your rights and responsibilities as a tenant

The Tenancy Agreement

The document contains both the details of your responsibilities and also the landlord’s. It will define the address of the property, the names of the Tenants who have been granted the tenancy, the rent that is due, how to pay your rent, the amount of deposit that you have paid, and the start date of the agreement and the duration of the Tenancy. Please refer to the Tenancy Agreement for the full details.

 

Restrictions on your tenancy

You are not allowed to carry out the following at the property without prior consent from the landlord:

• Run a business from the property
• Decorate the property
• Repair cars at the property or store cars that you are not the registered keeper of
• Store a boat or caravan at the property

Check with your Martin & Co local office for more information.

All flats which comprise part of a larger building will be restricted by the 'Head Lease'. This document lists the rules which all of the residents within the block must adhere to.

Examples of these are:

• Do not play loud music between certain hours
• No hand washing on the balcony
• Do not park in the visitors parking space
• No pets to be kept within the building

A full list of these restrictions should be provided to you by your landlord or the Martin & Co local office.

You should refer to your tenancy agreement regarding permission to keep pets or animals at the property. If permission has not been granted prior to the commencement of the tenancy, you must not keep any animals at the premises. You must seek approval before they may reside at the property during the tenancy.

 

General Safety within your rented property

Keys and access

The number and type of keys issued at the start of your tenancy will be recorded on the Inventory. Keep all keys safe, including key fobs and any secure entry or alarm codes. In the event of you losing keys you will be responsible for the cost of replacement.

Where Martin & Co is managing the property the local office will normally hold a management set of keys. These are to gain access in the event of a major emergency, or (with your consent) to carry out routine maintenance or management visits. The office will give you prior notice (unless it is an emergency) but if the visit is inconvenient you can contact the office to re-arrange. For security reasons, Martin & Co staff do not conduct management visits outside of normal working hours.

Do not allow anyone who you do not know or who you are not expecting via a communal entrance. The communal locks and intercoms are fitted for your safety.

Smoke Alarms

Where your landlord has provided a battery powered smoke alarm, it is your responsibility to ensure that the battery is powered and that the detector is in good working order. Ensure you test the detector regularly and replace the battery as necessary. Be aware of any potential fire hazards that you may create in the property such as burning candles, hot cooking oil, open fires etc. Please refer to the following internet link for more safety advice.

http://www.firekills.gov.uk/

 

Gas safety

If you smell gas, call free on 0800 111999. Don't create a flame or operate electrical switches as they create tiny sparks. Open the doors and windows, keep people away from the area and turn the gas off at the control valve.

It is the law that the safety of gas appliances at the property is checked every year. Please co-operate with the landlord, agent and workmen to allow access for this inspection as it is to protect you. Because the penalties are criminal and severe the agent will if necessary change locks in order to gain access to carry out this inspection on time.

Security at the property

As the occupier of the property, you are responsible for security. You must ensure that you lock doors and windows (if locks are fitted) every time you leave the property. You remain responsible for the security of the property until the end of your tenancy, even if you have moved out early and are living elsewhere.

Neighbours and noise

Living in a flat can mean that you are closer to your neighbours than if you live in a house and it is inevitable that you will hear some noise from adjoining homes. Please take care not to cause excessive noise and act with consideration. You are also responsible for the noise of any guests.

If you are the victim of noisy neighbors you should attempt to reason with them when they are cool headed and approachable. It’s generally not a good idea to get into an argument in the heat of a noisy party. Intoxicants and pressure from other party guests will not create the right conditions for your neighbours to reflect on their unreasonable behavior. If the noise is intolerable or the party is getting out of control call the police.

Noise can be reported to the Environmental Health department of your local council who will ask you to monitor the frequency and duration, and officials can measure sound levels. If the noise is deemed excessive the officials can serve a notice on your neighbours, and take enforcement action through the courts. If your neighbours rent their home you could also report their behavior to the landlord or managing agent and if you do not know who this is then if it is a flat in a block the block manager might know.

Malicious Damage

Malicious damage or a break in must be reported to the police. Should you wish to make a claim under your personal contents insurance, the insurers will require a crime number.

Maintenance and repairs

Property Management

Many Martin & Co offices have a dedicated Property Management Department (larger offices) or a Property Manager (smaller offices) who are separate to the “front of shop” staff who helped find your property. The Property Management Department/ Property Manager will become your point of contact whilst the Martin & Co local office is managing the property.

How to report a repair request

If your repair relates to an appliance noted on the Inventory please ensure that you quote the model and make. The landlord has no obligation to repair appliances which you have introduced into the property.

Once your repair has been reported, the Martin & Co local office will either instruct a contractor to attend and repair, ask a contractor to attend and quote, or in the case of larger, reoccurring or more complicated repairs, seek approval and instruction from your landlord.

Repairs that are not an emergency will be allocated by the contractor accordingly. The appointed contractor will be provided with your telephone number and access details and will contact you directly in order attend the property.

You may be contacted after the contractor has attended to ensure that the works have been carried out satisfactorily and the repair resolved.

Appliances

You must be supplied with instructions and user manuals for all appliances supplied by your landlord.

You will be able to report faults and expect that the appliance will be restored to working order. However, if the repair is due to your mis-treatment of the appliance, the cost will be recharged to you. If the appliance is under guarantee, the agent will contact the manufacturer/supplier whose service team will contact with you.

If the appliance is a tumble dryer or washing machine you must ensure that the filters are kept clear as blocked filters will cause an unnecessary repair which you may be recharged for.

Similarly you should periodically change filters in fridges with filtered cooled water, and filters in over hoods.

New build properties

If your property was recently constructed or converted, it is possible that defects may be covered by the builder’s warranty. Therefore when you report repair requests, the agent may not be authorised by the to instruct an independent contractor and has to refer the matter to the builder.

Items that you, as a tenant are responsible for:

Sinks, toilets and drains

You will be responsible for the cost of clearing blockages that have been caused by putting unsuitable items such as tampons, nappies, cooking fats and oils, or tea leaves into toilets or sinks. Do not put metal or wooden objects into waste disposal units in an attempt to clear blockages. If the toilet has been fitted with a waste macerator it is vital that only normal biological waste and toilet paper is put into the unit.

Light bulbs
You will be responsible for replacing any light bulbs in the property during the tenancy.

Damage in the property

You will be responsible for rectifying any item that may be damaged by either yourself or your visitors at the property.

Maintaining a garden which is allocated to the individual property
You will be responsible for ensuring that the garden is maintained. Please refer to your tenancy agreement for specific details.

Condensation and ventilation
Condensation starts as moisture that is produced by cooking washing and using gas appliances. The moist air condenses on cool surfaces such as walls, wall tiles and windows. It can also affect the ceilings.

Condensation can be prevented or reduced in the property by controlling the excess moisture in the following ways:

• Close your kitchen and bathroom doors to prevent steam going into other colder rooms
• Open the kitchen or bathroom windows (if applicable) when cooking or washing
• Open windows in other rooms to allow a change of air
• Wipe down surfaces where moisture settles to prevent mould forming
• Use the extractor fans if supplied in the property
• Dry clothes outside if possible
• Ensure that tumble driers vent to the outside
• Maintain a low background heat.

Leaving the property unoccupied
If you are leaving the property unoccupied for a period of more than 14 days, you should notify the Martin & Co local office. If this period is during the colder months, the heating should be left on a low temperature to prevent the pipes from freezing or even bursting.

 

Energy efficiency advice

At a time when most people are very conscious of energy efficiency you may wish to look at further information on how to be more efficient and save money.
Your Martin & Co local office may have a leaflet with energy advice or you can log onto the following website for information - http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Any tenant can ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the property that they are looking to rent. In England & Wales every rental property must have an EPC before it is let.

 

Vacating your property

At the commencement of your tenancy an Inventory and Schedule of Condition will be carried out at the property. This document will be used at the end of your tenancy to conduct the check out.

A deposit will have been taken for safekeeping at the commencement of the tenancy and any dilapidations noted within the document may be claimed for by the landlord from this money.

We recommend that you review and action the check list in preparation to vacating your property. By following this list you should minimise the possibility of any potential claims against your deposit money. If you require any further information you should contact your Martin & Co local office.