finding houses, delivering homes
- Crosby: 0151 909 3003 | Formby: 01704 827402 | Allerton: 0151 601 3003
- Email: Crosby | Formby | Allerton
finding houses, delivering homes
Whether you’re looking for a flat or house to rent in Liverpool, Abode Lettings are on hand to provide you with a hassle-free move. From the moment you register your interest in a property, we are here to help you every step of the way.
Firstly, you’ll need to see what’s on offer in the current rental market, and find your ideal property. Here at Abode, we make this easy:
Once you have decided on your ideal property, we can start our referencing process. However, please bear in mind that the submission of the referencing application is no guarantee of tenancy. A final decision as to whether or not a tenancy can proceed will depend on the responses received, and will be made in consultation with the landlord.
Before carrying out a reference, we will request a holding deposit of a week’s rent, so please be aware that if you do not pass referencing due to failing to declare correct information on your reference check that is misleading and results in a fail, because of you not passing a right to rent check or you decide not to proceed after you submit your application, you will not get this money back. The money can be held for up to 15 days, with the final day being known as the deadline for agreement. From taking the holding deposit, the tenancy agreement must be entered into before this deadline day.
Furthermore, all of our referencing is done online so you won’t need to provide us with any information directly. Instead, you’ll receive a text message within 48 hours of making a referencing payment, which will give you the website details and a reference number for your application. You will then need to go online and provide the relevant details.
The referencing process involves:
These routine procedures are taken to protect all parties.
If the financial references show that affordability of rent is low, or show that you have a low credit score, you will require a guarantor (who must also be referenced). Prior to making a referencing application, your guarantor must be aware that, should you be successful in securing the property and default on rent payments, they will be liable for paying all outstanding rent.
As soon as we have received satisfactory references, we will be pleased to offer you the property. This is subject only to the terms of the tenancy agreement, the payment of the deposit, the agreed advanced rent and the landlord’s agreement that the tenancy can proceed.
Once referencing is complete, we can arrange a move-in date that is suitable for both yourself and the landlord. We will send you a copy of the tenancy agreement to review prior to your move. This is to ensure that you’re aware of both yours and your landlord’s responsibilities.
Upon moving in, you will need to sign your tenancy agreement and provide photographic ID. If you have a guarantor, your guarantor must also be present so that they can sign the tenancy agreement.
You will also need to pay your first month’s rent in advance plus a deposit. This is usually equal to one month’s rent, but it may be 5 weeks if you have a pet. A deposit is required for all tenancies and is held by the Deposit Protection Scheme. It can be used to cover the cost of any damages to the property that are beyond fair wear and tear.
These damages will be measured against inventory upon move out. The deposit will be returned to you at the end of the tenancy term without interest and subject to a deduction for damage, or any other deductions that may be necessary to compensate the landlord for any breach of the tenancy agreement.
If you wish to pay your rent and deposit by card, this must be paid 3 working days in advance so that funds are cleared in our account. If you are paying by cheque, you will need to pay this 7 days in advance.
As well as a copy of your tenancy agreement, you will receive a copy of your inventory and details of who to contact if you have any problems with the property. We will also provide you with a list of out-of-hours contact details, so that you always have someone on hand to assist in a crisis.
Your rent will become due on the same date every month, beginning from the date you move in. If you wish to move your rent due date, you will need to contact our office and pay any difference required. Please note, we only accept payment by standing order. It is your responsibility to check that your standing order is set up in time for your next rent due date.
Where there are a number of occupiers sharing accommodation, each person is jointly and severally liable to pay the rent as tenants and will pay the rent as a whole. Each tenant is jointly and severally responsible for the whole rent so that they are equally liable for the non-payment of rent by one of their co-tenants, should they fail to pay.
You are responsible for paying all council tax and utility bills. For convenience, we will notify the council and utility companies that you have moved in so you don’t have to. If you wish to change utility provider or method of payment during your tenancy, you must obtain permission from the landlord.
From time to time, you may experience issues with the property. If we are managing your property on behalf of the landlord, we will be your point of contact. You will need to report maintenance issues to our property maintenance team on 0151 909 3003. We also have an easy online repair reporting system for you to use. Our team will be on hand to ensure all issues are resolved as quickly as possible, with minimum fuss.
It is standard procedure for us to inspect the property every three months. This is to ensure that you, as the tenant, are fulfilling your responsibility to keep the property well maintained and in a good, clean condition.
It is also an opportunity for you to discuss with us any issues that you are having and raise any concerns. However, we ask that you notify us of any issues as they arise so that we can take appropriate action as quickly as possible.
We will always contact you prior to inspection to arrange a mutually convenient time to attend.
Our standard fixed term for a tenancy agreement is six months. As you enter month five of your agreement, we will contact you to ask if you wish to renew your tenancy, provided this is how the landlord wants to proceed.
If you wish to renew, we will arrange a time to inspect the property and sign the renewed tenancy agreement. If you wish to enter into a longer fixed term contract, we will ask your landlord’s permission and arrange this for you.
Should you not wish to continue at the property, you will be required to give one month’s written notice on the date your rent is due. We will then arrange a check out inspection. Upon moving out, we will inspect the property against the inventory, take meter readings and collect the keys. The inspection will take note of any damages that may be deducted from the deposit. Fair wear and tear will always be taken into consideration when assessing the condition of the property.
You will be informed of any deductions and your deposit will be released within 10 working days. We will require a forwarding address from you in order to release your deposit. If you disagree with any deductions, the Deposit Protection Scheme will deal with this via their dispute resolution service.
To make moving out easier for you, we will advise utility providers and the council (for council tax purposes) that you have left the property and ask them to forward any final bills to your new address.
We hope this comprehensive guide has given you an overview of the rental services we have to offer. Whether it’s a commercial property that you’re after, or a flat in Liverpool city centre, renting with Abode couldn’t be easier!
Our online search tool is a great way of filtering properties, but also feel free to phone us, email us or pop into one of our three branches if you want to find out more. You can find all of our contact details.
CF Lettings Ltd
