Terms of Business

If the tenancy is terminated before the end of its full term, we refund commission you have paid on a pro-rata basis. This refund is only payable if we re-let the property, and is applied as a credit against the fee for the new letting.

Referrals to a rent assessment committee, court or tribunal proceedings, or protracted correspondence on your behalf, are charged at £75 + VAT per hour. If specialist solicitors are instructed, you are also responsible for their fees and expenses.

Keys: one set per tenant plus an additional set retained at the branch; duplicates cut at your expense if not provided. Property attendance (other than scheduled visits) is £40 for up to one hour and £20 per hour or part thereafter.

We do not charge a sales commission if a tenant purchases the Premises from you, or if you sell to a third party.

Where it would help let the Premises promptly, we will share details with our local panel of authorised agents on a commission-sharing basis, at no additional expense to you.

By accepting this Agreement you consent to all outstanding fees, costs and other charges being deducted from funds we hold for any property you own, including any deposit deductions the tenant has agreed to pay you.

We will visit the Premises to view them and give you an indication of the likely market rent achievable.

You must ensure the Premises are fit to let. All machines, gas appliances and electrical goods should be in full working order, recently serviced, checked for safety, and have clear instructions for use.

Properties should be thoroughly cleaned and gardens (if applicable) in good seasonal condition. On request, we can arrange cleaning of the Premises.

We will market your Premises to inform suitable applicants of its availability.

As and when we have interested applicants, we will accompany them to the Premises using keys you provide.

We reference applicants for you: a draft sample tenancy agreement, references, a credit report checking financial standing and income, contacting the previous landlord where possible, and a personal referee — without responsibility for the accuracy of those references unless due to our negligence or breach of contract.

Unless the tenant voluntarily surrenders possession, a valid statutory notice is required. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 "no-fault" notices from 1 May 2026, so tenancies we arrange or manage are assured tenancies and possession may only be sought on the statutory Section 8 grounds (Housing Act 1988). We will advise on the grounds available and, where instructed, prepare and serve the relevant notice. If the tenant does not vacate, County Court proceedings may be necessary; we can introduce specialist solicitors.

Where we manage the property, we notify the local authority when the tenant occupies. You are responsible for charges up to and including the occupation date, and for any void period. Many utility suppliers will not take instructions from us, so it remains your responsibility to contact them directly.

Following the Renters' Rights Act 2025, tenancies continue on a periodic basis and fixed terms are no longer offered for new lettings. For managed / rent-collection tenancies we contact you to discuss a rent review — included in your fee. For Let Only we can issue a statutory Section 13 notice for £150 + VAT, and manage a rent review dispute for £500 + VAT. The tenant may challenge a proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal; our fees remain payable for as long as the tenant occupies.

On request you must provide documentary evidence that you are legally entitled to grant a tenancy. By accepting these Terms you warrant that you are the owner or otherwise lawfully entitled. If registered with the Land Registry, we reserve the right to obtain office copy entries at your cost.

Where mortgaged, you need your mortgagee's written consent before the tenancy starts, and any special conditions must be given to us beforehand — they cannot be imposed on a tenant later. By accepting these Terms you warrant you have obtained the necessary consent.

If you are a leaseholder, you will normally need consent from your superior landlord, freeholder or managing agent before sub-letting. We will need a copy of the head lease and any schedules referred to in it.

The Premises and contents listed in the inventory must be adequately insured, and your insurers must know the Premises are let — failing to tell them may invalidate cover. Check third-party liability cover is included. We recommend a policy covering loss of rent, contents and legal expenses.

We collect one calendar month's rent in advance from the proposed tenant on signature of the tenancy agreement, paid to you under the Payment of Landlord Accounts clause.

It is your responsibility to take all necessary steps to protect your interests, including instructing solicitors and commencing proceedings to recover arrears and defend actions brought against you.

You are liable for tax on your rental income and must inform HMRC that you are letting. Keep invoices for six years. Non-Resident Landlords: until an HMRC approval number is received, we must deduct tax at the prevailing rate (currently 20%) and forward it quarterly — a £250 + VAT p.a. admin charge applies. Making Tax Digital: from 6 April 2026, landlords with gross rental income over £50,000 must keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC.

Accounts are paid within 10 working days of the tenancy commencing, transferred electronically to the bank details you provide. Rent received is processed and paid out within 5 working days of receipt and clearance.

To reduce our environmental impact, statements and correspondence are emailed rather than posted — please ensure your email address is correct. You also receive a login to our online landlord portal to see all your documents in one place, any time.

Mandatory licensing applies where a property is occupied by five or more people forming two or more households sharing kitchen, bathroom or toilet facilities. Additional and selective licensing may also apply locally, and planning consent may be required. It is your responsibility to investigate, obtain and comply with any licensing or planning permission required.

You authorise us to organise minor repairs up to £250 including VAT. We retain £200 from your first rental payment as a repair fund. Where repairs are likely to exceed £250 + VAT we seek your written authority; if we don't hear from you within 3 days we proceed using our judgement. A supervision charge of 10% (minimum £250 + VAT) applies on protracted refurbishment or building works. We cannot arrange works without first holding sufficient cleared funds.

Where instructed and provided we hold sufficient funds, we can pay other outgoings from your rental income — for example ground rent and service charges where you hold a leasehold interest. Please instruct those providers to contact us directly.

Within three months of the tax year ending, we send a summary of the income and expenditure associated with letting your property, to help with your Self-Assessment. This is not intended as tax advice.

Either party may terminate this Agreement in writing on the tenant vacating, or on 3 months' written notice. We may terminate immediately for major breach.

Early termination in the first year: if you end our Rent Collection or Full Management service so that it finishes within the first 12 months of a tenancy we arranged, a fee equivalent to 8% + VAT of the gross rent for the remainder of that first 12-month period becomes payable on termination, in place of the monthly management commission for those months.