Welcome to your new home!

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2 Welcome to your new home! We know there is a lot to remember when you move in to a new home so Hunters have put together this information to assist you through your tenancy. Move in checklist Provide meter readings to utility company(s). Inventory check any amendments to be handed to the office within the first 7 days of the tenancy. Ensure your bank has set up the standing order for the next rent payment due, to avoid late payment charges. Any mail for the Landlord or previous occupiers please drop in to your local branch. Switch on the boiler, allow 12/24 hours for this to fully heat up. What happens next? During your tenancy, the agent will often contact to arrange to visit the property. The initial management visit will normally take place within the first 6 weeks of your tenancy. They are not seeing how you live, but they are making sure that everything still works and that there are no issues. The job of the agent is not to judge how you live, but to look after the property on behalf of the Landlord Once this visit has taken place we will carry out a management visits at the property at least 3 times a year. Not only does this satisfy the Landlord that the property is being looked after but also provides the opportunity for you to raise any maintenance issues. However under the Terms of the Tenancy we still recommend that these are reported to the maintenance department as soon as they happen. Rent Payments All rent payments should be set up on Standing Orders to leave your account 2 days prior to the due date to allow the funds to clear on time. However if your standing order does not go through on time we have alternative methods for payment. HSBC Bank, Account Name; Hunters Property Group, Account Number: Sort Code: International Payments, IBAN: GB98MIDL , BIC: MIDLGB2109Y Online: Phone: to pay by debit or credit card. By Cheque: made payable to Hunter Property Group and sent to Apollo House Eboracum Way York YO31 7RE Late payment charges will be applied if the account falls in to rent arrears so please contact us if you are unable to make a payment. We are here to help! 2

3 Looking after your home Tenant s responsibility (for the duration of the Tenancy): Light bulb replacement - Vacuum belt and bag replacements including removal of blockages Replacement plug fuses Re-placement batteries to Smoke Alarm, Doorbells, Clocks, Timers and other items supplied by the Landlord - Broken windows (other than those caused by burglary) Blocked sink and waste Dealing with pest infestation Sticking locks Gardening refuse removal cleaning and tidiness of outside areas Keep all guttering free of obstructions - Maintaining adequate ventilation (particularly in kitchen and bathrooms) General day to day home maintenance Repairing and replacement of grout and sealant around bath/sink and shower area Bleeding radiators. Top Tips Frost and Damp Ensure that you keep the dwelling warm throughout winter. Ensure that if drying laundry inside you do so with adequate ventilation in a cooler area of the dwelling. Ensure that when having a shower or bath the ventilation fan is on and working or a window is open (preferably both). If condensation forms on the inside of a window, wipe it dry with a cloth. Some properties may suffer with condensation more than others which may require the windows needing to be opened daily. Look for signs of growth in the guttering and inform your Agent, if you suspect blockages or growth. Don t allow bin bags, grow bags or debris to collect around the walls of the dwelling. Notify your Agent immediately of any damp patches on your internal or external walls. Look out for roof tiles being out of place or missing. Going away?! If you are going away during winter we ask you maintain the central heating on a low or normal setting to maintain a temperature of between 55/60 degrees F and leave the trap door to roof space open to stop pipes from freezing. If your property has flat panelled electric heaters, do not switch these off at the wall, as this can flatten the integral battery and you may be held liable for the cost of replacing it. Use the thermostat or on/off rocker switch on the side of the heater instead. 3

4 Maintenance and reporting issues The Maintenance Department opening times are Monday Friday 9am until 5.30pm Saturday 9am until 4pm Sunday- 11am until 2pm Please call or Out of hours Emergencies - These are defined as any repairs necessary to avoid a danger to a tenant s health and wellbeing. Your out of hour emergency numbers are: Inspire Property Services; Emergency repairs are: No Water Water Leaks Gas Leaks No Electricity No Heating or Hot Water Burglary Fire/Security Alarm malfunction Other Electrical problems Call the water company or the block management company check there is no problem with the mains supply, then ring the maintenance department Turn off the water at the stop cock. Take measures to prevent further damage and ring the maintenance department Ring NATIONAL GRID then ring the maintenance department Check your fuse box, ring your supplier has there been a power cut & are your payments up to date? Ring the maintenance department Check the instruction manuals provided. Ring the maintenance department. Please note you could incur charges if this is deemed as user error. Call the police immediately for a crime reference number, Ring the maintenance department Please read your security details which will have been provided and follow the instructions, Ring the maintenance department If you encounter sparks, burning smells, fires, bulbs repeatedly blowing ring the maintenance department Once you have reported the maintenance issue your details will be passed to a contractor who will arrange a time to suit you to attend. All emergencies will be treated as a priority and dealt with as soon as possible, parts permitting. Urgent repairs will be dealt with within 5 working days part permitting. Broken washing machine Broken Freezer Block drains No cooking facilities Have you checked/emptied your filter? Have you defrosted and removed excess ice? Have you checked for food blockages? Have you used a shop bought sink unblocker? Please provide model and serial number All Non Urgent Issues not listed above and include damage/broken furniture will be dealt with within 28 days Once reported, we will action your issue accordingly a Contractor will then be passed your Name and Contact Details. They will telephone you to advise when access will be needed; should you not answer they will leave you a message to the same effect. Please always ensure you provide us with your most up to date contact numbers so that we can ensure you are contacted correctly. PLEASE NOTE - IF WE ARE CALLED OUT TO A REPAIR, WHICH IS DUE TO YOUR NEGLIGENCE THEN YOU WILL BE LIABLE FOR THE FULL COST 4

5 Gas Safety If you property is supplied with Gas then your Landlord/Hunters has a legal duty to carry out an Annual Landlord Gas Safety Certificate, we will supply a copy of the gas certificate with the inventory and then arrange the annual check thereafter but you also have a responsibility to protect yourself, family, home and neighbours. We will provide sufficient notice of the Gas inspection and our contractor will be in touch to carry out the appointment. Any problems with access may result in legal action against you. Responsibilities of both parties are; Landlord/Agent Carry out a Gas inspection prior to move in Arrange annual gas checks All checks will be carried out by GAS SAFE registered contractor Any defects will be rectified as quickly as possible, parts permitting. Tenant Make contact with our Gas Safe contractor Allow access to the property by meeting the contractor or allowing access with management keys Only allow Gas Safe contractors to touch gas appliances Report any concerns regarding the Gas appliance to NATIONAL GRID and the maintenance department ASAP Fire Safety for the Home Make sure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home and CO alarms in rooms where you have a solid fuel appliance. Smoke alarms save lives, but only if they re working. Test them regularly and notify your Agent if you experience any problems. Plan your escape route and make sure everyone knows how to get out in a fire. Take extra care in the kitchen and never leave cooking unattended. Do not overload electrical sockets and watch out for faulty and over-heating electrical equipment and wiring/cables. Ensure hair straighteners are turned off and unplugged after use. We would recommend placing them on a heat resistant mat. E-Cigarettes, do not leave on charge for prolonged periods of time. Be sure candles are placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface and extinguish if left unattended. Legionnaires Simple checks can be carried out to avoid the build-up of bacteria in your water system; Ensure your water system is above 50 degrees centigrade so that any bacteria is killed. Shower heads and hoses are dismantled, cleaned and decaled at least every quarter. 5

6 Do you want to stay? At the end of your Tenancy there are several options open to both you and your Landlord and Hunters will be in contact with you 6 8 weeks prior to the end of the Tenancy to establish what your intentions are. Should you wish to serve notice/leave the property we would require notice in line with the Tenancy Agreement in writing and signed by all tenants. s cannot be accepted. Vacating the Property If you have decided that you wish to vacate the property at the end of your agreement, we would ask that you adhere to the end of tenancy procedure as follows so that you are in the best possible position to get your deposit back quickly and avoid any disputes. Particular attention should be paid to the kitchen and bathroom, professional cleaning of carpets, worktops, cupboards, cooker and fridge, bathroom suite, windows and curtains. You should make sure that the skirting boards are free from dust and that the ceiling light fittings do not have cobwebs, etc. Please make sure that all carpets are left in a clean condition. If carpets are stained, we reserve the right to instruct a professional company to attend, any cost arising being deducted from your bond. The lawn should be cut and left in a tidy condition and the borders weeded. Any furniture should be placed back in the relevant rooms as per the original inventory. Please ensure that you have your mail re-directed, as we do not have the facilities to forward your mail. Please ensure that you cancel your standing order mandate before you vacate the property. We do not have access to tenant s bank accounts and hence do not have the authority to do this on your behalf. An administration fee will be charged if your rental payment has to be refunded back to you. Please note you will need to instruct your bank to cancel your standing order at the conclusion of your tenancy. Deposit Return Providing that the criteria listed in the above procedures are met, and the checkout has proved satisfactory to the landlord, we will undertake to return your bond/deposit via the agreed method of either cheque or directly to your bank as soon as administratively possible. PAYMENTS TO OVERSEAS BANK ACCOUNTS; if you require us to send monies relating to your deposit/bond/rent overpayment to a Bank which is located outside of the UK please advise us. We will need the following info from you prior to you moving out. A charge of 75+VAT ( 90 Inc. vat) will be made for all international bank transfers. Full Name on the Account Full Forwarding Address of the tenant (including postal code) Full Address of the bank (including postal code) Bank Swift/BIC IBAN Account Number Current Address Please note you will need to instruct your bank to cancel your standing order at the conclusion of your tenancy. 6

7 Customer Procedure for complaints Seek to understand before being understood If we are giving great service, then we want our clients to tell everyone, if we aren t, do tell us We aim to provide a high level standard of service to you, our customer at all times. However, sometimes things can go wrong and if that happens we are committed to resolving matters promptly and fairly. If you have a complaint please raise it within two weeks of the incident. You may complain to us using any of the following methods: By person in branch to the branch manager By or in writing to the branch manager Should the complaint not be satisfied at this level the customer may complain by telephone; in person; by or in writing to. Glynis Frew Managing Director Hunters Property Group Apollo House, Eboracum Way, York, YO31 7RE Telephone number: complaints@hunters.com On receipt of any complaint we will make contact by telephone and/or or letter, we will acknowledge the complaint, we will fully investigate the situation and, reply to the complaint within 14 working days. 7