Frequently Asked Questions by Tenants

You should contact your letting agent or your landlord if you have any problems with your rental property.

You are responsible for minor maintenance such as changing light bulbs, bleeding radiators, pressurising the boiler, unblocking sinks and toilets, checking smoke detectors, and defrosting the fridge freezer. However, repairs and maintenance that fall outside this would be the responsibility of your landlord.

If your chosen property through DJ Alexander is fully managed, then our in-house property managers and maintenance team will be your first point of contact for all maintenance and repair issues and we will act on behalf of the landlord.

We can discuss any areas of concern with your landlord and remind them of their obligations under the tenancy agreement.

You should pay your utility bills directly to the relevant supplier. Rent should be paid by standing order on or before the rent due date specified in your tenancy agreement.

If you are happy at your rented property and wish to stay on past the end of your initial term, you will need to ask permission to extend your tenancy. This is called a renewal. Providing your landlord is happy with you and the condition of the property, you’ll most likely be able to continue with your occupancy.

No, your original deposit will remain against your tenancy until such time as you terminate the contract and vacate the property.

You should contact your bank and cancel your standing order.

Please arrange to return your keys (including all door keys, window keys, fobs, and parking permits) to the relevant DJ Alexander office by the end of the last day of the tenancy. If this is outside office hours, please post them through the door in an envelope quoting your name rather than the property address (for security reasons.)

If you do not wish to continue your tenancy, you will need to give your landlord written notice of your intention to vacate (this notice cannot expire sooner than the expiry of the Tenancy Agreement. You should refer to your tenancy agreement for details of your notice period.

We will need proof of address and photo identification from anyone wishing to rent a property through us. If you are currently a homeowner, we will also need proof of ownership of your property. These documents will need to be produced in advance of your proposed moving in date. Click here to see what documents you need when proving identity.

A Guarantor is someone who agrees to pay back a loan if you cannot. Essentially, if fail to pay your rent your Guarantor agrees to step in and assume responsibility for you. It reduces the risk for the Landlord who has a liability that would put them at risk financially if their tenant doesn’t pay their rent.

If we feel your income is lower than that required for the rent in question or if you are returning to study for example, we could ask for a guarantor to support your tenancy. This is a serious commitment as the guarantor will be as responsible as the tenant for all monies due and obligations agreed for the tenancy. Guarantors need to be earning sufficient to cover both their own financial commitments as well as your rent and we will reference them in the same way as the actual Tenant.

You will need provide proof of address and photo identification to rent a property through us. If you are currently a homeowner, we will also need proof of ownership of your property. These documents will need to be produced in advance of your proposed moving in date. You will also need to prove you have legal status to live in England by way of a Right to Rent check. Click here to see what documents you need to provide to confirm your Right to Rent.

You will pay a deposit with the initial rent payment before you move into the property. This is held against any breach of the tenancy agreement e.g. non-payment of rent or damage to the property or its fittings and furnishings.

Alternatively, some of our managed properties may be available with our No Deposit Scheme, a deposit free option.  This is an alternative to cash deposits, allowing you to pay a monthly service charge instead of a 5 week tenancy deposit.  If you select Deposit Replacement Scheme on your application form then one of our team will discuss this with the Landlord and will provide you with the terms and conditions for the scheme.

Your property manager will inform our partner, ‘Help the Move’ who use a preferred energy and other utility suppliers. Help The Move will attend to the continuity of your energy and service supply at the property.

Your Tenancy Agreement should also state when your payments are expected for; Council Tax, utilities, service charges, etc.

Your monthly payments are often not just rent, they may also include;

• Council Tax (sometimes this may be included in the rent)
• Utilities (gas, electricity and water – sometimes these may be included in the rent)
• Phone/ broadband
• TV License
• Contents Insurance – you will be responsible for arranging contents insurance for your own possessions. The Landlord covers the building and his own contents against normal perils such as fire, flood or theft but not yours. You should also consider taking out insurance against any damage you might accidentally cause to the Landlord's contents, buildings and fixtures and fittings. It's all too easy to drop the iron on the carpet or spill a glass of red wine.

Before moving into a property, payment of the first month’s rent and deposit must be made by bank transfer or debit card. Funds must be cleared before keys can be released. All future payments will be via standing order, unless the landlord specifies otherwise.

The Agent/ Landlord is entitled to charge interest at 3% above the Bank of England’s base rate for each day that a rent payment is outstanding. This charge will be applied once the rent has been outstanding for 14 days or more and will then be backdated to the rent due date. Payment of interest must be made at the same time as the rent is brought up to date.

No, your agent will issue with the relevant information about your new landlord together with updated prescribed information relating to your deposit, where applicable.