords on the scheme are normally below or equivalent to the Local Housing Allowance rate (Housing Benefit for private sector tenants). The tenancy agreement states the monthly rent that is due. If you receive Housing Benefit then this is paid every four weeks for the four weeks just passed. Housing Benefit If you are eligible for Housing Benefit and you find a property through help to rent you will need to visit the Civic Centre to collect a Housing Benefit form. If you are currently in the receipt of Housing Benefit you will need a change of address form. You must complete this form and bring it with you on the day you move into the property for the team to check. Paying your rent If you are in the receipt of Housing Benefit we can get this paid directly into your landlords account. If your landlord is not paid directly then the easiest way to pay your rent is by standing order. It is automatic and free. Any standing order set up should be so the rent reaches your landlord s account by the rent due date. Your bank or building society should help you set up the payment so that it is paid on the correct date. We can provide you with a blank standing order form if you ask. 8

9 Insurance Contents insurance We advise tenants to get contents insurance to protect their belongings against theft, loss and damage. This insurance generally covers clothing, furniture, electrical goods, and personal items like jewelry. High value items may need additional cover. There are different types of cover which you can take. The items covered by the policy are dependent on the type of cover you purchase. Building Insurance Your landlord should have building insurance. This protects the structure of the property in the event of a disaster such as a fire or flood. As the tenant you do not need to purchase this insurance. 9

10 Ending a tenancy What happens if you want to leave the property? If you wish to leave the property after the initial fixed term you must give at least a months written notice to your landlord. The date on which the notice expires must be the last day of a tenancy period. It must be properly delivered, we suggest either hand-delivered or by recorded delivery. If you fail to give a correct notice complying with the terms of the tenancy agreement you will remain liable for the rent. We recommend you contact the team before issuing a notice to make sure you do so correctly. What happens if your landlord asks you to leave? If your landlords wants their property back after the initial fixed term they must give you at least two months notice. This notice must state that possession is required under section 21 of the Housing Act You should leave at the expiry of a notice requiring possession under section 21 of the Housing Act If you receive a notice you should contact the team and provide them with a copy of the notice so they can check it is correct. Your landlord can only seek possession during the fixed term of a tenancy if a ground for possession applies. Your landlord will need to obtain a court order to get a date for possession. If your landlord wants you to leave the property we will work with you to explore a number of housing options before your tenancy ends and assist you with finding alternative accommodation. However, if you are evicted due to rent arrears or for breaching the tenancy we may not be able to help house you. 10

11 Check out process If a notice has been served by either you or your landlord you should notify the help to rent team as soon as possible. We will first visit you in the property to carry out the pre-check-out appointment. During this visit we use the original inventory and condition report to compare the current condition of the property to its condition at the start of the tenancy. A pre-check-out report is then sent to you and your landlord. This report will list the work that you need to complete before the move-out date. A date and time will then be arranged for the check-out to be completed. We recommend that this meeting takes place the day after you have moved out, and that both you and your landlord attend. We will use the report produced from the pre-check-out to assess whether agreed work has been completed. If there is any work outstanding that has not been completed then your landlord may want to proceed with making a claim for loss or damage. From the date that you receive details of a claim you will have 5 working days to dispute this. If necessary a further appointment at the property will be arranged. The Council will respond to disputes urgently to prevent delays to the landlord in repairing their property. 11

12 Useful contacts Citizens advice bureau (Hemel Hempstead) Address: Dacre House, 19 Hillfield Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 4AA Phone: (Advice Line) Visit: Opening hours Mondays 9.30am to 6.30pm Tuesdays 9.30am to 4pm Wednesdays pre-booked appointments only Thursdays 9.30am to 5.45pm Fridays pre-booked appointments only Shelter Phone: Visit: Housing Benefit Dacorum Borough Council, Civic Centre, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead Phone: Visit: National Debtline Phone: Visit Community Legal Advice Phone: Visit: Payplan Phone: Visit 12