Guide to renting

We appreciate there is a lot of choice out there however wherever you find your dream property it's always good to know the basics before you dive straight in...

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Registering your interest

Gone are the days of sitting on portals and scanning to see if your perfect property is going to pop up. The reality of it is that it has been and gone, a lot of properties dont actually make it to our website let alone portals. This is due to the demand for great properties in good locations. Therefore it is vital you register with your local Dexters office to be the first to be called about a new property on the market. Don't and you will miss out!

Why use Dexters to find a property

Dexters has a vast network of offices across London and we are the go to agent for people with exceptional properties in these locations, so the chances of us not having the type of property you are after is slim. Why not search here and see for yourself... if it’s not, then you best register with the office as it may not make our website.

Viewing process

Finding a property you like the look of online is one thing, getting the real look and feel is another. Make sure you view all the properties you are interested in. Not all of the information makes the cut to our website, as this is only a taste of what the property is like. Book a viewing with one of our local experts and make sure you see what each property has to offer so then you can make an informed decision about the property whilst our property experts fills you in on the house details and what it’s like to live in the area.

Offers

Once the Landlord agrees we will carry out a credit check on every named tenant and we’ll need references within three days of application. Your reference will be completed by Lettings Hub on behalf of your letting agent. You will be asked for a reference from your previous Landlord, current employer or accountant and you may also need to provide three recent payslips, three months bank statements along with a copy of your passport.  

 

Contracts

Once terms of the tenancy are agreed and we are processing your references we will produce a lease agreement and the prescribed information detailing how your deposit will be registered with the tenancy deposit scheme. After you have read through both documents all tenants will be asked to initial every page and sign where required, your future Landlord will do the same. If all parties prefer we are able to offer our clients and tenants the option of signing the agreement electronically via email. At the point of signing the agreement you will be provided with an invoice for the completion funds to be paid and confirmation that your standing order mandate has been set up. The completion funds amount will depend on the type of tenancy agreement you have. 

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Move In

Once the Landlord or our property management team have prepared the property for you we will carry out a pre-tenancy check to ensure it’s ready for you to move in. We will also arrange for an inventory clerk or the Landlord to meet you at a pre-agreed time to check you in to your new home. Shortly after you move in we will email you with details of who to contact during your tenancy along with copies of the gas safety certificate, energy performance certificate, lease agreement, tenancy deposit scheme certificate and the check-in report detailing the condition of the property the day you moved.

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Your Responsibility

You are responsible for paying the rent and any utilities, notifying your property manager or the Landlord of any maintenance issues and ensuring the property is kept in the condition that it was originally let, however there is obviously an exception for any fair wear and tear. As part of the lease agreement your Landlord will be obliged to carry out repairs during the tenancy, resolve any maintenance issues and keep the property habitable for you. At the start of the tenancy please notify the suppliers of gas, electricity and water as well the local council that you have moved in to the property and that all utility bills and council tax should be in your name. Where we are managing the property we will write to the utility suppliers on your behalf, however it does remain your responsibility to ensure the bills are transferred into your name.

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Who to contact

We are here to help throughout your tenancy so feel free to call your local branch at any time. Many of our Landlords instruct us to manage their properties and give us authority to carry out work on their behalf, whereas some of our Landlords will manage the properties themselves. In this case we will always try to help but you may be directed to the Landlord.

Circumstances do change!

We understand that circumstances change, so should a tenant need to surrender the tenancy early and the Landlord agrees to re-let the property, the liability for the payment of rent will end once a new tenant is found and takes up occupation. However, the tenant will still need to cover the Landlord’s costs in surrendering the tenancy and re-letting the property.

Move out

We will contact you three months before the end of your tenancy to discuss whether you would like to renew your existing contract. If you are happy to stay then we will discuss this with your Landlord and if new terms are agreed we will issue a new agreement to you. If you decide to find a new home we will require a decision from you at least eight weeks before the end of your lease agreement. If either you or the Landlord decide not to renew the tenancy then your local lettings office will be able to help you in securing a new property to rent. At this point please inform your utility providers when you are moving out to close the accounts. Arrangements will be made to check you out of the property on the last day of your tenancy. Please return all keys to your local branch and provide us with your forwarding address and contact details in order to arrange the return of your deposit. The deposit will be registered with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and we will ensure that it will be refunded in accordance to this and the terms of your agreement.

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