Answering all your
Property Rental Questions
Bristol and Surrounding Area
Young Professionals FAQ's
Pre-Tenancy & Setup
If I see a property I like, how do I book a viewing?
Viewings of any of our properties to let in Bristol are by appointment only and must be arranged through our office, we have to give existing tenants at least 24 hours notice to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum. The majority of our viewings during busy periods are carried out as block viewings and are always arranged to meet at the property unless otherwise stated.
How do I go about securing a property?
Once you have chosen your property you will be required to pay a Holding Deposit equivalent to 1 weeks’ rent. Once you have paid this Holding Deposit and signed the reservation forms the property will be secured and taken off the market.
Once the tenancy agreement has been signed by all parties the Holding Deposit is then added to the balance of the overall Security Deposit which you will then pay. This deposit will be registered and protected within a government recognised scheme upon first payment of the Holding Deposit. For further information about our Tenant Fees please visit www.bristoldigs.co.uk
Please note that properties are secured on a first-come, first served basis. As the Landlords Agent we reserve the right to not let a property to an individual should we decide it is in the best interest of the Landlord.
What happens with regards to the utility charges?
Rent is generally exclusive of other outgoings such as water, sewage, electricity (excl. common supplies), gas & telephone unless stated otherwise. Each property has separate supplies for all services. When you move into the property, we will take a meter reading and provide this to you on request. When you vacate the property a meter reading will be taken again. We ask that you do not arrange for any services to be disconnected.
Do we need to pay council tax?
Professional tenants are responsible for making their own council tax payments. Please note that if any professional tenants live with students tenants they would be responsible for paying council tax for the whole property not just their share of it.
Living in the Property
Is there anywhere provided to store my bike or park my car?
For those of you with bikes, we offer covered storage in some of our properties. Parking permits (although in limited supply) are available from Bristol City Council in certain areas.
How would we get rid of our rubbish?
This will either be via Bristol City Council or in some instances, there is a private collection which is charged in addition to rent. We will inform you of the bin collection days. Please make sure that all rubbish is put into black bags, secured tightly and only put outside the flat the night before collection day. There are some exceptions to our rubbish collection service where our vehicle cannot gain access due to the road being too narrow, in these cases the normal council collection service would apply.
What happens if we have a maintenance issue in our flat/house?
If we manage your property, we have a maintenance team that is on hand daily to deal with any problems that may arise during the course of your tenancy. All maintenance problems must be reported to the office where a member of our maintenance team will be instructed to attend. We also offer a 24hrs maintenance service, this is for emergencies only.
What happens if I lose my key or lock myself out of my flat/house?
The Tenant is liable to the actual cost of replacing any lost key(s) or other security devices. If the loss results in locks needing to be changed, the actual costs of a locksmith, new lock and replacement keys for the tenant, landlord and any other persons requiring keys will be charged to the tenant. If extra costs are incurred there will be a charge of £15.00 per hour (inc. VAT) for the time taken replacing the lost key(s) or other security devices. Losing your key is not classed as an emergency. If you lose your key please call the office.
Rules, Inspections & Issues
What happens if any damage is caused to the property by the tenants?
If the property requires maintenance work to be carried out on it that has been caused by the tenants and it is the tenant’s fault, this will be invoiced to the tenants(s) and required to pay within 10 days. If the invoice has not been paid within 10 working days the amount will be deducted from your deposit when you vacate the property.
What happens when we need to move out of the property?
It is very important that the flats are handed back to us at the end of the tenancy in a clean and undamaged state. A cleaning guideline sheet will be sent out to all tenants to make sure that we are all clear on what needs to be cleaned and to what standard. If the property has been left clean and maintenance free your deposit will be returned to you quickly and without deductions. If, however, you do not leave the flats in the condition that they were at the start of the tenancy (after cleaning) local cleaning companies normally charge £15.00 – £20.00 per hour plus VAT for cleaning services and £25.00 per hour plus VAT for decorating. Carpet cleaning and other damage will be assessed and charged accordingly.
Would the Landlord or Agent carry out any inspections throughout our tenancy?
A minimum of Quarterly inspections are carried out on all our properties to ensure that you are happy, general maintenance standards are maintained and the property is being looked after by the tenants.