Renting Process

As one of the area's largest letting and Property Management Agents we aim to make the process of renting a property clear and simple.

We wish to offer a transparent service to our tenants with our fees advertised at the outset. Our knowledge of the lettings market and our properties is always available by speaking to one of our fully trained Lettings Advisors, allowing you to make the right decisions.

Register your interest

To register your interest in letting a property, please contact the letting office in the area you wish to live. You can do so online clicking here, telephone, email or by visiting the office in person. You do not need to have seen a specific property advertised - we are happy to help you find your ideal home.

Property search

Our website allows you to search for the property that may suit your requirements; however, our Lettings Advisors are trained to match your requirements to available properties and will be able to offer advice and more information. We will also know about new properties coming available that are not yet on the website, so a telephone call or visit to our offices is always worthwhile.

Each Letting Advisor is familiar with all our available properties and their local area and surroundings. Using their knowledge could save you time and effort during the search process, and they may be able to notify you of a property quicker than waiting for it to appear on the internet, which is especially valuable if you are looking to move within a limited timescale or within a popular school catchment area.

Applying for a Property

After viewing a property and reviewing our application pack, if you decide that the property you have viewed is suitable, you will need to pay your holding fee for the property. You are able to pay this over the telephone or in person in our offices. This places the property ‘under offer’ and no further viewings upon the property will be arranged.

When viewing a property you will be provided with an application pack. (You can download an application pack by clicking here). After paying your holding fee you need to complete the application pack (one complete application pack needs to be filled in for each tenant) and each tenant must provide all the supporting documentation (Proof of residency such as a utility bill, proof of ID such as driving licence or passport, wage slips and bank statements) full details of the supporting documents are listed within the application pack. Completed application packs and supporting documents must be presented to our office within 3 days of paying your holding fee.

It is also very helpful if you can contact your referees in advance to give your permission for a reference to be taken and ask them to respond quickly.

All applications are made “subject to contract” and an application to rent a property does not guarantee the tenancy. Should you decide not to continue with your application at any time, the holding fee may not be refunded.

Referencing

On receipt of the completed application pack and the supporting documentation being supplied we will undertake our referencing procedure by taking up references, undertaking a credit check and assessing your affordability.

Once your references and credit checks have been confirmed as acceptable we will prepare your tenancy agreement and other relevant legal documents. Then on an agreed date you will sign your tenancy agreement and collect your keys for your new home. We will then prepare the tenancy agreement and other relevant legal documents. You are required to start your tenancy for your new home within a maximum of 3 weeks from the date you paid your application fee (Providing that the property is vacant and ready for you to move into).

It is important you read your tenancy agreement thoroughly before signing it and it is essential that you understand the terms of the tenancy agreement. If you are unsure of any of the terms and conditions contained in the tenancy agreement, we would invite you in the first instance to contact one of our Lettings Advisors prior to signing. If you remain unsure after speaking with our Advisors we would recommend that you seek independent legal advice.

Once we are in receipt of the signed tenancy agreement, it will be signed on behalf of the landlord and dated. At this point the tenancy agreement is deemed to be “executed” and both parties are legally obliged to proceed.

Moving in Day!

On the day you are due to move into your new home, all tenants (and guarantors if applicable) are required to come into our office your collect the keys and complete all the relevant paperwork. The hand over process takes about 30 minutes, so remember to put enough time on your parking ticket if arriving by car!

Your first rental invoice will be explained to you when registering to a view a property, this explains the amount you need to pay before you move in.

Your first rental invoice monies must be paid in cleared funds prior to the commencement of the tenancy and before you are able to collect your keys. You are able to pay your first rental invoice at the time of collecting your keys if you are intending to paying by Credit / Debit Card, Cash (subject to bank charges) or by bankers draft. If you wish to pay by personal cheque or bank transfer you need to make the bank transfer or present your cheque to our offices this at least 10 days before the commencement of your tenancy to allow for payment to show as cleared funds.

Rent thereafter will be due on the same day each month as the commencement date of your tenancy agreement, payable by standing order, unless specific arrangements are made to the contrary. Please note our standing orders will request for the funds (money) to leave your bank account 3 days prior to the due date to ensure your rent is received on the due date, in accordance with your tenancy agreement. At the same time as collecting your keys you will also be supplied with a photographic inventory, or in instances whereby we fully manage the property (most of our properties we let are managed by Hicks Hadley) on behalf of the Landlord, you will also receive a full written inventory and schedule of condition, prepared by an inventory clerk. This will show meter readings for the property. Please check the inventory carefully, as it will be an important part of the book-out and deposit return at the end of your tenancy. You can make comments as appropriate. You must then sign and return it to us within 7 days of your commencement date of your tenancy. If you do not do so, the inventory is deemed to be accurate.

Most properties let by Hicks Hadley are also fully managed by us. However, in some instances, the landlord will chose to manage the property directly. Either way, you will be provided with contact numbers should any problems or maintenance issues arise whilst you are living in the property. If your property is managed by Hicks Hadley, you will also be given the contact number for our maintenance hub and are also able to report any maintenance issues 24 hours a day by using our maintenance reporting form by clicking here.

Property Inspection Visits

Hicks Hadley fully manage most of the properties we let, as part of the this service we are obliged to visit regularly on behalf of the landlord to comment on the condition of the property and identify any maintenance issues. We will always write to tenants beforehand giving at least one week notice (normally we give over one months notice) to advise when each routine visit is due. Our visits are undertaken in working hours on a Thursday. You will be required to facilitate access for property visits to be undertaken. Our representative will able to use our management set of keys for access if you cannot be present (we would always confirm with you before gaining entry using our management set of keys).

Offer to renew tenancy

Within the last three months of your tenancy, our accounts team will write to you to ask if you will either be leaving the property, or wish to continue. If you wish to remain at the property, this is likely to be for a further fixed term and is subject to agreement from the landlord. Our accounts team will speak to both the tenant and the landlord to agree tenancy terms and rental level. You will be invited to come into our office at a time convenient to you to sign the renewal agreement documents.

Inventory book-out

Once it is confirmed that your tenancy is definitely going to come to an end (and assuming that the property is managed by Hicks Hadley) we will write to you confirming a time and date for our inventory book-out to be undertaken. The book-out is carried out by an inventory clerk. The original inventory and schedule of condition, signed by you at the start of your tenancy, is used to assess the property and to prepare a book out report. We will always invite you to attend the book-out but you can decide whether or not you wish to be present. The inventory clerk will be unable to discuss their findings at this book-out until they have been able to report their findings to the landlord. The property must be handed back in the same condition as it was at the start of the tenancy, allowing for reasonable wear and tear.

Returning your deposit

Assuming the property is left in a clean and tidy condition in keeping with the original inventory, your deposit will be returned to you within 14 days of the book-out, with written confirmation of the amount. If the book-out report shows that the property requires attention, you will be informed accordingly and we will confirm any proposed deductions in writing to you. All tenants will then be advised of any costs incurred and agreement obtained by both parties must be received in writing (email is acceptable) before the balance of the deposit is returned to you. By law, all tenant deposits must be held and administered by government-recognised schemes to protect them during a tenancy and also provide the means of free adjudication in the event of a dispute between parties