Tenant Information Single / Family Homes

Tenants Guide to Renting a Single Let Property (non house share)

Here is a guide to all tenants looking to rent a single let home with Eagle Estates Limited. 

We market properties on behalf of landlords and have policies for section of tenancies based on positions of work, affordability and the length of time required for the letting.

Some landlords may further stipulate rules such as no pets or smoking person/s which we add to our policy. Landlords cannot refuse tenancy based on sexual orientation, colour, ethnicity or similar.

Eagle Estates Limited maintain a strict policy in giving all parties an equal and fair opportunity in letting.

If there are any concerns with your ability to pay based on your financial background please feel free to discuss with us and we will do our best to help.

Sadly, any adverse credit will affect an application. We will need to be aware prior to you making a holding payment towards your rent or deposit once you have moved in.

If you view and decide to reserve a property through Eagle Estates, you are requested to fill out an online or hard copy application form, returning these to the office and to supply a copy of your proof of residence and photographic ID.

Proof of Residence - a Utility Bill or Bank Statement no more than 3 months old.

Proof of ID - a Drivers Licence or Passport, or ID Card.

A holding fee of 1x weeks rent is required to take the property off the market and will go towards your total rent and deposit payment.

Any holding payments made to the agency to reserve which you subsequently withdraw from will not be returned.

We will carry out referencing with your consent only if the form is completely filled out. We can only complete referencing if the contacts for work and (if applicable) your landlord / letting agency come back to us as quick as possible. You will need to assist us in obtaining the required information.

You must place a move in date within 3 weeks / 21 days of reserving if you wish to move in to a property with Eagle Estates.

Once we have received all the documents back and the referencing is accepted we will email you to confirm the date and time to meet (at the office) to arrange contract signing, payments and key release. We may send you a digital contract for signing and also supply all legal documentation on our bespoke online services which all tenants can log into and view.

You will be invited to our online app to manage your tenancy, review documents and raise questions along with access to a copy of your contact, a guideline and certificate to your intended damage deposits location and other legal property related documents.

Your deposit will be registered at www.depositprotection.com. Please visit the website for more information on the deposit registration process.

Once you have moved in, you will have some unpacking to do. Please first check the house for anything we may have missed EG damages, marks, light bulbs not working, cleanliness etc. Whilst we endeavour to check all these or at least note them prior to a move in, if we have missed these at least you have notified us on record so that you are not eligible for the cost. We find contacting us via our online app the most appropriate way of recording any issues.

We photograph and video record the property along with your meter readings for Gas (if applicable) and Electricity. We inform the local water board of the date of your move in. You must arrange your own energy account as soon as you move in as you do not want to pay any previous bills or estimated bills which will mean higher costs to you. 

If you are unsure of the supplier please contact UKpower.co.uk on 0800 326 5244 will inform you who supplies the energy to your new home.

We have informed the local authority you have moved in by emailing revenueservices@northampton.gov.uk. We urge you to do this too and set up your own council tax. Please also check for waste / recycling days for the property (if applicable).

On tenant find contracts, all your details will be handed to the landlord and vice versa. Please make contact to organise rental payments. 

Eagle Estates policies and procedures on managed properties (Brief).

This section has been set up for you to review our policies and procedures on maintenance handling, lost keys and other matters.

Rent payments must be paid to Eagle Estates Limited 3 days in advance of the rent being due and only by direct debit. We do not take cash in the office. If you require our rental bank details call 01604 628088.

Your rent must be paid with the TE code given to you. Please do not reference your name or home address.

Once you have moved into the property, you will be invited to our Arthur Online management for Eagle Estates Limited. You will be able to track your tenancy, check your rent dates, give notice and also send in maintenance issues through this website / phone app. Please note we do not deal with maintenance over the phone and do require any issues in writing, followed up with images if required ( always helpful to identify the issue ).

Please do not mark the issue as an emergency unless:

There is a risk to health and safety / there are damages to the property which require urgent attention / there is an ongoing and continuous issue which will cause immediate damage / there is no use of hot water AND heating / No use of any cooking facilities / No water supply - these require a call to the office during working hours or to the emergency contacts below

We do not deal with household tenancy related issues such as :

In house disputes between tenants / light bulb changes to bedrooms / vermin / refuse / blocked sinks / blocked showers / blocked toilets / blocked washing machine filters / blocked tumble dryer filters / condensation caused by tenants. You can however send us a message for advice and we will be more than happy to help.

Out of hours emergencies and issues:

Electrical Issues:

Power loss to sockets and bulbs may be the result of a power surge or foreign / faulty plugs within a circuit. If the fuse board switches are off then a safety cut off has taken place. We recommend you unplug each item currently in the circuit ( all plugs and switches off and removed ) and re set the fuse board. You can then re add the plugs and turn on the switches one by one until the fuse cuts off once again. This will find the fuse board " tripping issue". this electrical item or plug must cease to be used. 

If you have a higher emergency concerning electrical safety you can call our preferred electrician " Mr Electric " on 07595870942. 

If a light is not working or a socket is not working, please raise the issue via our Arthur App.

Hot water / Heating issues : 

Your hot water or heating may be down and you may need a plumber to investigate. Our contractors will normally only be able to visit during working hours as wholesale replacement items aren't available until normal working hours and call out charges are expensive and not productive. If your hot water and heating are down, please log this on the Arthur app and we will pick this up when the office is next open. 

If you have a leak from a tap or water outlet which is causing water damage if it is not stopped you should check where the water isolation screw is ( if close to a tap or toilet feed ) and close this or failing this find your stop cock tap within the property ( usually under the sink or stairs ) and close this off until you can contact the office. If you cannot locate the stop cock tap your meter outside can be turned off too, stopping the water from entering the mains to the house and reducing the water damage. 

For emergencies where there are water leaks and you cannot stop the water despite following the above steps please call Pittam Heating on Josh 07585331404 or Mark 07983802001

Locks:

Have you been locked out or lost your keys ? Our locksmiths number is Northants Locks 07751 626 540 however please read the below before you book in a locksmith as you will be charged for this service.

LOST KEYS / LOCKED OUT SINGLE HOME TENANCIES

If you have lost your keys and are locked out, we may have a spare copy in the office and during working hours we can have these sets cut for you at a cost and you can gain entry to your home. We do not send a locksmith for you nor do we drive to the house to open the property doors. The cost of each key is £18.00n inc vat.

If you are simply locked out during office hours, we can visit at a cost of £42 inc vat to open the door. 

On managed contracts, you deal solely with Eagle Estates who act as your landlord. We require your rent paid in advance and will inspect the house where appropriate to ensure the contract is being upheld. This will not affect your rights to quiet enjoyment of the home. 

To renew your contract, the agency will offer (subject to the landlords approval) a further 6 or 12 month contract.

You must carry out your full fixed term of the tenancy before giving notice. When you do give notice, this must be in writing and acknowledged by the agency, including a signature and a date. Notices take affect one pay before your next rental due date and last one full calendar month. Notice is not accepted within the monthly contract term specific to the date it was served. For more information please contact Eagle Estates. Once your contract expires, notice under the guidelines above is still expected and all other terms to the originally signed contract remain. 

Just before you vacate you will be required to clean the property to a standard that enables a new tenant to comfortably move in and not find or be exposed to any dirt or items left. 

We expect the following to be carried out in order for us to release the deposit satisfactorily:

• All carpets vacummed completely, removing any dust, dirt or human hair.
• All hard floor areas to be vacummed, mopped and / or wiped down removing any residues and dirt.
• All skirting boards, door frames, handles, switches, windows (internal) work tops, shelves, handrails, bannisters, window ledges, inside each drawer and wardrobe (if fixed or supplied) dusted and cleaned completely - removing any marks or staining.
• All personal items, furniture, refuse, paper, clothing tags, shampoos, hand soaps, paperclips and spare change etc must all be removed from the property.
• Any stains to carpets must be removed with the correct stain removing equipment and solutions.
• Ensuite areas and kitchens must be wiped down inside the cupboards and outside including the fronts of the cupboards.
• Ovens must be cleaned to the standard of the original inventory, including hobs and removing extractor filters and cleaning these and re-hanging.
• Any items left in the cupboards removed, food debris and food staining cleaned away. Fridges, freezers, washing machines (dispenser drawer and seals), microwaves etc (if supplied) both internally and externally cleaned thoroughly and ready for use.
• Shower doors are cleaned to a streak free finish, any hair in plugs, sinks and on the floor removed. Silver taps and handles wiped down, enamel and other bathroom items wiped down of streaks / staining. Mirrors cleaned of any water stains or marks.
• Tiles wiped down of streaks and water marks (a diluted bleach or anti bacterial agent is enough to sanitise tiling and grout areas)
• All items not on the inventory removed (toilet roll / bleaches etc).
• The garden area both front and rear is cultivated in line with your inventory. Driveways and parking is de-weeded and any sheds / garages are cleared of items as per the inventory.
• We have a video of the household and supporting images, so if you need to check with us against any existing or new damages / issues we are more than happy to supply to you photos which may help you resolve the matter.

Keys must be handed in after you have given a full months notice one day before your next rental payment date is due. Keys are due at midday (12:00pm) and shortly after we will carry out a check out inspection and meter read. We will advise you in writing of any issues we encounter and aim to resolve these directly with you. If we cannot resolve the issues, we will arrange the costs to the damage deposit via the DPS and will cease direct communication with you. The DPS will then act as an intermediary on ensuring an equal and final decision is made on any potential claims based on cleaning, damages or loss of rent etc.  

Almost all of all deposits are paid back in full to the ex-tenants. The majority of the time the ex tenants carry out a comprehensive clean and clearance of the househould in line with the inventory and therefore the agency has no reason to act on a claim.

If you are worried about deposit and any damages please contact Eagle Estates and we can discuss with you the options and assist you with the matter with the aim to resolving any issues constructively for all parties involved.

It will be your duty once you have left and the outcome of the check out inspection is satisfactory to contact the DPS and place a claim on your deposit. The agency does not "automatically" release damage deposits.

Please ensure you take a photo or video of your checkout and meter readings and contact the following:

• Local authority to close your council tax.
• TV Licence cancellation.
• Utility Bill final meter reading and close account.
• Re-direction of your post.
• Cancellation of any TV or Internet packages.