- Can I tell you something in confidence ?
We treat as confidential, all conversations which students ask or we consider to be confidential. However, do bear in mind that some revelations once known create a legal obligation upon us to act or re-convey information. E.g. you tell me you are pregnant and are leaving but ask that for now we do not tell the other student housemates. The difficulty here is that some of the information you are communicating affects your other house-mates - our tenants! Were it to later transpire that we knew something which materially affected the house-mates and our agreement with them but failed to communicate this, then we ourselves can become embroiled in any blameworthy action or inaction. To answer your question we will not tell the others you are pregnant but we may be contractually obliged to advise that you are leaving. Transparency and confidentiality are both good in isolation, but together, can conflict.
You might ask us a question or wish to discuss an issue which has implications for all sharing house-mates. We may reply by distribution e-mail to your specific group of joint student tenants. Our reply may provide a point by point discussion on each aspect of your query. Thus everyone is aware of our policy and your concern. You may have a major issue with a topic about which your joint house-mates consider trivial. So a reply e-mail may include a carbon-copy (C.c...) to all house-mates. This helps to establish the full nature and extent of any grievance and elicits whether yours is an isolated concern, or one affecting all your house-mates. Students can thus feel confident we do take your concerns very seriously in any event. Student responses help shape our policies to reflect the majority student view. Establishing this occasionally means sharing what may be your private view, with your joint house-mates. Comments added to our web-site e.g.Student Commentsare always kept anonymous revealing initials only, unless those contributing permit or invite us to name in full.
- Can I have a reference for my future, Employer, Bank, Landlord, Mortgage Lender, Character reference, etc.
Yes we are always happy to oblige. We keep records for several years and regularly oblige in this way.
- Can I have a reference but please do not say anything out my arrears, noise, damage, other?
Our mission statement claims, "Leydon Letting aims to provide quality student accommodation with integrity." Although the word integrity comes last it is nevertheless first in our ethos. We cannot be true to our claim if we convey a dishonest reference. Were we to do this, even once, then this could be detrimental to any future reference provided for worthy tenants with no arrears etc, since it could not be relied upon as trustworthy. We consciously try never to give a reference which may be harmful to you, so if asked something which would harm your prospects, we may simply decline to comment and leave it to the reference recipient to form their own conclusions. Our AWARDS are an automatic way of securing a glowing reference as this is something we provide our best student tenants with for eight categories of good conduct. Canterbury Landlord Forums (where landlords meet to discuss common issues and new legislation) do have their own private shared registers of tenants known to have a history of poor conduct. If you have behaved badly and you leave Canterbury owing rent it is possible to find your name on this register. Similarly if tenant cases goes to court for non payment they are likely to have their name entered on a County Court Register of Judgments - CCJ. This can make it very difficult to secure a job, housing, loan etc., until the debt has been repaid.
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PROPERTY INFORMATION |
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How big are the bedrooms?
Minimum size of room is 6.5 sq.m.
- Do you only let double rooms with double beds to couples?
At the time of writing we have no couples, although a number of houses would be eminently suitable. Within a shared house we only accept couples if we are confident they will live in harmony with the whole group.
- You have an 8 bedroom house; we need an 8 bedroom house - why do you only let the house to six people?
Even where we have 7-8 bedroom houses we do not let to more than six people. Where there are extra rooms we let two rooms to one or more student tenants for roughly a single rent. If you are a group of seven or more you may find this disappointing. Planning and environmental restrictions do not make more than six occupants viable. There are very few landlords in Canterbury who let to more than six people.
- My room is the only one without an en-suite, why didn't you just fit one in every room during the original renovation?
The good news is that the more en-suites there are the less traffic in the communal bathrooms, so everyone benefits. Having some en-suites avoids queues of crossed legged students outside the bathroom door 10 minutes before the 9am deadline to hand in a college assignment. We do have one house with more bathrooms than its six bedrooms but this is not the norm. The cost of maintaining en-suites is very expensive with the need to replace shower units from time to time, repair occasional leaks and replace defective components makes it impractical to have one in every bedroom of every house.
- I had an en-suite whilst in halls of residence and I have got used to this. What amenities do Leydon lettings provide? This is best described on our link Criteria Search and Stats
100% of all bedroom doors have a 3 lever mortise lock.
- Will we have to draw straws for the box room?
All our box rooms have now been enlarged - so no one gets, "the box room".
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RENT |
- How much per room?
Full En-suite bedrooms are priced from around £95 per week. Non en-suite bedrooms are normally priced about £85 per week, depending on proximity to college and room size.
- Do double-bed-rooms cost more than single beds?
We do not charge on the basis of the bed but the rooms and house as a whole. Should you wish to share then an additional charge would be made - normally 50% of the original recommended room rent added for the shared room. Within a house occupied by joint tenants you are all free to re allocate which tenant occupies each room and at any price you agree between yourselves, so long as the overall rent is paid i.e. the sum of the total is the total of the sum!
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What happens if you discover we have or had non paying guests - I am worried that I may be implicated by my housemates dishonesty?
This answer is provided in your contract as follows: Pay for any guests at the rate of 50% above the guide rent and bills recommended for each room which is shared by more than one person not named on the tenancy agreement. Where it is retrospectively discovered that guests have been resident but have not paid rent and bills then the cost will be added to the original tenant's rent liability and in the absence of an earlier notified date the cost will be back dated to the start of the tenancy.
- Do you price rooms individually or is it the same for each room?
We suggest a price for each room reflecting many differentials between rooms. We feel this is the fairest way, albeit more time consuming and costly to administer varying rents. En-suites currently cost around £90 pw. Our smallest rooms measure at least 6.5sqm. Double beds are so popular we provide them as an added bonus for one rather than necessity for two. Likewise double kitchens, double ovens, double showers (seriously!) within the same cubicle (in case of breakdown), double en-suites in most houses (i.e. a bedroom with a private en-suite: shower sink and toilet; and another bedroom with the same again for a separate second bedroom), even occasionally double conservatories. So the overall room rents will reflect the amenities enjoyed by all occupants.
- When is my first rent payment due?
Rent is payable quarterly in advance on 1st June, 1st October, 1st January and 1st April. If you cannot provide a suitable guarantor, rent is payable annually in advance. Where rent is paid annually the security deposit is reduced.
- Do we pay full, half or no rent during the summer when we are absent?
The simplest way to answer this fully is by explaining what Leydon lettings have named "the ten-eleven-twelve rule". Roughly speaking student tenants reside for 10 months, pay for around 11 months for every 12 month tenancy. Rent for the months of July and August is reduced by 25% provided you are not residing in the property. If you take up residence during this period rent and bills become payable in full from the date you move in. We charge full rent over the summer for some of the most popular houses. Since most of our normal houses fit the description of a hotel we could charge full rent on all our houses.
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R. wrote: I feel uncomfortable in that we are paying you our first quarters rent for July, August and September [prior to occupation] yet you are able to let the house to others [during our absence]. R. - June 2007 - Resident for academic year 2007-9
Bob Leydon replied: Hi R. Some houses are full rent others reduced rent July and August. If reduced summer rent we try to mitigate our loss by letting to others during summer vacation. I do understand why you might feel it unjust for us to receive rent from others at the same time as receiving rent from your group. The fact is, whilst we are happy with less than 12 months rent, we would ideally like to charge 12 months rent and not need to find summer rents to make up the loss. This option of full rent and occupation is still available to you if you wish - but you need to inform us quickly. We are in business to make a profit over twelve months of the year and our price structure reflects the additional features you enjoy - e.g. double kitchen, two en-suites and a period lounge with feature fireplace. These features would simply not be commercially or financially viable if we did not make best use of our resources, for which many have praised us. No one questions it when colleges turf out students and deny them the ability to leave possessions over the summer and let their halls to conference groups (we lock any stored possessions in one vacant room during your vacation). Your house is in a prime location, for which we pay a disproportionately high premium, thus your rent for less than 12 months would otherwise be inadequate. Yours is one of our most popular houses. We have accepted you and turned down many others who would have been happy with our discounted summer rent. Our reasoning is set out in your signed contract as follows:
p.2 ABSENCE ... [most houses] the landlord will normally grant a reduced rent for a two month period for 25% less than the normal rent provided the student tenant is absent for the two months of July and August during the normal summer vacation. In other words - where the tenant is present during the summer vacation there is no such reduction.
As I said at the outset I agree it does initially appear unfair but when explained I hope you agree with our reasoning.
R. replied: Thanks for the reply, you're right that after thinking about it with more depth as you explained it does not seem as unfair.
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If you are a studeet returning tenant for a further year you do not need to remove your possessions over the summer to enable holiday letting. We do not let continuing student tenants' houses over the summer to holiday makers.
- I was thinking of moving in a little earlier this summer like the beginning of August. Do i have to pay anything extra for it or is it included in the rent???
Because you pay full rent throughout the summer and you are continuing for a second year, you are free to come and go as you please. However, we do not charge for bills if you are absent, so if your are present there will be an additional charge to reflect this. You do need to let us know you are present since tradesmen carry out summer maintenance and may appear if they are not expecting occupants.
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There are lots of ways to find the answer to your question: a)on our web site b) see the guide calculation on your contract. Some prefer one way others another depending on how your mind calculates information. The easiest answer should be in your contract on the guide calculation page.
This page shows columns reflecting the calculations for each room.
If you paid advanced rent of £325 this will be deducted from your first quarter dated July but payable on 1June.
There are 4 quarters and the first quarter is normally a lower amount than the subsequent 3 quarters.
You can also see our newly introduced tables - Rent Bills Ready Reckoner http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/Rentcalculateguide.html
- Can I pay my rent weekly or monthly?
We do require all student housemates to pay quarterly in line with Student loan release dates . Students loans are paid quarterly and it therefore makes sense. In exceptional circumstances we may agree to monthly payments, but this is at the discretion of Leydon Lettings.
- How do I pay my rent?
Rent is payable quarterly by standing order. Leydon Lettings will normally help you set this up when you sign the contract. A standing order is a request made by you to your bank, asking them to pay your quarterly rent payments into Leydon Lettings account on the specific dates stated on the form. Your standing order is set up and controlled by you. We have no authority to liaise with your bank if your rent is not transferred to us; in such a case you will need to contact your bank. For more information on how to make payments and for Leydon Lettings account details please go to our payments page.
- Will you collect my rent from me?
We do not collect rent. Rent is normally payable quarterly by standing order. If you need to make a payment or your standing order fails, please make a direct payment or bank transfer into our account. Our account details are in the 'payments' section on this website.
- Why is my monthly rent more than four weeks rent?
Avoid multiplying your weekly rent by 4 as this is only a lunar month – i.e. this is only a quick approximate guide. There are not 4 weeks in a calendar month. Instead multiply your weekly rent by 52 weeks (i.e. a year), then divide the total by 12 months. This equals your calendar monthly rent. The monthly rent is then normally multiplied by 11 months to reflect two months payable at only half rent during July and August. Avoid mistakenly thinking you are paying 12 months instead of 11 months. You only calculate on the basis of 12 months - one year - in order to determine the value of one twelfth i.e. one calendar month.
- Our contract begins on 1st July, so why is the first quarter's rent due on 1st June?
Both dates are relevant but the 1st of June is the date on the second page of your contract when payment is actually due with regard to the quarter commencing 1 July 2007. This is an advanced payment and reflects the difficulty we have in collecting rents if left to 1 July due to most students having already left Canterbury and may be in another country on holiday.
When a first payment fails to arrive this is the first indication we have that a student may not be returning or has dropped out. The earlier we can establish this then the less likely there will be a void in the occupancy - hence 1st June. Previously when we requested payment in July a late payment left too little time to establish whether a student would be returning and that a replacement student tenant needed to be found very quickly - this caused us a lot of administrative nightmares trying to trace unavailable students who appeared increasingly unlikely to arrive in September by which time it could be too late to find a suitable replacement particularly after term has started when most students have found accommodation and have settled. We found the solution to this problem was to ensure that the first payment is made prior to students departing rather than prior to their returning. The good news is that the second payment is not made until October - four months after the first payment in June! Some landlords require the first payment to be made in May.
- I paid £325 advanced rent in January when I reserved the house so why do I pay more in June? See student life cycle for calendar logic.
You paid a contribution towards the first quarter's rent. It is only the balance you need to pay on 1 June. E.g. say your first quarterly rent is £700; if you paid £325 towards this then the outstanding balance due in June will be £700 less the £325 advanced rent = £375 still to pay see guide to rent calculations page identify your rent per week in green and then your quarterly rent each
- Why should I pay a late payment fee?
There are exceptions, e.g. if your rent is in line with your Student loan release dates as agreed you will not pay a late fee. Otherwise late payments are disproportionally expensive in time to handle. Not only do we have to identify late payers, we then have to isolate them and chase the payment. This can involve a series of dialog as to the reason for the late payment and for an explanation of when the account will be brought up to date. Finally when a tenant makes a payment we receive a further request to confirm receipt of the payment even before the payment has cleared, so we take further time to reply, "your payment has not yet cleared into our account". Ironically the minority of late payments take far longer to process than the majority of timely payments. The late payment charge does not actually cover our loss of time but merely acts as a deterrent to those who may otherwise prioritise e.g. Christmas shopping over rent. Late payments are so costly we provide a positive incentive for you to do what our contract legally demands anyway; by rewarding AWARDS the best payers with £50 at the end of each student year, see also the next question on late payment.
- Sorry I am late to pay my rent, it was deposited into your account today, can you confirm you have received it?
It may be impossible for us to confirm the same day since bank transfers can take up to 4 days to clear in the UK, and longer from other countries. We download batches of payments from our bank when payments are expected at agreed dates. If you pay late you may need to wait, firstly for your payment to clear, and then for us to check with our bank, and then to update our files and communicate your payment. Payments made on the agreed dates are really simple to process as a batch of payments. Out of sequence a single payment takes disproportionally longer to process. It is time consuming so you may have to wait longer for confirmation. We will keep an eye open for your payment, provided it has your specific payment reference, we can match your payment to your account and confirm receipt.
- What is my 'payment reference'?
Your reference includes 3 parts: a)your surname and initial e.g. T. Smith, b)your house initials e.g. 1 College Road = 1CR, c)your room number 1,2,3,4,5 or 6. This means anyone can work out their own reference: T Smith / 1CR/3. Even if we have three people with the same name they are very unlikely to share the same house initials and room numbers so we can distinguish between each payment.
- I made a payment on time but I forgot to include the reference. Can you confirm you have received it. My rent is £77pw.
Without a reference it may take longer via the process of elimination, to establish which of the unreferenced payments is yours.
Most rents are £77pw so it is not easy to isolate yours from the other unreferenced payments. You would not want us to allocate your payment to someone else! We will therefore need specific information to help us to identify any payment as yours:
Please provide the:
Account holders name as on the statement or card of the payer: e.g. Ms A Jones
Amount of your payment,
Date of your payment,
Bank name from which your payment was made, e.g., Barclays Bank, Abbey Bank, HSBC Bank, Halifax Bank, etc.,
Bank Address from which the payment was made or the City, Town or Village if unsure of exact address
Bank account number this is normally an 8 digit number 00000001
Bank sort code this is normally a 6 digit number e.g. 00-00-01.
Payment method, e.g. cash; cheque; standing Order; direct transfer online banking; direct transfer at your bank branch; other.
E.g. "I went into my bank with a fistful of cash and asked the teller to pay it directly into Leydon Lettings account using the payments pagePaymentson your website - I made sure I kept the receipt!"
With this information your payment will eventually become identifiable.
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BILLS |
- Are utility bills included in the rent?
Bills are not included in the rent but we do offer a bills package See Bills Package. Any liability for council tax is the tenant’s responsibility. Full time students are normally exempt from council tax provided they submit council tax exemption forms to Canterbury City Council - forms are available on request from university colleges.
- How much are utility bills?
This varies from house and season and number of occupants as well as the efficiency of the central heating system. At a huge cost 92.59% of all our heating boilers have been completely replaced with new energy efficient boilers since 2003. If you opt for our bills package you pay a fee of £See Bills Package per week for all the utilities including:
- Incoming telephone line
- Gas
- Electricity
- Water
- Sewage
- Do we pay bills during the summer?
Currently it is not our policy to charge students for utility bills during the summer vacation if you are absent.
- Do we get compensation or a discount on bills for an interruption in any of the services?
It is unlikely. We organize the various utilities for you to make life easier for you and us - we do not actually provide the service. In the event that we do agree to compensation, the amount will never exceed the actual cost of the service interrupted and will not include damage caused, except in the case of our negligence. Tenants must insure their own contents, including frozen food. We do not accept damage to, for example, a computer in the event of a power failure.
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COUNCIL TAX |
- Is council tax included in the rent?
No. If all the residents are students then the house is normally said to have "student exempt status". No payment is required. The City Council will require each house mate to provide evidence from a college that all the residents letting a house are full time qualifying students, before granting exemption.
- How do we get student council tax exemption?
You need to contact your universities and ask them to issue you a council tax exemption certificate. Your certificate should be posted to: Canterbury City Council, Military Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1YW. Exempt Council Tax Verification at UKC
For more information from Canterbury City Council and links to university application forms click here.
- How much is Council Tax?
On average Council Tax is around £1000 per year. Students are normally exempt provided the council received every tenants student council tax exemption form (see above).
- Why might I not qualify for council tax exemption?
You do not qualify if you are not in full time education. If you are a part time student you do not qualify for council tax exemption. If your course if full time for 6 months and then part time you also may not qualify. Visitwww.canterbury.gov.uk for more information.
- What do we do about council tax if some of our group are professionals?
If you have one or more professionals in your group but the rest are students the whole house becomes liable for council tax. As joint tenants it is your responsibility to pay this and the council will contact you regarding payment. If there is only one professional in the house and the rest of the group are students the professional can apply for a discount of 25%. It is likely the city council will require the non student to pay and currently this could amount to about £100 per month for one professional less 25% discount - £75pm. alternatively, if there are more than one student then the £100 per month would be shared equally between all the non-students. The students may still be exempt but the house would lose it's "student exempt status".
- Is my deposit protected under the TDPS Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme rules effective from 6 April 2007?
When you reserve a house if we consider it necessary to protect our interests we may in rare instances require you to pay a 'holding deposit' - this is not protected under the TDPS. In the unlikely event we consider it necessary to hold a deposit then once you sign a contract with Leydon Lettings this deposit if linked to an AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy) it (any AST deposit) is converted into a refundable security deposit protected under the scheme. Advanced rent is not the same as a deposit because deposits are returnable whereas rent is not since it is consumed in exchange for your accommodation.
- What is the holding deposit for?
When a prospective tenant pays a holding deposit and a landlord accepts it to secure a house, a mini-legally binding agreement is formed. The landlord must hold the house for you until you sign the agreement subject to the terms of the holding deposit. In other words upon accepting your holding deposit Leydon Lettings agree to be legally bound to let the house to your group and no other. You have bought our promise to keep the house for you. Leydon lettings will not later accept a better offer from other tenants after accepting your holding deposit. If you change your mind after confirming you wish to reserve a house then you break this mini agreement, and you may have prevented others from securing the house instead. You will also cause the landlord additional administrative time and costs to find suitable replacements possibly after the main season for letting has passed. If you break your part of the agreement you could lose your holding deposit - so you must not take this decision lightly!
There is approximately a two week window from late November to early December and then say from say the 10th to the 24th of January when most students view and secure a house for the following academic year - although we accept bookings at any time. Should you drop out after the main season for viewing has passed, then the landlord will incur additional advertising costs in finding replacement tenants and may have to accept tenants who are less than suitable in order to secure a booking. It is Leydonlettings experience that student tenants who reserve early during the viewing season are most likely to pay rent on time - and the reverse; when a tenant drops out towards the end of the peak viewing season the landlord loses this huge commercial advantage.
- What is the Security deposit for?
If you select a house where a deposit is required; the security deposit is held as insurance in case you fail to meet your commitments after agreeing to accept the property . The holding deposit is £325 per person and this simply converts to the security deposit at the point of signing the agreement. So no additional amount is actually paid by the tenant to the landlord prior to signing the tenancy agreement. At the end of the tenancy, if the tenant has paid all bills and left the house in its original condition, allowing for normal wear and tear, the security deposit is returned in full within 10 days of the tenancy determination date and the entire house being vacated and the inventory agreed in writing and keys returned. Delays in returning the deposit can occur if significant damage is caused to the house and contents or if left unclean. We first have to assess the cost of any damage and cleaning and deduct this from the security deposit. This deposit therefore evolves and covers a. the holding doposit until b. it becomes a security deposit. The security deposit protects the landlord against any liabilities for which the tenant is responsible e.g. non payments of rent bills and the cost of any damage.
Should a tenant under an AST wish to dispute any proposed reduction then the disputed amount is automatically sent to the TDSL administrators together with supporting evidence to determine the validity and reasonableness of any claim or counterclaim after hearing from both landlord and tenant. These are reasonable independent adjudicators whose decision is final and binding on both tenant and landlord.
Security deposits must be paid by all group members within the same 14 day period to avoid additional administration costs charged to the landlord where deposits are received outside this 14 day period. It is thus important that all housemates pay within the 14 day period. If the landlord perceived that this deadline may not be met he may have to register the deposits separately at additional registration costs in order not to fall foul of the 14 day deadline.
It is Leydon Lettings’ view that after a week to ten days the deposit should be registered to avoid risk of non compliance with the rules - registering on the 14th day is too risky in the event of computer or postal delays. So it is more important than ever for groups to organise deposits prior to viewing to avoid additional costs of around £30 per person! Failure to include our reference to identify your security deposit via bank-transfer could result in delays in registering your deposit!
- How is my deposit held or protected?
If your house is one requiring a deposit under an AST agreement. When reserving a property it may be secured with a holding deposit of £325 which may not be refundable if you simply change your mind and do not proceed to either sign the contract or drop out. We will turn away others in favour of you on the strength of the holding deposit. This holding deposit then converts to a refundable security deposit of £325 from the date of signing the contract and is refunded at the end of the tenancy in accordance with TDSL rules. From 6th April 2007 under the terms of any scheme to which the landlord is affiliated in accordance with any legislation the deposit will be protected. Currently Leydon Lettings is bound by the rules of TDSL - TENANCY DEPOSIT SOLUTIONS LIMITED. Our Membership Number is: 10016065.
- How much is the administration fee?
The administration fee is £125 per person.
- What is the administration fee for? See a separate page dedicated to this topic:
http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/rebookingadminfees.html
- How do we know you will return our security deposit? Our last landlord made an excuse not to pay us!
Most tenants are more careful with our properties having paid a security deposit. We want to return it to you in full and on time as soon as we have ensured that you have paid all your bills and left the property as provided to the first of your group to arrive or as subsequently enhanced in any way. We expect normal wear and tear. We also offer a discount scheme to reduce what you pay as a deposit. Be sure to ask! As of 6 April 2007 the rules regulating deposits changed via the TDS - Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Leydon Lettings registered to confirm our desire to become part of the scheme during the first week of the new rules being announced during 2006 ahead of legislation in 2007. Leydon lettings abide by the rules designed to protect tenant's deposits.
- When do we get our deposit back following the end of the tenancy?
Much of any damage to a house is said to occur during the entry and exit of a tenancy. Therefore the house must be empty and the keys returned prior to the inventory being checked at the end of the tenancy. Deposits will be returned within 10 days of both tenant and landlord signing the inventory.
- What happens if I pay my security deposit (if requested) and then I fail my exams so that I cannot return next year?
If you are one of the few required to pay a deposit then as soon as you discover you have failed tell us. The earlier you inform us that you are unable to take up residence the more likely we are to be able to find a replacement for you thereby mitigating your loss. Provided your accommodation is filled by another student before the tenancy was due to begin we have always been able to find a substitute tenant and thus we are able to return your deposit less any costs to find a new tenant, e.g. advertising. When you find a new tenant the responsibility is still yours but this is mitigated by payments received from the new occupant once they have signed a contract with us and paid the rent. If a replacement student is not found you remain responsible for rent and the landlord is entitled to claim any loss from you or your guarantor as a last resort. If we have to find a replacementstudent for you, we may charge for any advertising and administration involved. Fortunately Leydon Lettings houses are well above average standards and are more likely to be re-occupied quickly. If you find a suitable replacement yourself, then providing the new tenant pays the admin fee you will not have to pay it a second time - it is inadvisable to add the cost of an admin fee to the new person. It is more difficult to find a student tenant during term time as most students will then be settled, it may even be necessary to reduce the rent to attract a suitable tenant for the remainder of the academic year to reduce the overall loss - any such loss would normally be born by the student tenant leaving early. In the unlikely event Leydon Lettings is unable to find a student tenant it may be necessary to let your house to non-students in order to reduce your loss, this is likely to give rise to a liability to council tax which may have implications for all the occupants as the house will lose its student exempt status - albeit there is likely to be a 25% CT discount (if only one non student resides and no discount where two reside) for the duration of the remaining tenancy - calculated daily. Any such losses would be born by the tenants. There may also be legal costs e.g. for a deed of assignment when co-opting a new member into an existing group of housemates.
- If we stay another year do we have to pay another security deposit and administration fee?
http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/rebookingadminfees.html
- I am due to pay my first installment of rent on 1st June, however, I was wondering if I am able to postpone my rent on the 6th instead of the 1st?You will need to contact your bank and ask them to postpone the payment. Your bank will not accept any instruction from Leydon Lettings because it is a standing order (not a direct debit). Only the account holder can request an alteration to a standing order.
- I have changed my bank details (not the same as provided on the standing order for rent payments). Do I need to send you my new bank details?
You have a standing order which means only you can speak to your bank about any alterations. If you are with the same bank ask for the details to be transferred to the relevant account within the same bank. If you are with a new bank you will need to set up a new Standing Order form see our form STANDING ORDER FORM
- My Student loan is late can you collect the money later? Leydon Lettings assists with the setting up of standing orders at the outset and tries to dovetail Student loan release dates to match standing order payment dates. You will need to contact your bank and ask them to postpone the payment. Your bank will not accept any instructions from Leydon Lettings because it is a standing order (not a direct debit). Only the account holder can request an alteration to a standing order. See vary payments
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TENANCY AGREEMENT |
- Do all our housemates have to be present to sign the contract?
With few exceptions, because you are signing a joint contract all housemates need to sign ideally at the same time on the same day with the landlord. If you are on single tenancy this creates problems with TV licensing and council tax. TV licensing requires every tenant with a television in their bedroom to have their own private license if they are on a single tenancy. However on a joint tenancy students may each have a television in their bedrooms with only one TV license (provided by the tenants unless otherwise stated) which will cover the whole 'single household' i.e. your whole house. It is possible to sign a contract at separate times and places but this may require the involvement of the tenants solicitors and their costs. There are two ways to do this and require advanced notice but both are more complicated than a group signing on the same appointment, Where tenants sign on separate dates (which must be well before the tenancy commences) tenants will not receive their copy of the contract until the last to sign has signed all copies of the contract. By agreement the last to sign will normally take all the tenants contracts and provide one each to each student housemate tenant.
- How long does it take to sign the contract?
The contract takes around 30 minutes to an hour to sign depending on the size of your group and whether everyone has provided the required details and forms. Invariably questions arise most of which are answered in FAQs. We allow an hour and a half between appointments just in case you have not read the FAQs or wish to discuss matters not provided in the FAQs.
- What information do studnets have to provide before signing the contract?
The following information and forms need to be completed before contract signing:
1. Pre-contract tenant details found on the back page of the contract. Students complete all details and return by email in advance of signing the contract.
2. Bank details for standing order form. If a student parent is paying rent please ask them to complete, sign and return the standing order form before contract signing.
3. Parental guarantee form signed by your chosen guarantor (usually a parent)
4. Room allocation - email Leydon Lettings with details of which bedroom each person is having. If you do not know the room number describe where the bedroom is in the house - this is also important for room key allocation later.
5. Photocopies of every student housemate's student ID cards (ideally on one sheet of A4) - visit the copy room together and save money or scan and email!
- How long does the Tenancy Agreement last?
Normally from 1 July in any year to 28 June the following year. Occasionally nursing students, Erasmus students, Masters students and Doctorate students have differing academic years which we can sometimes accommodate providing this does not overlap traditional student residency dates for the academic year September to June.
- What is a Tenancy Agreement?
A contract is a general agreement which may include a tenancy agreement. An agreement is not legally binding unless is is a contract. A contract cannot exist in law unless it comprises three essential elements: offer, acceptance and consideration - i.e. payment. The purchase of a newspaper may involve no words, merely actions signifying the intention to buy e.g. the placing of coins on a counter and the removal of the paper. This is a contract. The shopkeeper is no more entitled to the return of the paper any more than the purchaser the coins.
A Tenancy Agreement is a more specific agreement between a landlord and the tenants of a property. This sets out the specific terms and conditions of the tenancy clearly so that all parties have a legal copy of what they are agreeing to. It is important to read this carefully before agreeing to enter a contract as both the landlord and the tenants are binding themselves. Most of the terms refer to common courtesy and consideration issues - the main terms concern the address of the student property, admin fee, rent, duration of the agreement and the return of deposits if required. Deposits are now only rarely required.
- What happens if students want to leave during the academic year or before the tenancy agreement expires?
You are responsible for the rent for the duration of your tenancy agreement (Normally 1st July - 28th June the following year). However if you cannot continue your tenancy, provided you find a replacement to take over your room and rent, then liability will normally be passed to the replacement tenant when a prospective tenant signs an agreement to take over your tenancy. http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/leaving.html
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GUARANTORS |
Why do we need SURETIES or PARENTAL GUARANTORS?
Students seldom have a history upon which to rely for statistical risk. Leydon Lettings is handing you the keys to a valuable house. In some instances a tenant could owe more in rent or bills than the value of the deposit. In this instance we could not rely on the deposit to protect our interests. We could instead approach the GUARANTOR and ask them to pay. Because tenants are more loyal to their parents than to a landlord they are unlikely to allow this embarrassing situation to arise.
Where we let a 5 bed house to five tenants we require parents to be liable for only one fifth of the total rent and bills regardless of the recommended room rent which the tenants are free to adjust between themselves. By limiting each parent’s liability to only one fifth you will never pay more then your child’s share of liability. So if say the rent amounts to £2000 per month then a parent's exposure would not exceed £2000 / 5 = £400 per month. Should another parent not pay their fifth we will not ask the remaining parents to pay instead.
In the event of a claim we would first approach the tenant in debt, then the parent of the child in debt, then all the tenants jointly and severally.
- I am too old to ask my parents to be guarantors!
Without a guarantor Leydon Lettings has very little protection if you do not pay your rent and bills or if you were to damage the house. However if students pay the whole years rent in advance leydon lettings may agree to waive the guarantee as our risk is much reduced by this. You may also be entitled to one or more of our early payment discounts!
- Who can be my guarantor?
Guarantors must be resident in the UK and are usually parents and home owners. If your parents are unable or unsuitable to act as guarantors another family member or friend in a responsible position may be chosen. An unemployed relative is unlikely to be suitable. Alternatively by paying all rent and bills for the year in advance, a guarantor may not be required and you also get a discount (see discounts).
- When can we move in?
Normally students move in during September but you can move in anytime after 4pm on 1st July. If you want to move in before September you must inform Leydon Lettings of the date and time you want to move in, preferably at least two months in advance - do note that we are entitled in consideration for allowing half rent as per your agreement to let your house during the summer vacation period to optimise rent, so if you apply to reside over the summer too late, we may have to say no or provide alternative accommodation for you. If you would prefer we did not let to others during your absence, or if you wish to remain over the summer, you have the option to pay full rent.
- Can we leave our possessions over vacations
Where groups or individuals leave early we are very happy to permit future studnet tenants to leave possessions at their own risk. Yes you can leave your things. Any possessions you leave will be locked away in one room until your return (alternatively self storage is also available commercially). The remaining rooms may be made available to holiday makers or occupiers during July and August. 2008 Canterbury hosts the Lambeth Conference and we are likely to be fully booked during the summer - therefore you need to book early if you wish to reside either as a current or summer tenant. You should ensure you have adequate insurance. Click to the links page of our website for details of insurers and other related matters.
- You agreed we could leave our possessions before the previous tenancy expired. Unfortunately the house was not cleaned at that point. Subsequently, because our possessions were present when the cleaners arrived, they were unable to clean certain areas of the house. Surely we cannot be expected to clean the previous groups mess?
Please note, outgoing students should leave the house clean and ready to occupy. However, if as a concession the landlord and previous tenants agree to you leaving your things during their contract; we are unlikely to be able to properly inspect and rectify the standard of cleaning if your possessions are in a room prior to official check out!
Where this happens you would not be entitled to later complain that the house was not sufficiently clean since it was our concession and your possessions which prevented checking and cleaning. Thus you would still be required to leave it clean at the end of your tenancy. If you are happy then on this basis subject to current tenants agreeing we are very happy for you to leave your possessions prior to your tenancy commencement date.
- Can you assure me that having cleaned the house today that I will not be charged for the mess left by the others, they are not leaving for another two weeks, at the end of the tenancy."I promised Mr Leydon at the start I would ensure the house would be left clean as we found it". The other tenants have done little or no cleaning.
This is always an emotive subject. The problem is you have a joint tenancy and it is too complicated for us as landlord to police how you live during your tenancy. You need to discuss this with your fellow housemates and encourage them to clean up in time for the final inspection.
- Can you come and inspect my room today, unlike the other house mates, I am leaving before the end of this month but the others are all leaving on different dates during this month.
It is not reasonable to expect a visit for a non emergency on the same day as requested. Further we only do one final inspection of the whole house not a series of inspections as and when students leave - this would add to our administration costs. We do however provide on our website a clear indication of the standard of cleaning expected. Cleaning
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See the topic rubbish. Should you leave possessions after you vacate the house we will attempt to inform you and ultimately remove the things left behind. There may be a charge to remove items even if you think the next group will benefit from you leaving them. This is because it involves disproportional admin time to establish whether possessions are abandoned, 'donated' or forgotten and we may not agree that the items 'donated' are worthy of keeping, examples of discarded items include TVs, computer monitor, printer, bicycles, or food. Never, ever leave food! Think about it! Would you eat someone else's abandoned food, even if apparently unopened? It can attract ants, flies and rodents AT ANY TIME. During the summer when it is hot it is likely to create an unbearable smell. Fridges and freezers are switched off for cleaning. Do not leave food in bins either flies can get in and lay eggs causing an infestation.
Rarely will incoming tenants appreciate these donations. Take them with you please or give them to a charity shop. Likewise cardboard boxes full of recycled glass left in the rain - the cardboard box collapses when picked up, resulting in broken glass and cut fingers. Landlords do not have time to visit the bottle bank and then individually push each tenant’s bottle into the hole in the side of the bottle bank. Tenants must do this themselves each time they shop to avoid them accumulating in the garden. Similarly, rubbish bags left behind - upon your arrival there should be no rubbish; likewise upon your departure. Landlords cannot be expected to take out your wheelie bin on the appointed day. Any rubbish should be disposed of before you leave and any remaining rubbish taken with you. You may de charged for the removal of rodents and maggots for leaving the cause of them.
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Do we need permission to stay during the simmer?
This depends on whether your contract provides that you already pay full rent if you pay full rent you are entitled to move in without permission but you will need to tell us in good time when you propose to arrive particularly if you wish to arrive just as the previous group are leaving.
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My contract says I pay full rent during July & August. Does it cost more to stay during the summer ?
If your agreement states you pay full rent during the summer there is no additional rent to pay to stay during any vacations. However, you will be required to pay full bills which you would not normally pay were you absent during July and August.
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My contract says I pay half rent during July & August. Does it cost more to stay during the summer ?
If you pay half rent you are not entitled to remain during the summer. However if you are willing to pay full rent and bills then you can remain provided you provide adequate notice. In the event you book too late your house may be reserved by holiday makers or due for renovation. If this were to happen we would attempt to find you alternative accommodation temporarily until your house is vacant or ready to occupy.
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How do I get into the house when I return in September?
We will normally email you on your home and college email addresses to remind you to to confirm the day and time you plan to arrive. Please arrange between yourselves who will be the first to arrive and inform us of this. We will arrange to meet the first housemates to arrive at the house and open the entrance door. All the room keys will be in the bedroom door locks (usually on the inside of the door) with the front door key attached. The first to arrive will enable access to the second etc. Should the second or subsequent arrivals be unable to gain access via earlier arrivals just ring and we will attend to open up. You may need to wait if you arrive at the same time as other students in other houses.
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TENANT SECURITY |
- How do we know you are a reputable landlord
We work in harmony with other organizations. We consult with City Council (Planning; Building Control and Housing) as regards Health and safety regulations and compliance with HMO rules. We have been letting properties for around two decades. We are recognized as pioneers raising the standards of student accommodation. See Testimonials for specific comments http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/student comments. All our student accommodation is Registered with Canterbury City Council as Houses in Multiple occupancy (HMO), whilst our three storey student HMO properties in Canterbury already complied with Selective Licensing legislation prior to its introduction in 2006 e.g. our houses to rent in Regency Place Canterbury CT1 1YS. Leydon Lettings is a member of: The National Landlords Association NLA; The National Federation of Residential Landlords NFRL - formerly Southern Private Landlords Association SPLA; The Residential Landlords association RLA and as a private Landlord is: Canterbury City Council, licensed to provide accommodation for students in Canterbury. Leydon Lettings was one of the first landlords to be accredited prior to the official launch of the accreditation scheme in December 2006. www.canterburystudenthousing.org.uk
- What happens if we lose our keys?
We keep spare keys for emergencies. We do not enter your house or rooms without your permission! A charge may be made reflecting the cost of callouts and key-cutting and in extreme situations lock replacement. Many locksmiths charge from around £60 to over £100 for callouts depending on day, evening or night times.
- Do all the bedrooms have locks fitted?
Yes, these are also security coded for so that even if lost they are meaningless to an opportunist thief, We insist you do not write house numbers or addresses on key tags or rings to avoid the need to replace locks in the event of loss.
- What about insurance - who pays?
Tenants are responsible for insurance in the event of theft or loss or damage of personal items. The landlord has insurance for other matters but cannot be held responsible for a student's possessions as this could be open to abuse in the rare event an insurer would consider it. Specialist student insurers e.g. Endsleigh, found on most compasses provide affordable contents cover for about £30pa.
- What about security?
All our bedroom doors have secure 3lever mortise locks with security code numbers unidentifiable to strangers.
- What are the statistics for crime in the area?
The Statistics for Canterbury as a whole are more favourable than the national average and several times better than surrounding local coastal towns. Click on this link for numbers of actual burglaries in the area. In almost 23 years we have had two confirmed breack ins in the first a play station was stolen and in the second two TVs and a lap top were stolen. We have had rare reports of theft from within a house including students pinching each other's milk! For specific details of more serious crime click the link upmystreet.com
- I accept your point about candles but surely this does not include Christmas candles?
Yes it certainly does! Even scented candles are absolutely forbidden. Fortunately many students are absent during one of the most dangerous times of the year. Last year someone left a sweet little candle on a kitchen work top and forgot to extinguish it before leaving- likewise the previous year ruining two kitchen work tops! We had only just decorated the house in both instances. You can pre-empt what happened. Some shampoo products are highly flammable and can ignite even over the top of a bath (with you in it - what a way to get a sun tan!) due to lighted candles in the bathroom!
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BOOKING |
- How do I book a house?
To book a house each member of the group needs to pay a non-refundable admin fee of £125. Either a £325 deposit or £325 advanced payment of rent is payable within 14 days of booking a house. We will normally accept the first group able to pay simply because it demonstrates their commitment. If we accept a group without a holding deposit they are far more likely to drop out and we could be left with an empty house. For more information on the booking procedure please click here.
- As current or new student tenants can we book a house for the remainder of our three year course?
Current student tenants normally get first option to reserve houses unless: the house is already pre booked as notified prior to your occupation or you have significantly breached your agreement, e.g. upset the neighbours with party noise, or if we do not consider our relationship to be commercially viable, then we could decide not to renew your tenancy. There are commercial considerations and legal as well as lender restrictions which make it impracticable to have a tenancy last more than one year.
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LOYALTY DISCOUNTS |
- Tell me how I can get loyalty or student discounts?
These are subject to review and can be withdrawn without notice and are normally available to current tenants only and include: 1)£1.00 pw off any normal increase in rent when you have an annual contract and have a tenancy agreement for more than 10 months providing you rebook by any deadlines set - normally in November.
- So are you saying you only give student discounts to current tenants and not to new tenants?
Not quite. In addition to loyalty discounts to existing tenants, there are two further discounts available to all Leydon Lettings tenants:
1) If you pay the whole years rent in advance by 1 June in any year you get £125 cash back (paid by cheque).
2) lf you pay yearly in advance by 1 July in any year you also get a full refund of your admin fee refunded within 21 days of receipt of your rent payment. The balance of any deposit is returned at the end of the tenancy as normal.
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LOCATION |
- How close is the property to: UCA, CCCU or UKC or Town. How close
Using the post code click on the link or copy the link and open it later
www.multimap.com
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VACANCIES |
- Do you have any vacancies for next year near UKC; CCCU; UCA; Canterbury College?
Yes we still have vacancies for current and next academic years. Prior to Christmas each year most of our properties are reserved for the following academic year.
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MAINTENANCE |
- Who is responsible for maintenance?
Wilful neglect or damage giving rise to maintenance or repair is the tenants responsibility. It is the tenants responsibility to report any damage immediately it becomes apparent. It is then the landlords responsibility for the supply of labour and materials to rectify the problem. The landlord does not permit the tenants to carry out any maintenance without written permission.
It is tempting to make do with things which still function despite showing signs of damage. It is important to report any damage as soon as you identify it. It can often mean the difference between repair or replacement. If you neglect to bring to the attention to the landlord something which results in more serious damage you could be held responsible since this is deemed negligent. An example would be if there was a leak or flood and you presumed someone else in the house must have reported it or you were too busy with exams to be bothered. Were there a laminate floor being soaked it would likely be ruined incurring substantial costs.
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Will the house be cleaned by the landlord before our arrival?
Yes. However, occasionally groups will depart in phases leaving the last student to struggle to finish the cleaning alone. Invariably it takes longer and is more difficult than studnets perceive. Where the house is not properly cleaned by the outgoing students we will arrange for this to be done by whoever is available at whatever cost we have to pay in the time between departure and arrival. If the outgoing tenants have just left on 30June and you wish to arrive on 1July this can present a problem. This is one reason why it is so important to leave it really clean upon departure as there is no time to give you a second opportunity to avoid the cost of others doing it for you at your expense. http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/leaving.html
- Do you provide a lawnmower?
The short answer is, no! Dave our gardener for more than a decade currently cuts the grass on average every two weeks during the growing seasons - tenants are not charged for this service.
- What if I leave a window or back door open on a windy day and the wind smashes the glass - who's fault is that?
The short answer is, your fault. Landlords let the house and do not live in it and cannot bare such costs when they have no control over such events. Tenants live in the area and need to be aware that if it is windy and the window is not properly fastened it is very likely to get broken.
- The wall is damp or mould is present or a shower leak is evident. What do I do?
See Fault Finding
Mould is most commonly caused by lack of ventilation if in or near a bathroom or a source of moisture - even your breath next to your pillow can cause mould. if your bed is positioned next to an outside wall? Is the mould is on an outside wall (on the internal side)? If your bed is too close to the wall, preventing air circulating, particularly as you sleep, this could allow your breath to condense on the colder outside wall. Spores (in the air everywhere) can then grow on the condensate, The cure is too wipe the mould with bleach. To prevent it returning just pull the bed and mattress away from the wall somewhat. If it is not an outside wall it may be a leak which would be very rare. See our fault finding page for more self help tips. If you are still convinced it is damp I will of course investigate. http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/faultfinding.html
The showers are double sealed upon insulation. This means that when the first layer of mastic breaks down a second is in place behind the tiles as a backup.
The shower tray is also specially designed with “up-stands” on the sides to minimise the effects of a potential leak. In addition we affixi a preventative plastic trim to all relevant corner joints in showers and bathrooms where waste water could run drown and potentially cause damage.
- What if our drains block - our last landlord actually charged us for unblocking saying it was our fault?
Leydon Lettings take the pragmatic view that this will probably happen to most houses at some point and is no ones fault. We will always get your drain unblocked without charge unless the blockage is caused by negligence rather than just the build up of a plug of long hair etc which can be chemically removed with a drain unblocker from most local DIY stores. However, flushing a toilet rim-block cleaner or shampoo bottle down the toilet is recklessly negligent with predictable consequences and you could be charged for this - in almost 20 years of letting we have never charged in any event. We find that during the colder weather liquid fat from food cooking and washing up solidifies within pipes if you are not careful. Some soap power and boiling water down the plug hole will generally clear the sink pipes. Following the autumn, leaves can accumulate in gullies outside the kitchen if the grill is removed. This grill needs to be removed to unblock or prevent blockages. We now ban the use of rim-block cleaners (plastic holders of coloured chemical cleaning blocks clipped to the side of the toilet) which can become dislodged and get flushed down the drain pipe blocking the entire drain run! See newer products which stick to the side of the pan without rim block cages.
Waste Collection |
Recycling in the Canterbury Area |
keeping good stuff out of landfills http://www.freecycle.org/group/UK/South%20East/Canterbury
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- What if a stranger steals our wheelie bin ...surely that is not our fault?
If you will pardon the pun this is a "rubbish issue". You need to distinguish between fault and liability. No it is not your fault; but it is your responsibility to take out and bring in bins following collection not least to prevent a burglar using it as a step ladder to break into yours or a neighbouring property. Avoid leaving bins close to the front door as if it were set on fire by vandals it could prevent escape if it caught fire to the house - you could be trapped! The landlord cannot be held responsible for the actions of another when he has no control over how long the bin is left out. In our experience bin theft is most likely to happen during vacation periods when the house is empty, which is why it is important to get rid of as much rubbish prior to the vacation as possible. Unfortunately the reality is that it is precisely at the end of term when you have a clear-out and you need to rely on the wheelie bin to get rid of it. By planning ahead you can avoid such dilemmas. By recycling properly you can fit more rubbish into the wheelie bin whilst helping the environment.
- What if the bins are not collected just before we leave? With fortnightly collections there could be almost two weeks of rubbish in the wheelie bin when we leave. You can't expect students to take it home in order to leave the bin clean and empty and safe round the back of the house when full of rubbish? http://www.leydonlettings.co.uk/Waste.html
This was a real dilemma for us. We know you can't get rid of it but neither can we! Fortunately Canterbury City Council have come to the rescue with special purple coloured refuse sacks. These cost about £1 each available from Serco opposite Sainsbury and if you are careful you can fit two black bin bags inside one purple sack. You are permitted to leave these (purple pearls as nicknamed by leydon lettings) out for collection just by the highway at any normal landfill (black bin) collection date. If you do this even if not technically the correct day it is our understanding and experience that your rubbish will be removed. Last year The Canterbury City Council provided accredited Landlords with orange sacks - delivered directly to rented houses. Rubbish placed inside the bags was collected by the city council from the normal collection point in sacks without having to be inside a normal wheelie bin. It is hoped that this appreciated service will continue.
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How is rubbish collected in Canterbury?
On alternate weeks serco will collect wheelie bin rubbish and on the following week, recycling. For the waste and recycling schedule for your area visit www.canterbury.gov.uk/rubbish.phpand type in your postcode.
Bags of rubbish not put in the wheelie bin, outside your house, will not be collected. If you cannot fit all your rubbish into the wheelie bin you will need to put it into purple rubbish sacks bought from Serco.
Recycling bags are delivered to the house quarterly. If you run out you can collect more from Canterbury City Council on Military Road. If you do not recycle, you will not be able to fit all your rubbish into the wheelie bin. During June 2007 Canterbury City Council provided orange sacks to the houses of accredited landlords with special regard to the dilemma of departing student tenants - these are collected on the day of pre-notified departure dates in addition to normal collections.
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