Frequently Asked Questions
- When should we pay the rent?
- When is the first rent payment due?
- How should we pay our rent?
- Will our belongings be insured whilst in the house?
- Is the house furnished?
- Are bills included in the rent?
- How much will the bills be each week?
- How can we arrange for broadband at the house?
- Are we allowed to smoke in the house?
- Are we allowed to keep pets in the house?
- What do we do if something goes wrong whilst we are living at the house?
- Is a deposit payable for the house?
- Do I need to pay an administration fee?
- How do we collect the keys for the house?
- Do we have to pay council tax whilst living at the house?
- How long does the tenancy agreement last?
- What happens if I want to leave the house before the tenancy agreement ends?
- Do I need to provide a guarantor?
- Can I leave my belongings at the house over the summer holiday?
- What does the term ‘joint and several’ mean in the tenancy agreement?
Q. When should we pay the rent?
A. Rent is payable in advance. However, you can choose whether this is monthly in advance or termly in advance.
Q. When is the first rent payment due?
A. The first payment is due on the first day of your tenancy (normally 1st July) and monthly thereafter, or termly if you choose to pay in that way. You will be asked to complete a simple form to specify when you wish to pay your rent.
Q. How should we pay our rent?
A. Rent is paid by direct debit. You will be provided with a direct debit mandate to complete at the same time as the tenancy contract is given to you to sign and after that you need do nothing except ensure the money is in your bank account; the rent will be collected automatically at the times you have chosen.
Q. Will our belongings be insured whilst in the house?
A. You will be responsible for taking out insurance for your personal contents whilst you are living at the house. A competitive contents insurance scheme is available through the building insurers for the house, for which you will find a link on the home page.
Q. Is the house furnished?
A. All of the English Homes Group houses are furnished. In each bedroom there will be a bed and desk plus wardrobe and chest of drawers; in the lounge a lounge suite, dining table and chairs and television and DVD player. The kitchen will be equipped with white goods, microwave, kettle, toaster, cutlery, crockery, pots & pans and drinking glasses. A standard house inventory is available on this site. We aim to provide all of the essential items for you, so that you just have to bring your personal belongings and bedding and buy your food – then you are away!
Q. Are bills included in the rent?
A. Bills for gas, electricity, water supply and sewerage are not included in the rent. However, the accounts will be set up in the names of all the tenants before you move into the house so you do not need to worry about sorting out utility providers.
Q. How much will the bills be each week?
A. Obviously this depends in particular on how much gas you use for providing hot water and for heating the house and how much electricity you use.However, if you manage your heating by having it on a timed operation rather than leaving it on all the time you should expect to pay about £9 per person each week, based on 2008 prices.
Q. How can we arrange for broadband at the house?
A. All of our houses come with broadband included in the rent, so you need do nothing. The houses are equipped with a wireless router for wireless broadband and most houses are hard wired to the bedrooms if you wish to connect to the service in this way.
Q. Are we allowed to smoke in the house?
A. No. You are not permitted to smoking anywhere in the house.
Q. Are we allowed to keep pets in the house?
A. No, you are not permitted to keep pets in the house
Q. What do we do if something goes wrong whilst we are living at the house?
A. In the event of any problems, you should call your landlord straightaway. We have a team of people who are skilled to deal with most problems that can arise. Similarly, if an appliance such as the washing machine develops a fault, this will either be repaired or replaced promptly to minimise any inconvenience.
Q. Is a deposit payable for the house?
A. A small deposit of £200 per person is taken. This is transferred to one of the government approved scheme to hold for the duration of your tenancy. You will be given full details of the scheme and be able to access your account on line.
Q. Do I need to pay an administration fee?
A. There is a non-refundable administration fee payable of £150 per person. This is required to cover the cost of house viewings, producing the tenancy contract and the guarantor contract, lodging of the deposit with the approved scheme and setting up the direct debit payment instruction. In addition, it covers the production of the Condition and Inventory Report at the start of your tenancy and checking the house against this at the end of your tenancy.
Q. How do we collect the keys for the house?
A. Normally, you may move into the house anytime on or after 1st September. When you have decided on the date you are returning to Canterbury or Gillingham, contact us and we shall arrange to meet you on that day to hand over your key and explain about the safety features in the house and advise on the operation of the boiler and other appliances.
If your housemates want their house keys to be left with the first person to move in, that can be done.
Q. Do we have to pay council tax whilst living at the house?
A. If you are all students, you should be exempt from paying Council Tax. You may have to produce a copy of your Student Enrolment Certificate to Canterbury City Council to prove your studentship. Please ask your course tutor for details of how to obtain your Student Enrolment Certificate.
Q. How long does the tenancy agreement last?
A. The tenancy agreement is a fixed term agreement for a period of one year. Most agreements start in July and end in June the following year.
Q. What happens if I want to leave the house before the tenancy agreement ends?
A. Since the tenancy agreement is for a fixed term of one year, you will be obliged to pay your rent for the full year. However, if you can find a replacement tenant who is acceptable to your housemates, you can be released from the contract once a new tenancy agreement has been signed to include your replacement. You may incur a charge for this change.
Q. Do I need to provide a guarantor?
A. Each tenant will be asked to nominate a guarantor. This person, normally a parent/s or relative, living in the UK, becomes party to the contract and will commit to guarantee your obligations under the tenancy agreement.
Q. Can I leave my belongings at the house over the summer holiday?
A. In most cases you may leave your belongings in the house. You will be asked to leave these packed up in one room so that cleaners and others trades people with work to do over the summer holday period can work freely around the house.
Q. What does the term ‘joint and several’ mean in the tenancy agreement?
A. This term binds each tenant into the tenancy agreement and its terms collectively with the group and individually. This means for example if one tenant fails to pay rent, the other tenants can become liable for that unpaid rent.