HOUSING GUIDE nula professionals you can trust. nula.org.uk

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1 HOUSING GUIDE nula professionals you can trust nula.org.uk

2 Who are nula? NULA (Nottingham Universities Letting Agents) was formed to provide a voluntary regulatory framework for agencies dealing with student lettings in Nottingham. Each year, more and more agencies open. Some will no doubt prove reputable, others less so. Some agencies won t have the technical or legal knowledge that is required and some won t be experienced in dealing with problems. Most people that are looking to rent a property will come across a Letting Agent. The property letting and sales industries are completely unregulated meaning that anyone can set up in business as an agent without the need to gain any qualifications or have any experience of working in the industry. In unregulated markets, the reputation of the industry is usually affected most by businesses with little or no understanding of what they are doing. Their actions taint the reputation of the market as a whole. This is to the detriment of the businesses run by qualified professionals with years of experience. NULA is designed to provide students with the peace of mind that they are dealing with professional agencies with a proven track record of working with student accommodation. The NULA code sets out to promote good practice in the letting and management of student properties in Nottingham. Members are required: To have a zero tolerance policy of acting for poor quality landlords Make sure that properties that are marketed comply with the relevant legal requirements (fire, electrical and gas safety) Promote voluntary regulation by membership of the RICS, ARLA or NALS. Promote accreditation and licensing of properties through ANUK, UNIPOL, Dash and the Local Authority Have a local office where you can visit if you have a problem Maintain a special client bank account to hold rent and deposit monies - protecting landlords and tenants alike from misappropriation of funds Have professional indemnity insurance - so landlords and tenants are covered if something goes wrong Have a complaints handling procedure There founding members of NULA are four of the most established agencies that have been letting properties to students studying in Nottingham:- C the most important thing when you let a house through a landlord or an agent is to ensure that they are trustworthy P Walker & Son 1896 CP Walker is a Beeston based firm of Chartered Surveyors that has been letting and managing properties around the University since The company is family owned, employs 30 staff and manages 800 residential and commercial properties around the local area. MS Estates founded in 2002, small but busy estate agent still run and managed by husband and wife (Michael & Satty) having more than 20 years of experience in this industry whilst gaining an excellent reputation.housing over 600 tenants every year. Oak Student Lets founded in 2003 now managing over 350 properties for over 250 landlords and house over 1500 tenants every year. Tomlinsons Estates A family business established in 1998 based in the heart of Lenton. Keen to provide high quality housing and provide an excellent service for our tenants and landlords. 3

3 What is a letting agent? Letting Agents are businesses that deal with rented properties such as houses, flats and rooms in shared houses. Landlords pay them to find tenants, collect rent or both. Sometimes Letting Agents provide a Full Management service. This means you deal with them directly rather than the property owner over payment of rent, any day to day enquiries about the property or when you need to arrange repairs and maintenance. In other cases, Agents will provide a Let Only service. This usually means you deal with the Agent over the letting of the property only (to include signing contracts etc) but then directly with the owner of the property when you move in to the house. Letting Agents income comes mainly from the landlord. Agents also usually charge fees to tenants when you rent a property for carrying out credit checks, preparing the tenancy agreement, the Inventory and the Check in and Check out processes. If you deal directly with a Landlord, he/she may not carry out all of these processes and often you won t need to pay a letting fee. 4 Make sure you find out before you apply for a property what the fees and other costs are likely to be before, during and after the tenancy ends. This will help you to avoid any unexpected charges once you have signed a tenancy for a property. Letting agents can range from small agencies that look after just a few properties to large national chains. Student lettings is a specialised area of the market and you should make sure your agent has sufficient experience managing student properties. Just because an agent has an office or has familiar name, it doesn t make them reputable or reliable. Make sure you are comfortable with them and avoid: Agents that try and pressurise you in to reserving a house Agents that ask for deposits before even reading or having sight of a contract Agents that don t protect your deposit Agents that keep the property marketed after taking a deposit Any demands to pay rent in cash Charging fees or deposits before even showing a property Advantages of renting through an Agent vs from a landlord directly Renting directly from a landlord can have it s advantages. You deal directly with the decision maker and sometimes he/she can offer you their complete attention and a more personal service than an agency with multiple properties to look after. However, on other occasions, landlords may be busy with their day jobs and prove hard to contact when you have a problem. If you rent through an agent, it can make the process less risky. However, how can you be sure the agent is reputable? Check if the Letting Agent is regulated Although not legally required, reputable letting agents should be members of at least one regulatory body (no one should use an agent that isn t). This means they are required to abide by a Code of Conduct; failing to do so may lead to financial compensation to the consumer and further penalties. Letting Agents are more likely to know the legal procedures Most experienced Letting Agents will have a better understanding of the law compared with the average landlord, which means they are more likely to ensure that all legal requirements are met by both landlord and tenant. Make sure the Agent you use is experienced in letting and managing student properties. Letting agents can be easily contacted Reputable letting agents should have an office where you can visit if you have a problem. This sounds straightforward but it is amazing how many landlords or agents prove hard to contact when things go wrong. Letting Agents will do the work of contacting the landlord for you. If an Agent is managing your property and you need to get a repair done, the responsibility of dealing with the landlord is transferred to the agent. Tenants don t need to get their hands dirty and deal with a landlord who may not know what their legal responsibilities are. Agents will get as frustrated as you if landlords don t resolve problems and any reputable Agent will cease to work with landlords who have a poor track record of dealing with repairs. Letting Agents will have a pool of local tradesman to fix problems Some landlords may live far away or may try to fix problems in properties themselves. Agents will have a pool of local tradesman that they can call to deal with any problem that you have. It is important that you feel comfortable with whoever you are going to be dealing with once you have rented a property. Find out if the house you are renting is going to be managed by an Agent or the landlord directly. If the Agent is providing a let only service, ask about what the landlord is like in sorting repairs etc. Ask what happens if you have a problem with the landlord that you can t resolve. 5

4 Which is the best place to live? Wollaton Excellent transport links Close to QMC and Park Campus Safe mixed community Good Supermarkets, takeaways, restaurants and Wollaton Hall all in the vicinity Good value for money Beeston Excellent shopping, restaurants, bars, supermarkets Safe mixed community Good value for money Excellent transport links - tram arrives 2015 Close to Park campus Wollaton Vale Canning Circus Excellent transport links Popular vibrant Student area Bars, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets convenient Close to town centre B6006 WOLLATON BEESTON WOLLATON HALL A6464 BEECHDALE A609 Lenton Middleton Boulevard University Boulevard Popular vibrant HIGHFIELDS Student PARK area Queens Road A6005 UNIVERSITY PARK A6514 RADFORD JUBILEE CAMPUS LENTON QMC Situated between Town centre and Nottingham University Excellent transport links Pubs, bars, takeaways, independent cinema, gyms & pool Close to Jubilee and Park Campus A6200 DUNKIRK Arboretum Excellent transport links Close to Nottingham Trent University Large park and open area and home to Goose fair A610 Lenton Blvd A6005 A609 Clifton Boulevard A6130 THE PARK A6005 FOREST RECREATION GROUND ARBORETUM PARK NOTTINGHAM CASTLE Queens Dr Dunkirk Excellent transport links Safe predominantly student area Good value for money Close to QMC, tennis centre and Park Campus Cinema and chain restaurant short walk away TRENT UNIVERSITY NOTTINGHAM CAPITAL FM ARENA London Road Forest Fields Excellent transport links - Tram and Bus Close to town centre Bars, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets convenient Popular vibrant Student area Good value for money The Lace Market Central town living Safe mixed community Pubs, Bars, clubs, restaurants Excellent transport links Home to the Nottingham Contemporary The Park One of Nottinghams most exclusive areas to live Close to town centre, Nottingham Castle, Supermarkets A safe gated community Green areas to enjoy in summers A6011 WEST BRIDGFORD West Bridgford Probably Nottingham s most popular area to live Excellent for shopping and eating out Close to Nottingham Cricket and football grounds Perfect for those Studying at Clifton campus Excellent transport links - tram arrives

5 The 2014 University of Nottingham Students Union House-hunting Survey showed that more than a third of students started to look for accommodation in advance of the official start of the house hunting season. When are you planning on starting to look? What are the pros and cons of starting early / leaving house hunting until later? Without doubt, the biggest challenge for those involved in the letting market is the rush that occurs after exams finish in January. Typically, Agents experience a jump from 3-4 viewings per day to An increase like this is hard for any business to deal with and only adds to the panic that many students feel in January when they are looking to find somewhere to live. There has been considerable debate about having an official start to house hunting. Critics say telling students to hold back makes the January/February rush even worse. 8 When do I start to look for a house? House hunting early will of course mean that you have the most choice. However, you need to be sure you know and get along with the people that you are intending to live with. Signing a contract for a house in December is a commitment to live with your housemates - are you sure that you really get along with everyone? an unhappy house can mean an unhappy year at Uni - think carefully if you have just known your future housemates for just a few months. Don t feel that you have to be rushed in to deciding who to live with. Most students house hunt many months in advance of when they are going to move; even if your friends have all found places to live don t worry. House hunting months before you plan to move is not a last minute decision. If you leave you decision until later in the year, of course there will be less choice but you will find landlords and Agents much keener to offer you deals. It is much easier to agree rent reductions or for a landlord to commit to refurbishing a property when there isn t a queue of people behind you. Whenever you plan to start looking, don t panic. It is easy to make a wrong decision when you feel under pressure. Don t worry, there is plenty of good quality housing available. Don t be too eager to make compromises just because you think everyone else has already found somewhere to live. What to look for When you are looking for somewhere to live, the number one rule is not to rush in to making a decision. Who to live with Make sure you know and get on with the people that you are going to live with, particularly if you are a first year student and have known your future housemates for just a few months. Housemates falling out and not getting along with each other is a common problem and could ruin your experience of your first home. Once you have signed for a property you are committed to living in the house; you can only be released from your contract if you find someone else to take your place. This can be hard if term has started and all other students have found somewhere to live. Where to live Think about how close each house is to the amenities that you need. Where do you buy groceries from? Is it close to your gym, your favourite pub and your friends? Is there public transport nearby? What about bus, train, taxi and the tram services? What facilities do you want? Are the bedrooms of equal size? Think carefully about the location. How do you get to Uni, each campus and the city centre? Are there enough showers and WCs for the number of people that you want to share with? Are there enough communal facilities - is the kitchen big enough, what about the living room and dining facilities? Remember the more people you live with the more communal space you will need Do you need parking? Are there resident parking schemes and what s the process for getting a permit? Do you need facilities for storing your bike? What s your budget? When your are thinking about your budget, don t forget to calculate the total cost. Look at amount of rent you need to pay and the duration of the tenancy. Do you have to rent for the full year even if you are not living there? What are the application fees and are there any other charges made? Is there a cleaning fee / fee to pay for the check out at the end of the tenancy? Ask about the checkout process and what the standard deductions are from the deposit. You should always look at the total cost of your stay so you can compare like with like. Paying 78 per week on a 48 week contract is less than 75 per week on a 52 week contract - so make sure you calculate the total cost of your stay is you din t get any unpleasant surprises. 9

6 What s your strategy to find a house? Once you ve set your criteria, think about where to look so you can see a good selection of properties: Look on the internet; Rightmove Students, Zoopla and Local Agents websites Visit Letting Agent s offices or phone for advice If you know the criteria you are looking for (location, number of bedrooms, other facilities etc), speak with the Agent and ask their advice. They will usually be happy to show you a number of properties and will usually know the properties that are most suitable. Discussing your criteria with them can often save needless trips to properties that aren t suitable. You will usually need to book viewings at least 24 hours in advance. Any reliable Agent will want to notify the existing tenants that you are coming to visit. iif you are told to just knock on the door, be skeptical would you want people being told to do this if you were living in the house? What is the landlord/agent like? Think about who is going to manage the property when you move in. Are they trustworthy/are they experienced enough? Check to see if the landlord or Agent is regulated If you are dealing with an Agent, are they members of nula / RICS / ARLA / NALS? Have you checked whether the house has adequate fire protection etc? Is the house licensed by the Council? Does the landlord/agent subscribe to UNIPOL/ Dash / Council Accreditation? How secure is the house? What is the process for reserving a property? Is the landlord or Agent trying to pressurise you in to making a decision? Make sure you read the contract thoroughly and have it checked out by the Student Advice Centre. Remember when you sign, it is a commitment to live there. It can be hard and stressful to find someone to replace you if you later decide you don t want to live there so you shouldn t feel pressurised in to making a decision. Remember - don t panic Many students house hunt in Jan/Feb and many then worry about finding a house when properties are being taken quickly. Remember that you are still house hunting months ahead of your move in date so there should be no reason to worry about not finding somewhere to live immediately. Make sure you live with people that you know, trust and get on with - don t rush in to find yourself a group. Questions to ask The best questions to ask a potential landlord or agent: 1. What condition can I expect to find the house in when I move in? Will it be clean? What happens if it isn t clean. Do I have to pay for a clean at the end? 2. Who do I contact if I need a repair? What is the process? What procedures do you have in place to deal with emergencies? 3. Who manages the property? Will the property be managed by the Agent or will you have to deal direct with the landlord when you move in. What is the landlord like? What happens if you have problems with the landlord? 4. If you rent through an agent, is the agency regulated? Are they a nula member? Make sure you avoid unregulated agencies and those that operate questionable practices: If they use pressure tactics to get you to sign up Ask for deposits to be paid before contracts are signed nula agents don t ask for a retainer over the summer. This is a questionable legal practice - you are asked to pay money when you can t even live in the house Ask to see a copy of the check out process and what the most common deductions are from the deposit. Are there any standard costs to pay and do you have to pay for the check out? Do I choose bills inclusive or bills exclusive? One common discussion is whether to rent bills inclusive or bills exclusive. Bills exclusive is undoubtedly the cheapest way to arrange your bills but increasingly some students like the certainty of knowing their monthly outgoings. Choosing a fixed bills solution doesn t usually mean that you have unlimited right to put the heating on. There will usually be a fair usage allowance which is typically set at around normal usage. If you use the heating less than this you don t get a rebate - but you pay if you use more. Sometimes landlords will be happy to rent either way - or put you in touch with a company that fixes your bills for you if you want to do that. If you find a property you like, speak with the landlord or Agent to find out the prices for bills inclusive or bills exclusive. As a rule of thumb, you should budget around per week to cover your bills

7 Not an ordinary letting agent. one bedroom apartments & studios two bedroom HOUSES AND APARTMENTS Our vast experience, local knowledge and professionalism make M-S Estates the right choice for so many students. As well as finding you the right property, we can give you housing advice even if you don t rent with us. If you re looking for a student home, we can help you. Call us: us: info@msestates.co.uk Visit us: 59 Lenton Boulevard, Lenton, Nottingham NG7 2FQ From pw In Lenton, Leen Gate, Castle Gardens, Castle Marina, Heron Drive, Derby Road & Lenton Boulevard. From pw Probably the widest range of two bedroom student properties in Lenton. Opening hours Monday to Friday 10am - 5pm See all of our properties at Call us today on See all of our properties at

8 THREE bedroom HOUSES FOUR bedroom HOUSES FIVE OR SIX BEDROOM HOUSES seven, eight, nine & ten BEDROOM HOUSES From pw Ensuited rooms available. In Lenton. We have the biggest range of 3 bedroom houses on the Heron Drive estate. From pw In Lenton. Very popular houses so book early. From pw In Lenton. We have the largest choice on Devonshire Promenade and Lenton Boulevard. From pw In Lenton. We have a limited supply of larger properties so they go very quickly. Call us today on See all of our properties at Call us today on See all of our properties at

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13 LENTON DUNKIRK BEESTON WOLLATON BEESTON Broadgate Roberts Yard We know the student property market inside out We ve made it our family s business since 1896 We ve been looking after properties in the area over three centuries. That s a lot of knowledge and experience which means we understand what matters when it comes to looking after our tenants. We offer a range of properties from 1 to 6 bedrooms around the Universities at competitive rents. For details of all our properties: Visit our website: Call us: us: students@cpwalker.co.uk Visit our office in Beeston: 107 High Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2JU 6 beds, 2 baths 5 beds, 2 baths 72 per person per week 75 per person per week Humber Road Humber Road 4 beds, 1 bath 3 beds, 1 bath 75 per person per week 75 per person per week For a full list of properties visit See website for up to date list of available properties Tel: Office: 107 High Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2JU students@cpwalker.co.uk Web: Sales Lettings Management Insurance

14 DUNKIRK Lace Street City Road LENTON Hungerton Street Chippendale Street 4 beds, 1 bath 80 per person per week 4 beds, 1 bath 70 per person per week 6 beds, 2 baths 80 per person per week 4 en-suite beds 90 per person per week Lace Street Dunkirk Road Charnock Avenue Radford Bridge Road 3 beds, 1 bath 80 per person per week 2 beds, 1 bath 85 per person per week For a full list of properties visit Tel: Office: 107 High Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2JU students@cpwalker.co.uk Web: Sales Lettings Management Insurance 5 en-suite beds 95 per person per week For a full list of properties visit 3 beds, 1 bath 65 pp per week Tel: Office: 107 High Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2JU students@cpwalker.co.uk Web: WOLLATON Sales Lettings Management Insurance

15 nula promoting the highest standards for Student Letting Agents operating in Nottingham The terms NULA and Nottingham Universities Letting Agents are intended to describe what members of the organisation do: Letting Agents that deal with students at the Universities in Nottingham. It is not intended to confer any relationship with either of the Universities or imply that the organisation or any members represent the Universities. NULA is an independent organisation and is not connected with either Nottingham Trent University or the University of Nottingham.