Guide to renting
Moving house can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. We have put together this handy guide to outline the process and answer any questions you may have about renting.
First and foremost, make sure you’re taking advice from the right people. A reputable company will be members of a redress scheme such as The Property Ombudsmen (TPO) and will certainly offer Client Money Protection (CMP)
Manchester is an incredibly diverse city with each area having its own, unique identity. From the bohemian Northern Quarter to historic Castlefield, there plenty to enjoy. Explore and familiarise yourself with the area you’re drawn to. Ask yourself, where will you be working or studying? Where do you want to socialise? Which transport network do you need to be close to? These questions will be integral in helping you choose the right area for your new home. To help, we have created a map of Manchester to help you along your way…
Understanding the process of applying for a property
We want to know exactly what you need. Tell us everything. From what you want from your area to whether you’re looking to adopt a dog in the next few months. Don’t hold back. Everything you tell us helps us help you find the right property. It will also save you viewing an unsuitable property.
Once you have found your new home and agreed the terms of your potential tenancy with the landlord, you will need to secure it by paying the holding monies which is equivalent to 1 week’s rent. This is subtracted from the first month’s rent which is requested along with your deposit on the working day before you move in and is equivalent to 5 weeks rent. Be mindful that the holding monies are non-refundable should your application be declined during the referencing process if you failed to provide the right information, or if you decide to no longer move in. In this instance, your holding monies are transferred to the landlord of the property you had secured.
To rent a property through Goodwin Fish & Co Ltd, you must be over the age of 18, have a U.K. citizenship, settled status or right to rent agreement from the Home Office for the duration of your tenancy. You must not have diplomatic immunity status.
The referencing processes
Make sure you can afford to pay your rent and associated costs of renting the property. If you’re unsure as to whether you will pass the affordability check, please ask our referencing department before submitting your offer.
In some cases, the referencing provider may advise a guarantor is required. They are referenced in the same way as the tenant. Guarantors guarantee the rent on a joint and several bases. Guarantors must be a UK citizen with a UK address.
If you have rented previously, you may be asked to provide a landlord reference. In this instance, please ensure you provide the correct landlord contact information to prevent delays in processing your application.
A credit check will be conducted using your previous address history. If you feel there could be an issue with your credit check, then please speak with our referencing department before submitting an offer.
Move in day
Once we have received satisfactory replies to your references, we will contact you to confirm the date and time you wish to come and collect your keys. We will confirm this via email so that you can plan your day. Please bring along you photo I.D. and make sure you’re on time. Missed appointments will need to be rearranged subject to availability. Please note, only named tenants on the Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement will be provided with a set of key and access fobs. Permitted occupiers will not be provided with a set of keys unless previously agreed with the landlord when submitting your offer.
The inventory is a photographic schedule of condition listing all items in the property. You will be provided with two copies of the inventory. One to sign in branch which we will keep on file and a second for you to take with you and cross check the property with. If you need to make any amendments, please ensure you write clearly in the correct column and return the report to us within 7 days. You’re more than welcome to submit photos to support your comments and we’ll keep them on file for when you come to move out.
If you’re looking to hire a removal company to help you move, then please ensure you have received confirmation from the referencing department of your move in day before you secure the booking. It might also be worth understanding whether parking is available at the property as the removal company may need to know this prior to their arrival.
If you have rented a property with a car parking space; then make sure you register your vehicle with the company managing the car parking facilities. Details of who manage the car park will be found sign posted in the car park. Please remember, it is your responsibility to register your own vehicle and pay any fines if not registered correctly.
We know you’ll be super excited to move, but do not forget to have your meters read on the day you move in. In some cases, metres may be in locked cupboards, so you may have to ask the block management company for readings. It’s important that you forward the reading to your utility providers at the earliest opportunity so that they can set up your account. Don’t forget to provide them and the local authority with the date you have moved in.
We appreciate that having an internet connection and Wifi will be high on the list of priorities and that in some cases the providers can take their time to arrange this. However, we strongly suggest that you do not enter a contract until you have occupied the property. It will be your responsibility to terminate the contract or move the services to another property when you come to move out.
