www.pwproperties.co.uk Welcome to your New Home Tenants Handbook 1
Information for Managed Properties & Contact Numbers This booklet has been put together in the hope that you will find it useful to keep as a reference during your stay in your new home. You will have already been checked into the property and you should have all the necessary contact details that you need in the case of a maintenance issue or any query relating to your new home. If you are occupying a non managed property you will have been given the landlords contact details and he or she should be your point of contact. If you are unable to contact your landlord or need advice please do call. Please note however, that in the event of a maintenance issue I would not be able to instruct a contractor should one be required without the landlord s permission. For the properties that I manage all maintenance calls should be made during office hours to 01295-253830 or 07866-541857. For out of hours the number is 07866-541857. Please note that a break down in heating appliance, white goods or losing keys is not an emergency. For non emergency call outs such as losing keys there is a call out fee of 35.00 per hour increased to 70.00 per hour for out of hours/weekends (Saturday after 13:00, Sunday and bank holidays. If you lose your keys and need to call out a locksmith you are responsible for paying the locksmith and the cost of all replacement keys (four sets in total) two of those sets of keys must be issued to PW Properties within 24 hours of the lock change. For those properties in central Oxford which have specialist locks, they are expensive to replace and they can only be ordered from the security company by PW Properties. The replacement of these keys can take a week or more to replace. Houses of Multiple Occupation also known as HMO S are shared houses consisting of studio rooms. I always do an introductory service for these properties, I never manage them. In this case your landlord or the landlord s appointed property manager is always your first point of contact. Again this will be explained to you at the point of check in and the contact details will have been given to you. 2
General Contact Numbers & Utility Information Thames Valley Police Emergency 999 Thames Valley Police Non Emergency 0845 8505505 Gas Emergency Service Gas leak 0800 111999 Cherwell District Council Switchboard 01295-252535 Cherwell District Council Council Tax 01295-221542 Oxford City Council Council Tax 0186-252870 S. Northants District Council Tax 01327-322190 Stratford Council Switchboard 01789-267575 Warwickshire Council Switchboard 01926410410 Thames Water Water supplier 0845 9200888 Anglian Water Water supplier 0844 4968545 British Gas Utility supplier 0800 0480202 EDF Utility supplier 0800 0565927 Scottish Power Utility supplier 0845 2700700 Npower Utility supplier 0845 1663166 Eon Utility supplier 0845 0520000 British Telecom Telephone provider 150 NHS Direct Medical Advice 0845 4647 National Rail Enquiries 08457484950 Letsure Contents insurance 0844 5610880 Maras Contents insurance 0845 5005222 Matt Stretton Lock Smith 07919-461372 Trade Secrets Furniture Outlet 01295-810110 Do remember to call your utility supplier to register your details, set up payment and give your meter readings. Your meter readings will have been taken at check in and will be in your copy of the inventory along with the utility provider. PW Properties will also notify the relevant utility company of the date you moved in and the meter reading taken at the time of check in. You must not change your utility supplier without informing PW Properties or your landlord. Permission will be granted to changing your utility provider for either gas or electric on the basis that the service provider does not include a daily standing charge. For dual fuel a daily standing charge can add as much as 130.00 on top of your bill. Card meters are not permitted in any property managed by PW Properties and it is a breach of your tenancy if you have a card meter installed. 3
Satellite Dishes Always check with PW Properties that a satellite dish or aerial can be sited externally at the property as some apartment blocks do not permit this. It is your responsibility to ensure any engineer carries out a telephone or satellite connection to a good standard without causing damage to the property Paying Your Rent You will have been given a standing order mandate to sign at the start of your tenancy. This ensures that rent will be paid calendar monthly by standing order 3 days in advance of the due date. The tenancy runs in periods The period starts on the tenancy start date and must end on the last day of that period i.e. tenancy start date is the 5 th March, the tenancy must therefore end on the 4 th of any given month thereafter. It is your responsibility to check and make sure that your bank has set up the standing order correctly. Please note: THIS IS A STANDING ORDER NOT A DIRECT DEBIT AND THEREFORE CAN ONLY BE CANCELLED BY YOU, THE TENANT AT THE END OF THE TENANCY The Deposit & the Tenants Responsibility In compliance with the housing act of 2004 all deposits for Assured Shorthold Tenancies must be protected. PW Properties uses the DPS www.depositprotectionservice.com and these details are on page 4 of your tenancy agreement. All deposits are paid to the Deposit Protection Service after the start date of your tenancy and remain secure until you decide to leave. For some properties PW Properties has provided an introductory service for the landlord and the landlord may hold your deposit in a different scheme. Your tenancy agreement will confirm this and you should then check with your landlord to confirm details. During the Tenancy It is expected that you treat your rental home as you would your own personal home and this means taking care of the property. If a problem arises such as a water leak from a shower or a radiator then please report it. If it is found that water damage could have been prevented if you had reported it sooner, then you could be responsible for paying for the repair. It is your responsibility to replace light bulbs, keep drains, toilets and sinks clear from blocking. This also includes dish washers, washing machines and dryers. 4
Neighbours Please do respect your neighbours and adhere to local regulations in regard to noise, recycling, parking and pollution. If you are unsure of any of the regulations, please do contact your local council for your area or look at the web site where most information can be found. Access to the Property You will always be notified in advance of any visit, depending on the problem. I will always try to call you but if there is a problem such as a water leak and access is needed urgently. I or the engineer will access the property to stop damage being caused to the property. I endeavour to have a maintenance engineer out within 24hrs of your call but sometimes a part may need to be ordered which takes longer for the actual repair. All the people who work with me are trusted and will be given a key to the property for access to do the repair. If you decline this option and want to be at home when the engineer calls you must agree to the time of the visit as given by the engineer at the time of booking the appointment. Gas Checks A landlords gas check must be carried out once per year and is required by law. You will be notified in advance of any such visit by the engineer and again you can be at home when they call but you must fit in with the time of the visit. Mid Term Visits I will visit a property on average every three months for a mid term visit of which you will be notified of in advance. The visit usually takes about twenty minutes depending on the size of the property. If you want to be at home when I call you can be as it gives us an opportunity to talk. The latest that I will do a visit during the week are 18:00hrs. It is not possible to do a mid term visit on a Saturday. During a visit, if I find anything damaged or broken, gardens untidy or excessive rubbish. I will notify you in writing to have the item repaired, replaced, lawns cut or rubbish removed. If this is not done within a reasonable time I reserve the right to instruct a contractor to carry out the work and you will be expected to pay the cost. If the cost is not met it will be deducted from your deposit. Where a pre arranged visit has been made between you and me or a contractor and we are not be able to gain access to the property for any reason. A fee will be charged to you equivalent to a non emergency call out of 35.00 per hour. 5
Check Out & Cleaning Guide It is the tenant s responsibility to arrange a check out appointment with PW Properties between 09:00 and 13:00. The last check out on any working day is 12:00hrs. Upon request, PW Properties offers a pre check out visit to give you guidance on cleaning and answer any queries you may have. At the check out the inventory will be used to ascertain the schedule and condition of the property whilst allowing fair, wear and tear. This involves you and I walking through the property, as we did at check in and making sure that the property is clean to the same standard as when you moved in. If further cleaning is required or any damage found, it will be pointed out to you and it will be discussed at the end of the check out. Please note that where an item has been professionally cleaned in a property, the tenant must have the item professionally cleaned to the same standard. All personal items must have been removed at the time of check out. All keys must be ready to be handed over to PW Properties and you must be ready to leave. Tenants are not allowed to remain in or return to a property after the tenancy agreement has ended. Where a property requires further cleaning a charge of 35.00 will be made to cover administration costs. Should an issue be found and if an agreement cannot be reached between the tenant and PW Properties the Deposit Protection Service offer an arbitration service. PW Properties would strongly advise to you to come to an agreement as the process can take literally months and will delay the return of your deposit. Reminder Organise redirection of personal mail to a forwarding address and have a copy of your forwarding address ready to give to PW Properties at check out. Notify the relevant utility companies of your departure and final meter readings and settled all accounts. PW Properties will also notify the utility company that you have left the property and will confirm the meter readings taken at check out. At check out, please provide a copy of a gas, water and electric bill that you have paid within the last three months of your tenancy. Cleaning the Property It is advisable to keep the property clean during your stay, so do carry out cleaning on a regular basis. Most tenants under estimate the time taken to clean a property fully as on average a three bedroom house can take two days, three days if no regular cleaning has taken place. Where a property has been professionally cleaned you must pay for the 6
same. The advantage of this is that at the end of the check out, if the property is not cleaned to the same standard the cleaning company can be recalled to re-clean. The advantage to you is that you are more likely to have your deposit returned in full. HOUSEKEEPING: Do be careful when using cleaning products and use rubber gloves. Do be aware of some de-scaling fluids as they are very strong and can damage taps and chrome fittings if left on the metal surface for too long. Be aware of strong bleach as this can damage melamine work tops if left on the surface. The following applies to all room: Check ceilings for cobwebs and remove Light shades have been dusted or cleaned Check wall marks for where pictures have hung and where they have been scuffed wipe clean Make good any holes where picture hooks have been Check the top of curtain rods for dust Skirting boards, doors, door frames, door handles, and light switch surrounds have been cleaned Check radiators/storage heaters dust and clean as necessary All windows at the property must have been cleaned (inside & out) including window surrounds All light bulbs are working All smoke alarms working (batteries replaced where necessary) All floors of a hard surface have been vacuumed, swept, polished and/or mopped hardwood flooring should be wiped with a damp cloth and then dried to prevent smearing Kitchen The following must be cleaned; the interior and exterior of the kitchen cupboards including the top of the cupboards, underneath wall cupboards and wipe all handles Fridges & freezers should be turned off, defrosted & cleaned both inside and out, carefully remove shelving and clean Washing machines & dishwashers cleaned inside and out, soap dispensers removed if possible and cleaned Cooker: Should be stripped, degreased and cleaned including all shelves and grill pans Extractor fan filters to be replaced where necessary or cleaned of grease. Stainless steel extractor casing needs to be dusted and polished. Where an oven/hob has been professionally cleaned it must be returned in the same condition. Please check inventory. Bathroom - The bath and/or shower receptacles must be cleaned (shower heads should be de-scaled) as must the toilet and wash hand basin. Where there is a shower screen this must also be cleaned. Taps & drain away must also be de-scaled. Tiled walls to be washed down and lime scale or soap residue must be removed 7
Shower curtains are supplied by the tenant and must be removed at the end of the tenancy All carpets must be professionally cleaned All curtains/blinds to be professionally cleaned or dusted down. Always check the instructions on curtains and do not assume that they can be washed. If curtains are shrunk they will be classed as damaged and will have to be replaced and paid for by you. Furnished properties - Check and clean all items including curtains and blinds, lift cushions, lift mattresses, move rugs, move furniture and clean underneath. If you have removed items from their original placing please return those items otherwise you could be charged for replacement. Balconies to be swept and iron work wiped down The following is a general guide to minimum costs for repair to damaged items Carpets - burn holes, iron marks or spillage marks from 50 Smoking in a property (strictly forbidden in a rented property) re-painting each room from 250.00 Wall repainting due to blu tack or other damage from 40.00 per wall Work surface damage in kitchen burn or knife marks from 100.00 plus labour Damage doors replacement from 150.00 Glass and double glazed units from 200.00 Repair to damaged lawns from 80.00 Condensation, How to Avoid it & How to Deal With it Condensation can be avoided by ventilating the property, opening windows when cooking or using the extractor hood, opening windows after showering or taking a bath or if your bathroom has an extractor, use it. Do put your windows on vent when you leave for work in the morning, especially in the bathroom and bedroom. Do not dry clothes near radiators and never put damp clothes on or near a storage heater as it is highly dangerous. There is always moisture in the air and it is worse in a cold or wet climate. Moisture will form around windows and on walls where the air becomes trapped. When this moisture hits an outside wall, mildew in the form of black spores will appear. The best way to remove these black marks is white vinegar. There are cleaning products that one can buy but I have found vinegar works best. If you do nothing about condensation and cause damage to the property you will be responsible for the cost of repair, replacement and or re-decorating of the affected area. 8
Garden Maintenance & Pets Garden and exterior areas to be clean, tidy and free from rubbish lawns must be cut and any weeds removed. Any garden items added during your stay such as BBQs swings must be removed. All rubbish/waste has been disposed of and bins put out for regular collection. Do not put rubbish in the bins and leave for the next tenant, rubbish must be removed prior to check out. For properties where pets are allowed and the lawn has been damaged by a cat or dog. Treatment can be obtained from your local garden centre to repair the damage. However this must be applied well in advance of vacating the property otherwise it is best to call in a professional gardener. A Guide to End of Tenancy Cleaning Costs The guide below has been put together by Brian Reeves (HomeClean) who offers a complete cleaning service. The guide gives you some idea of cleaning costs and it is always a good idea to get more than one quote. Do tell the cleaning company that it is an end of tenancy clean that is required of them. You must also tell them that if they do not clean to a good standard they will be asked to return to the property to put right any item that needs further cleaning. Do make sure that the cleaning company is insured especially if they clean curtains, blinds and upholstery. Otherwise you would be responsible for the cost of replacing those items should they be damaged. Some cleaning companies will remove the curtains/blinds and take them to the dry cleaners, a safer option. List of Local Contractors The local contractors I use are people that have either been recommended by my landlords or I have sought and tried their services myself. I have worked with some of these people since 2003 and they are trustworthy, reliable and in my opinion offer a good level of service. Some of them are listed here but if you do not find the service you want then please do email me and I will email you back the complete list. 9
Carpenter Rupert Clark 07793-713918 The Oven Man - Duncan McIver 01296-730409 mobile: 07963-581855 Home Clean Brian Reeves 07739-142526 Email: brian.reeves10@btinternet.com Carpets John Stockley 01296-770176 mobile: 07725-723579 Carpets Richard Funnel 01295-780909 mobile: 07813-333514 Electrician Keith Hall 07946-260284 Plumber Gas Safe Martin Woods 01295-271313 mobile 07801-289246 Email: mwplumbingandheating@fsmail.net Computer Problems Ian Cooper 01295-265081 Carpet sales John Day 01295251310 HomeClean is a full Service provision for all of your properties cleaning requirements. Property Type No of Hours Cost Carpets Windows Studio Apartment 4-6 60-90 35 Inc One Bedroom Apart 4-6 60-90 40 Inc Two Bedroom Apart 5-7 75-105 45 Inc One Bedroom House 5-7 75-105 50 Inc Two Bedroom House 6-8 90-120 60 Inc Three Bedroom House 7-9 105-135 70 Inc Larger Properties can be priced upon request. Typically these are large 5-6 bedroom properties with 2-3 bathrooms. From the listing above select your property type and add in your requirements. Please be advised that a call out fee applies, dependant upon the distance from our offices. Typically local area cost is 15, with Oxford 25 and Thame 35. Finally, you might find that you need extra cleaning needs such as curtain, bedding etc. These can be advised upon request. The prices shown above are indicative details and may vary upon your unique needs, and are subject to change from time to time. 10
Feed Back & Reward PW Properties is a little different from other letting agencies in that I offer tenants a personable service, I try to be as fair and transparent as possible and deliver a good service. Landlords, who have placed their properties with PW Properties or use the Tenant Introductory Service, have done so by way of recommendation from other landlords. The key here is service and that can always be improved and so your feedback is always appreciated If you are pleased with the service that I have offered then please do recommend me to your friends. If that recommendation leads to someone renting a property with PW Properties, then as way of saying thank you I will give you and your friend 30.00 of Marks & Spencer gift vouchers each. Landlords Are you looking for a better service from your letting agent? Are you looking for a personable, reliable and stress free service? Are you looking for a service that fits in with you and your business? Do you receive your rent within seven days of the due date? Are you offered a discount on your monthly service charge if you have more than one property? Are you able to use your own contractors such as a plumber that you know and trust? Do you always receive a copy of any maintenance invoice? Are you frequently updated on your property? Would you like to be able to speak to the same person who knows about your property and can answer your question each time you call? If someone has handed you this booklet and you can answer yes to two or more of the above then please do give me a call on 07866-541857 or 01295-253830. If you prefer to email the address is; pauline@pwproperties.co.uk. We can then arrange for me call on you at a convenient time for an informal chat. 11
About PW Properties I first became a landlord in 1993 in Brighton, East Sussex and my passion for property grew from there. I always moved to where my work took me, London, and then Kent. I started by having an agent manage my property but soon realised I could do better as the agent did not offer the level of customer service that I wanted. When an opportunity arose in 2002 to work for an estate agency in Banbury as a letting agent, my hobby became my employment. However it was obvious that the letting and property management side of that business took a back seat to the sale side of the business. Meaning that landlords were still getting a poor deal, poor customer service and this still happens today in sales and letting combined agencies. In 2003 with a colleague I started a company called The Property Hive, based in Deddington, Oxfordshire. We ran a very successful letting agency until my business colleague who for personal reasons moved away from Oxfordshire. Since 2006 I have worked on my own, based at home and offering the same level of service, if not more as was created with The Property Hive. I offer the same level of service to landlords and tenants. We are all on first name terms and some have become friends. I only manage up to thirty properties at any given time as to go above this would detract from the level of service that I aim to offer. The level of managed properties always rises in winter as I offer holiday cover to landlords who are out of the country. My services and costs are displayed on my web site as it is my way of being as transparent as possible. However, being a landlord I know from experience that I want to be able to choose what I want and how I want my property managed. For that reason my property services are not set in stone and I adapt a property service to fit with what you want. 12