Welcome to Bannisters. The property Experts

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2 Welcome to Bannisters Welcome to Bannisters The property Experts We hope you find the contents of this document useful and it helps guide you through your letting journey with us. As you may be aware, residential tenants in the UK have a very high level of protection from unreasonable interference and harassment which is afforded to them by both law and custom. When you let a property you will give up much of your control of your property for the term of the tenancy. Access to the property can only be sought upon seeking the tenant s permission, unless it is an emergency, and tenants can only be removed from a property with a court order, unless they leave of their own accord. With that in mind, we would encouraged you to use our services for a number of reasons including: Accreditation although we are not required to obtain a license by law, we have taken the decision to be members of the association of residential letting agents (ARLA), the tenancy dispute service (TPO), the royal institute of chartered surveyors (RICS) and also the property ombudsman (TPO) all of which offer codes of conduct by which we run our business. Our membership with RICS also includes client money insurance, so our landlords and tenants alike, can rest assured their money is safe with us. Experience our staff have a wealth of experience and specialise in the industry and local area. We can advise on how to maximise on rental returns and which properties are in high demand. Training we are very committed to ensuring our staff are trained to a high standard, they regularly attend seminars and workshops to ensure they are familiar with all the changes in the law affecting our industry. This knowledge assists us to ensure your property complies with current legislation which in turn ensures your tenant s safety. Redress scheme we aim to offer our clients an exceptional service but where things go wrong we offer a free redress scheme with the TPO. Our membership number is D Charges a list of our landlord and tenant charges can be viewed within our offices, as well as on our website and are therefore available to everyone. We pride ourselves on having complete transparency on this subject and have therefore included a copy of our landlord schedule of charges at pages 27 and 28 of this document for your ease of reference. With the raft of new responsibilities for landlords set out in legislation such as the Immigration Act 2016 and the impending legislation under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, there has never been more for a landlord to do when letting their property. Many landlords have careers and families which take up the majority of their time and are often too busy to keep up with the intricacies and ever changing obligations which come along with letting their property. We are sure you would therefore agree that the value of a good managing agent to look after these responsibilities is greater than ever. We have detailed within this document comprehensive go to information for you, which will help you understand some of the terminology within our terms of business and also expands on the services we offer. We have also included a non-exhaustive checklist which sets out some of the particularly important obligations which need to be addressed before new and during existing tenancies. We would ask you to note this has not been created to be an absolute breakdown of everything required in all tenancies, but rather as a reference so you are aware of the work we carry out on your behalf which we hope may be of some use to you. If you have any questions at all, please don t hesitate to contact us. 2

3 Welcome to Bannisters Contents What you can expect Schedule 1: A personalised plan to suit you 5 Schedule 2: Our terms of business explained 10 Schedule 3: Your undertakings and responsibilities 14 Schedule 4: Deposit handling 18 Schedule 5: Safety legislation 21 Schedule 6: Complaints procedure 23 Schedule 7: General information and useful facts 24 Schedule of charges 27 Our affiliations 29 Notes 30 V1.3 3

4 Welcome to Bannisters A personalised service to suit you... Let only Rent collection Managed Investment Club Renewal Supervision Void periods Contractor Waiting What makes us different? Dedicated property manager Calls answered 24/7 Deposit scheme Property visits Online landlord portal Online maintenance portal Electronic signature software Legal and rental protection Utility switch Professional inventories Compliance checks Professional cleaning 4

5 Our services at a glance Discuss marketing strategy including the most effective way to present your property Provide advice on regulation, compliance and the legal aspects of letting Display prominent To Let and Let By boards Market your property on multiple online portals and our website 24/7 award winning telephone answering service Identify quality applicants, to include affordability and suitability checks Viewings accompanied by a member of our lettings team Engage an independent company to carry out full referencing including right to rent checks Offer a comprehensive range of household, contents and rent and legal protection policies* Draft and organise the signature of all tenancy documentation via our electronic signature system Let only rent collection Managed Collection of rent and provision of statements of account Arrears chasing and advice on next steps Dedicated in-house client accounts manager Arrange 1 hour of free and impartial tax advice with a qualified accountant Check-out visits, documented by detailed reports with supporting photographs Provide access to our online landlord portal where you will find your statements, documentation and be able to view annual financial reports Dedicated in-house property manager Organisation of compliance reports/certificates (e.g EPC, GSC, LRA, etc)* 24/7 online maintenance portal translated into 42 languages for your tenants to use Co-ordination of trusted contractors for property maintenance at competitive prices Property visits, documented by detailed reports with supporting photographs Impartial legal telephone helpline with advice on all aspects of residential lettings Payment of outgoings such as ground rent, service charges and maintenance charges** Prepare and serve section 8, 13, 47 and 48 notices* Schedule 1 A personalised plan to suit you * Available at extra cost if not included within your required service ** We will require your instructions in writing 5

6 Schedule 1 A personalised plan to suit you Let only service Our let only service consists of: a. visit your property and provide an indication of the current market rent achievable. b. request a minimum of 3 sets of keys from you. If you would like us to arrange these to be cut, we are more than happy to do this for you, but we would ask you to refer to the additional charge payable contained in our schedule of charges. c. market your property via selected online portals and our website, liaising with our current portfolio of applicants and also erecting a To Let board. In relation to the advertising boards, we would ask that you notify us in writing if you have previously agreed not to erect a board with the superior landlord, freeholder or other interested party, or if local bye-laws or conservation area restrictions prevent the erection of a board. d. organise viewings at the property, either by using the with keys provided by you, or by arranging a mutually convenient appointment for us to meet you at the property with the applicant. e. negotiate all offers received from applicants and confirm the terms of the offers to you for acceptance. f. commence the referencing process for each applicant wherever possible using an independent referencing agency. This process will include obtaining a credit reference report to check the financial standing of the applicant (including income and credit rating); contacting their previous landlord (if appropriate) and also contacting their personal referee (if applicable). If the applicant passes the referencing procedure the references can be forwarded to you upon written request. If you wish to approve references, we would ask that you come back to us within 48 hours of receipt, to ensure the rental process is not delayed. If we have not heard from you within the 48 hours, we will assume acceptance and proceed with the remainder of the letting process, provided we have received a signed copy of our terms of business. When we proceed we will be doing so without any responsibility for the accuracy of the references or the information contained within them, unless it is due to our negligence or breach of contract. We will not be warranting the tenant as suitable. g. the Immigration Act 2014 imposes an obligation on a landlord to check the passport or other identity documents with the applicant present and to check that any person who requires a Visa or work permit holds the valid authorisation and is complying with its terms. We will complete the necessary right to rent checks as required prior to the commencement of the tenancy and will advise you as to the eligibility of each tenant to reside in private rented accommodation in the UK. Should the tenant require right to rent checks in the future, you will be responsible for these. We will, of course, let you know at the commencement of the tenancy when such future checks are required. We will carry out future right to rent checks as required if we are providing our managed service. h. to reduce the risk of a dispute arising at the end of the tenancy regarding the deposit it is essential that an inventory and schedule of condition is prepared, whether the property is furnished or unfurnished. Inventories should, where applicable, show that furnishings, electrical equipment, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms comply with current legislation. If this is not prepared, you will not have written and photographic evidence of the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy and may therefore not be able to obtain compensation from the tenant either through a tenancy deposit protection scheme or through the court. We would ask you to note that we have no liability for any loss suffered if you do not have a fully comprehensive inventory. We can arrange this with an independent inventory company and provide you with a quote beforehand. We would ask you to note that we cannot be held liable for any error or omission of the inventory clerk. Our tenancy agreement confirms that you are responsible for the check-in of the inventory at the start of the tenancy and the tenant is responsible for the check-out report which will determine whether or not there is any damage, or cleaning needed or if any compensation for breach of tenancy should be taken into account when discussing the return of the deposit. The check-out report is produced taking into account the condition of the property as described in the inventory. If you would prefer to organise the preparation of the inventory yourself, please ensure we receive a copy at least 5 days prior to the commencement of the tenancy. If this document is not received, we will arrange for the preparation of the document, at your expense. i. we will prepare a tenancy agreement setting out the rights and obligations. However, if you or your solicitor wish to make amendments, add special clauses (i.e. a non-smoking clause) or you wish to use a tenancy agreement drafted by your own solicitor, an administration charge will be payable, details of which can be found within our schedule of charges. If the latter applies, we would ask that we are provided with a copy of your tenancy agreement within 8 working days prior to the commencement of the tenancy in an electronic format so we can review the document and organise its signature. j. we will administer the changeover of the utilities by instructing an independent utilities referral provider. We will ask them to send any credit agreement and supply contract directly to the tenant. You will be responsible and required to pay any outstanding utility charges up to and including the tenancy start date and for any void periods between tenancies. We will provide the utilities company with your current address and the meter readings at the commencement of the tenancy to ensure there are no discrepancies with the changeover. Please note we cannot accept liability for any outstanding utility bills or associated costs including court costs or debt recovery at any time during the tenancy. Our referral provider is Utilitease and we have provided information regarding their services at the end of this section. k. if you would like us to arrange the cleaning of the property prior to the tenancy starting, please confirm this instruction in writing. There will be an administration charge as shown in our schedule of charges in addition to the cleaning charge. This additional administration charge is not payable if we are providing our managed service. l. collect the first month s rent from the tenant, together with the deposit prior to the tenancy starting. We will deduct our agreed fees from the rental payment and submit an invoice for the balance of our fees, if we have provided you with any additional services. If we are providing our rent collect or managed services, we will transfer the balance of the rent once our fees have been deducted, within 10 working days of the start of the tenancy. 6

7 m. provide the tenants with a standing order form to sign and take to their bank to ensure all future rent payments are made direct to your bank account promptly. Please note, however, that we cannot be held responsible if the tenant fails to pay any sum due under the tenancy agreement unless it is due to our negligence or breach of contract. We strongly recommend that you set up a facility with your bank to ensure payment of all regular out-goings to take account of changes to the payment dates, void periods or failure by the tenant to pay any sums due. n. register the deposit and the parties to the tenancy agreement with the TDS and serve the prescribed information within 30 days of receipt of the deposit (subject to our administration charge set out in our schedule of charges). We will then hold the deposit as stakeholder against damage, dilapidations and/or breach of the tenancy agreement or any other outstanding charges owed by the tenant. If you do not wish us to hold and register the deposit, please note that we cannot take the payment of the deposit from the tenant, so we will therefore ask them to pay this to you directly or we can arrange for it to be forwarded to your nominated tenancy protection scheme. o. request a copy of the current gas safety record ( GSR ) from you at least 5 working days prior to the commencement of the tenancy. If we do not receive this 5 days prior to the tenancy start date, to ensure the progression of the tenancy, we will arrange for a Gas Safe engineer to check the gas appliances and installations and provide a GSR. The cost of this will be invoiced to you, along with our administration fee in accordance with our schedule of charges. Please note that the administration fee is not payable in respect of our managed service. We would also ask you to note that if you we are providing our let only service, you will be responsible for ensuring all future GSR s are carried out as and when they are due and to serve these on the tenants within 28 days. As detailed later in this document, if this is not done, you will not be able to serve a valid section 21 notice. p. if you do not wish to renew or extend the tenancy in accordance with our renewals service, we are happy to assist you with the service of notice on the tenant at the end of the tenancy term, subject to the administration fee as shown in our schedule of charges. To ensure everything is dealt with in a timely manner, we require at least 10 weeks written notice that you wish to end the tenancy either at the end of the fixed term or in accordance with a break clause. We cannot be held liable for any delay in serving notice if insufficient time for service has been provided. q. arrange a check-out of the inventory, subject to an administration charge plus the cost of the check-out as shown in our schedule of charges. The cost of the check-out will be charged to the tenant. The administration fee is not chargeable if we are providing our managed service. Schedule 1 A personalised plan to suit you Rent collection service In addition to the above we will also carry out the following: a. collect rental payments and transfer the balance to your nominated bank or building society account within 10 working days of receipt of cleared funds, having deducted our agreed fees and expenses; b. take action in your name to recover unpaid monies by serving the appropriate letter on the tenant requesting payment. If this does not have the desired effect we will advise you on the appropriate next steps. Any administration fees charged to the tenant for preparing and sending rent arrears chasing letters, will be payable to ourselves. As mentioned above, we strongly recommend you set up a facility with your bank to ensure payment of all regular outgoings to take account of changes to the payment dates, void periods or failure by the tenant to pay any sums due. Again, we would reiterate that we cannot be held responsible if the tenant fails to pay any sums due under the tenancy agreement unless it is due to our negligence or breach of contract. Managed service In addition to the above we will also carry out the following: a. arrange payment of outgoings such as ground rent, service charges or similar contributions to shared expenses, if applicable, provided we hold sufficient funds on account. Although we will do our best to query any obvious discrepancies, we are entitled to accept and pay, without question, demands and accounts which appear to be in order. In particular, we cannot accept responsibility for the verification of any service or maintenance charge demands or estimates where applicable. We have no liability for any discrepancy with any invoices paid on your behalf to, or any dispute with, any third parties unless the loss is due to our negligence or breach of contract. To enable us to do this for you, please ensure invoices and demands are sent directly to us. b. retain from the first payment made by the tenant after all our commission, fees, costs and expenses have been paid the sum of 250 which will be held to create a repair fund. We will then retain enough money from each subsequent payment to top up the repair fund to ensure it is maintained at the same level throughout the tenancy. If you do not wish us to do this, please confirm this in writing. c. deal with day-to-day management issues and instruct contractors to carry out any maintenance, repairs or other work on your behalf. By signing our terms of business you are giving us authority to instruct contractors on your behalf up to a maximum of 240 including VAT except in an emergency which risks significant damage to your property or to the life of an individual and/or to enable you to comply with statute where the amount is unlimited. You however, remain liable for the payment of all invoices to contractors. Wherever practical, an estimate will be obtained and submitted to you for approval for works of redecoration, renewal or repair likely to cost more than 240 including VAT. We cannot be held liable for any loss or damage suffered by you if we are unable to carry out repairs or maintenance because we do not hold any or sufficient funds or the tenant refuses access; unless the loss or damage is due to our negligence or breach of contract. 7

8 Schedule 1 A personalised plan to suit you d. we will generally use our preferred contractors as we have a good working relationship with them and they have been vetted by us. We can, however, use your preferred contractor, if you specifically requested us to do so, however, we will require copies of their professional qualification, public liability insurance and the contractor will need to be readily available. If any damage is caused by the negligence or failure of your preferred contractor we cannot be held liable for any loss suffered. We also cannot accept any liability as to the standard of their work, validity of their documents and reports nor any claims for losses suffered by any third parties as a result of the contractor s negligence or dishonesty. e. try to visit the property twice each year, provided the tenant grants access. If the tenant does not grant access we will inform you and request your instructions as to how you wish to proceed. If you require more frequent visits, we are more than happy to discuss this with you but would ask you to note that an additional charge may be payable for this service, as detailed in our schedule of charges. These visits are of a limited nature in order to verify the general good order of the property and the proper conduct of the tenancy by the tenant. A visit will not constitute an inspection of every part of or item within the property but will enable us to observe how the tenants are treating the property and note any visible repair or maintenance requirements, which should be brought to your attention. A visit will only note repairs of which we are informed or which are clearly visible. We are not liable for any loss or damage due to hidden or unknown defects. f. endeavour to obtain a forwarding address for the tenant to provide to the water company in accordance with the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 which makes payment of the final water account your liability if no forwarding address is provided. However, we cannot be held liable if the tenant does not provide an address or gives an address which is not deemed acceptable by the water company. Investor Club If you are thinking about or looking to add to your portfolio we are here to help. We have a dedicated team of property experts who can source properties (many of which are not yet on the market), negotiate the purchase price and keep you updated with the legals until completion of the purchase. We can also put you in touch with our wealth management and legal experts to ensure you are getting the very best advice every step of the way. This service gives you everything you need, so you can sit back relax and enjoy the peace of mind that you are buying a property in the right area, at the right price and we are progressing your sale as quickly as possible. We can also help manage refurbishment projects, large and small. Our professionally trained team will help keep the costs and time to refurbish the property on budget. Once the property is ready for let we can continue the process and manage the tenancy until such time you re ready to sell. And yes, you guessed it, we can help there too! We offer a favourable discount on your selling fees as a thank you for staying with us. Renewal service When providing your renewal service, we carry out the following: a. make contact with you towards the end of the current fixed term period to discuss whether the tenancy should be renewed and agree your instructions. b. depending on which renewal service you would like us to undertake, we will review the rent and advise you if an increase is possible or desirable depending upon current market conditions. We would ask you to confirm in writing if you wish the tenancy to be renewed on a fixed term or periodic basis or you feel notice should be served. We cannot serve notice on the tenant unless you instruct us to do so in writing. The preparation and service of notices is subject to a charge in accordance with our schedule of charges. However, if you would prefer to negotiate directly with the tenant, our fees will be payable in any event. c. once we have received your written instructions we will contact the tenant to ask if they wish to renew the tenancy in accordance with your instructions, this may involve some negotiation between you and the tenant, which we will do on your behalf. Once agreed we will prepare the necessary documentation, to include any new or existing special clauses agreed between the parties varying the terms of the standard tenancy agreement. The extension documents will be sent to all parties via our electronic signature system. d. we will try to ensure all parties sign the documentation by the start date of the new period of the tenancy, however, if either party fails to return the signed agreement the tenancy will continue on a periodic basis until either party gives notice in writing. Our commission will be payable whether the tenancy continues on a fixed term or a periodic basis and whether or not we are instructed to act on your behalf. While we will make every effort to obtain the signed renewal documents, we have no liability if any of the parties fail to return them. e. once the signed documentation has been received, we will insert a binding date at which point all parties are legally bound to the new documentation. All parties to the documents will receive a copy via the electronic signature system. f. please note that if the tenancy becomes or continues on a periodic basis, the rent can only be lawfully increased, in the absence of a written agreement signed by all parties to the contrary, on an annual basis on the tenant must be served with a valid notice under section 13(2) of the Housing Act This notice advises the tenant that they have a right to challenge the increase by serving you with a counter notice and ultimately referring the increase to the First Tier Tribunal ( FTT ), which could result in a hearing. If the tenant makes a counter proposal we will ask you whether you wish to accept it or pursue the issue to a hearing. If you wish to do the latter we can arrange for solicitors to act on your behalf on the understanding that you will be responsible for all of their charges in association with this matter. 8

9 g. when a tenancy is renewed either on a fix term or periodic basis, the deposit must continue to be properly protected in the relevant scheme, if applicable, which we will do if we are holding the same. If you negotiate any renewal personally it will be your responsibility to ensure the deposit remains protected whether you have negotiated a new fixed term or as a statutory periodic tenancy. You will be liable to reimburse us for any loss or inconvenience suffered or costs incurred by us if you fail to comply with your statutory obligations to protect the deposit. If we have registered the deposit please let us know of any renewal, so we can ensure it remains protected. Supervision We are more than happy to supervise, under certain circumstances, either the partial or total refurbishment of property. In accordance with our schedule of charges, we would charge a fee being a percentage of the total cost of the work including VAT, subject to a minimum charge. We would also require cleared funds to the value of the contract together with our agreed fee Void periods If you wish us to manage your property during a void period we are more than happy to do so. Our fees, which are listed in our schedule of charges, are payable in advance together with your written instructions. Schedule 1 A personalised plan to suit you Our service involves a visit the property once a week during office hours being Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. We will inform you of any lack of repair or maintenance but will be unable to instruct a contractor unless we hold cleared funds and your confirmation in writing that we may deduct the cost of the contractor from those funds, along with our administration fee as shown in our schedule of charges. During a void periods we urge you to check your buildings and contents insurance to ensure it remains valid and all clauses and conditions contained within are adhered to. The payment of all utilities, council tax and any other relevant outgoings will be your responsibility. Contractor waiting Generally we would arrange a mutually convenient time for contractors to meet the tenant for access to the property to undertake work on your behalf. However, where this is not possible, we are happy to arrange to meet the contractor at the property, subject to our normal waiting time charge as shown in our schedule of charges. However, we can only offer this service to our managed service clients. Utility switch To protect you against over inflated energy costs during void periods and to streamline the change of tenancy process, we will organise the transfer of energy supplies to Ecotricity via Utilitease. At no time will this commit you or your tenant to remain with Ecotricity and should any party wish to move to another supplier at any time this can be done without any penalty. The benefits of taking the above action are: a. no void period energy bills to account for if under 10 where Ecotricity are the current energy supplier. b. peace of mind that any energy consumed during a void period will always be charged based on the Ecotricity ethical tariff pledge. c. all parties will receive award winning customer service from the Ecotricity team (Ecotricity have been the winner for best customer service within the entire industry for the past 5 years, by Which? ). d. a great tariff for the new tenant to inherit and absolutely no penalties should the same tenant wish to move to another supplier. e. better control of utility suppliers when a tenancy changes. This company can also provide excellent offers in relation to broadband, satellite or cable television packages which your tenants may find very useful. 9

10 Schedule 2: Our terms of business explained Below we have tried to explain some of the terminology found within this document and our terms of business: The use of the singular includes the plural and use of the masculine includes the feminine and vice versa. Agent we or us means the agency known as Bannisters Limited and trading as Bannisters from 27 Sheep Street, Bicester, OX26 6JF and whose registered office is 6 Minton Place, Victoria Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX26 6QB, with the registered number of and the VAT number of the agreement or this agreement refers to our terms of business and this document, which forms the contract between you and us. AST refers to the assured shorthold tenancy. calendar day or day means any day of the year, including Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. deposit means the money held by the agent as stakeholder during the tenancy in case the tenant fails to comply with the terms of the tenancy agreement. ICE means the Independent Case Examiner at The Dispute service Limited. inventory or inventory and schedule of condition means the document drawn up prior to the commencement of the tenancy by the landlord, the independent company instructed by the agent, or by the agent, which includes the fixtures and fittings within the property. landlord you or your means the landlord as described in our terms of business and any other person owning a reversionary interest in the property, whether freehold or leasehold, entitling them to possession of it upon the termination or expiry of the tenancy and anyone who later owns the property. member means the agent who is a member of the tenancy deposit scheme. occupier means a tenant or any other person or organisation entitled to occupy the property under a tenancy, licence or any other form of agreement or contract. property means any part or parts of the building, boundaries, fences, garden and outbuildings belonging to you at the rental address set out above. When the property forms part of a larger building, the property includes the use of common access ways and facilities. prescribed information means the information which is required to be provided to the tenant and any relevant person under the rules of a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme and as prescribed in the Housing (tenancy deposits) (prescribed information) Order regulations mean the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional charges) regulations relevant person means a person who paid the deposit or any part of it on behalf of the tenant. scheme means an authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme set up in accordance with the Housing Act 2004, determined by an alternative dispute resolution ( ADR ) process, or ordered by the court. stakeholder means a person or body who holds the deposit at any time from the moment it has been paid by the tenant until its allocation has been agreed by the parties to the tenancy agreement, determined by the ADR process, or ordered by the court, at the end of the tenancy. statutory time limit means the time limit set out in the Housing Act 2004 (as amended) in which the initial requirements of the scheme must be met, and prescribed information must be provided to the tenant and any relevant person. superior landlord means the person, company or organisation to whom ownership of the property reverts at the end of the lease. TDS means the dispute service whose details are shown in the tenancy agreement. tenancy agreement means the contract drawn up between you and the tenant (and Guarantor) specifying the obligations of the parties. tenant means anyone entitled to possession of the property under a tenancy agreement. 10

11 term or tenancy means the fixed term of the tenancy agreement and any extension or continuation of the tenancy, whether fixed term or periodic, arising after the expiry of the original term. working day means a day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, nor any day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 or any customary or public holiday in England and Wales. Jurisdiction and service This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction in respect of any dispute under it. Any legal proceedings to be served in respect of this agreement which are to be served outside the jurisdiction shall be deemed to be sufficiently served if they are sent by ordinary first-class or airmail post or its equivalent and it is agreed that all legal proceedings are to be served in English without the necessity for translation into any other language. The provisions for the service of notices are that if either party deliver by hand any notices or documents which are necessary under the tenancy agreement, or any Act of Parliament to the other party by 5pm at the last known address of the other party; the documents or notices will be deemed delivered on the next working day which excludes Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays; or if any documents or notices are sent by registered, or recorded delivery post the documents will be deemed delivered upon proof of delivery being obtained; or if the documents or notices are sent by ordinary first class post addressed to the other party at the last known address of the other party; the documents or notices will be deemed delivered 2 working days later, which excludes Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. The address for service for you will be the landlord Address stated in the tenancy agreement, or any other address advised by you in writing during the course of the term of the tenancy. The address for service for us will be our trading address detailed above. Schedule 2: Our terms of business explained Data Protection Act 1998 In order to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 to prevent any unauthorised access to or use of personal data, we have the responsibility to keep your information and that of any tenant or occupier confidential and will only use it if: a. our fees are not paid and we wish to refer the matter to a debt collector or solicitor; b. if we are specifically required do so by law; c. we are required to pass it to a government agency by law; d. when instructing solicitors upon your instructions; e. to change account details for utility suppliers, including local authorities in relation to council tax; or f. when a contractor s invoice has not been settled by you. Interest on clients monies and commission Any interest accrued on monies we hold on your behalf will be retained by ourselves to cover bank and administration charges, etc. Any commission earned by us while acting on your behalf will be retained to cover costs. Money laundering In order to comply with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Money Laundering regulations 2007 we require you to provide us with proof of identity and residence, which can be selected from the lists below. You should either visit us in branch to enable us to take photocopies of your original documents, or we will require authentication via a live video link; or you can provide us with copies certified by a solicitor or notary public as genuine. Unfortunately we will not be able to accept printouts of online bank statements or utility bills. List A: List B: Proof of photographic identity Full passport National identity card Full driving licence Cheque (please mark this as Void ) Proof of residence (must be less than 3 months old) Council tax bill Utility bill Mortgage statement Bank statement Credit or charge card statement If you are a public limited company we will require a certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation. If the company is not quoted we require certified copies of any two of the following documents: Memorandum and articles of association Certificate of incorporation A set of the latest accounts The most recent Companies House annual return 11

12 Schedule 2: Our terms of business explained In addition, we require proof of identity and residence of one of the directors of the company and written confirmation that they are authorised to sign any and all documentation in relation to the letting of the property. Variation The agreement may be varied from time to time and we will give you no less than 30 days notice of such variation. Exclusive service By appointing us, you agree we shall have exclusivity to showcase your property for a period of 4 weeks ( the fixed period ). This will enable our team to seek quality tenants who best suit your needs. The exclusivity period can be terminated at the end of the fixed period by giving us 2 weeks prior written notice. If you do not terminate the fixed period it will continue until we receive your written instructions. Alternatively, you can instruct us on a non-exclusive service basis Non-exclusive service By appointing us on this basis, you agree we shall act on a non-exclusive basis for a period of 4 weeks ( the fixed period ) to market the property. The non-exclusivity can be terminated at the end of the fixed period by giving us 2 weeks written notice. If you do not terminate the non-exclusivity period, it will continue until we receive your written instructions. To avoid incurring an administration charge for services provided within the fixed period please notify us immediately if you secure a tenant with an alternative agent. VAT Our commission is subject to VAT at the prevailing rate. All fees contained within this agreement are shown inclusive of VAT. Commission, fees & disbursements due Our commission payment becomes due at the agreed start date of the tenancy and we will take payment from the monies paid by the tenant until our commission and any other fees and disbursements have been paid. When providing our rent collection and managed services, we will continue to deduct our commission from the rental payments received from the tenant at the intervals agreed within the tenancy agreement. Our commission remains payable in full for the duration of the tenancy whether or not we are instructed to act on your behalf, when any person, company or organisation enters into a binding contract for the occupation of the property where they do so as a result of: a. a viewing conducted by us; or b. sight of any marketing or advertising material produced by us or by our instructions; or c. by way of an introduction from an existing occupier for which we have previously charged a commission; or d. through the work of yourself or any other agent where this occurs during the fixed period of our exclusivity service; or e. through the work of yourself where this occurs during the fixed period of our of non-exclusivity service. Our commission remains due and payable in relation to the duration of the tenancy (to include any extension, renewal or continuation of the tenancy) whether or not we are the effective cause of the said extension, renewal or continuation and for the period of time any such party or their assignees, sub-tenants or successors in title continue to reside in the property. Please note that this may involve you paying commission to two agents if you instruct another agent to find a tenant for your property during the period that we are instructed on an exclusive basis. By signing the terms of business you give us the authority to deduct our commission, fees, expenses and any other costs from any monies belonging to you or any deductions made from the deposit and agreed by the tenant for any property owned by you where we are or were acting on your behalf. Should the tenant fail to make any agreed payments our commission, fees and disbursements will still be payable by you and we will invoice you accordingly (i.e. during periods of rent arrears). Payment of our commissions, fees and disbursements can be made via bank transfer and our bank details are: Account Name: Bannisters Limited Clients Account Bank Address: NatWest Bank plc, 1 Manorsfield Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 6EH Account Number: Sort Code: Refund of commission We will not make any refund of our commission if the tenancy terminates before the originally agreed date whether this occurs due to the use by you or by the tenant of any contractual break clause in the tenancy agreement, an 12

13 agreed surrender, repudiation, rescission, frustration or forfeiture of the lease, through any court proceedings, or if your interest in the property is assigned to another party. Withdrawal from an agreed offer If you instruct us to proceed with a proposed tenancy and subsequently withdraw your instructions, by signing our terms of business you agree to meet some of the costs and expenses incurred, details of which can be found in our schedule of charges. This clause does not affect any statutory rights to cancel which may arise under the Cancellation regulations. If you have a right to cancel under the Cancellation regulations, this clause will apply if you withdraw your instructions at any time after the 14 day cancellation period, or at any time after we have received a written request for us to market the property. Sales commission If the tenant wishes to purchase the property from you during their tenancy term or within 12 months of vacating the property, you will be required to enter into a separate selling agreement where a fee of 1.5% including VAT will apply. Joint and several liability If the landlord forms more than one person all of those persons are jointly and personally liable for complying with the all obligations and for payment of our fees, commission and disbursements until all outstanding sums are paid in full. Schedule 2: Our terms of business explained Sub agency We may give details of your property on a commission sharing basis to other agents unless we receive your specific written instructions to the contrary. This will not incur any additional expense for you, but will increase the chance of letting your property promptly. 13

14 schedule 3: Your undertakings and responsibilities Consent for letting By signing our terms of business you warrant to us that you are the beneficial owner/s of the property, or otherwise lawfully entitled to enter into a tenancy agreement. As a company policy we will carry out a land registry search to validate ownership of the property to be let, which will be at your expense, please refer to our schedule of charges. You are also agreeing to be provide us with a full indemnity for any costs, losses or other expenses we may incur if you do not have the right to enter into a tenancy agreement. Mortgage If the property is subject to a mortgage, you will need your mortgagee s written consent to the proposed let. By signing our terms of business you confirm you have your mortgagee s consent to grant a tenancy. The mortgagee may want to see a copy of the tenancy agreement, which can be supplied upon written request. The mortgagee may charge you a fee for giving their permission, which will be your responsibility to pay. If your mortgagee has any special conditions relating to the tenancy or type of tenant, please provide these, in writing, at least 8 working days prior to the start of the tenancy so we can ensure they are included within the tenancy agreement as conditions cannot be imposed upon a tenant at a later date. By signing our terms of business you are also agreeing to provide us with a full indemnity for any costs, losses, or other expenses we may bear due to you not having the proper consent from your mortgagee to enter into a tenancy agreement. Sub-letting If you are a leaseholder, you will normally require consent from your superior landlord, freeholder or their managing agent before you can sub-let the property. In giving consent the superior landlord or their managing agent may require you to provide references for your tenant and for you and your tenant to enter into an agreement to observe the covenants contained in your head lease. A fee may be charged for granting consent to sub-let and for the licence granted prior to the start of the tenancy and upon renewal, which is payable by you. We would be grateful to receive a copy of any sections of the head lease which impose restrictions on the behaviour of the occupier, together with any schedules referred to therein, so we can attach a copy of this to the tenancy agreement. If the occupier is not given a copy of the relevant sections of the head lease unfortunately you cannot impose any obligations contained in it upon them. This could therefore lead to you being in breach of the terms of your lease. By signing our terms of business you are agreeing to provide us with a full indemnity for any costs, losses, or other expenses we may bear due to you not having the proper consent from your superior landlord to enter into a tenancy agreement. Insurance It is essential that the property and the contents included in the inventory and schedule of condition are adequately insured and that your insurers are aware that the property are let. Failure to do so may invalidate your insurance. You must inform your insurers whenever the property remain vacant for a period greater than specified in your insurance policy. You should also check that your insurance policy includes third party liability to protect you if the tenant or a visitor to the property is injured. Please provide us with copies of any sections of your insurance policy which impose restrictions on the behaviour of any occupier of the property to attach to the tenancy agreement at its commencement, including any conditions for vacant property. If these are not given to the occupier then they have no obligation to comply, which could be in breach of your insurance contract rendering any claim void. We strongly recommend you arrange for an insurance policy which includes cover for loss of rent, contents, and legal expenses. We can introduce you to our preferred insurance providers, The Lettings Hub, who have specific insurance policies to protect your assets and rental income. The Lettings Hub specialist landlord s buildings and contents insurance offers enhanced protection at competitive premiums, which may not be available on most standard household policies, including: a. comprehensive buildings and contents cover for fire, storm, flood and other major risks; b. cover for the costs of tracing and accessing leaks and the costs of alternative accommodation; c. cover against theft and malicious damage caused by a tenant; d. loss or damage caused by common events such as fire, lightning, earthquake, explosion, etc.; e. property owners public and employers liability; f. locks and keys cover; g. 24/7, 365 days a year emergency helpline; h. underwritten by A rated insurers; i. competitive premiums; j. ability to quote and buy online or over the telephone. Our tenancy agreement requires you to insure your building and contents. Therefore, if you arrange your own insurance please ensure your insurers will accept tenanted properties as unfortunately many don t, and those who do may only maintain cover on a reduced risk basis leaving you vulnerable in the event of a claim. We can pass your details to The Lettings Hub so they can get in touch with you to arrange the insurance. Alternatively, please contact them directly on and state that you are a client of Bannisters Limited. Policy details are also available online at 14

15 The Lettings Hub also offer specialist rent and legal protection insurance to provide you with peace of mind that your rental income is protected and legal costs are covered in order for possession of your property to be obtained (subject to limits and terms and conditions). Please contact us for further information and details of how to arrange the cover. Bannisters Limited are an introducer appointed representative of Let Insurance services. The Lettings Hub and Letrisks are trading names of Let Insurance services Limited. Let Insurance services Limited is an independent intermediary and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The company is entered on the FCA register ( org.uk/register) under reference Taxation You will be liable for tax on income arising from letting your property and you must inform Her Majesty s Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ). There are a number of allowances you can claim against this income so we would recommend you should seek advice on these allowances from your accountant or from the HMRC website which can be accessed at You should keep all your invoices and receipts, etc. for a period of 6 years for tax purposes. Please be aware that we are legally required to forward information to HMRC on an annual basis detailing all landlords who we have received income for, regardless of the country of residence of the landlord. HMRC has special rules regarding the collection of tax on rental income if you are resident overseas for a period of more than 6 months in any tax year, or you subsequently move abroad. If you fall into this category it is your responsibility to obtain a tax approval number from HMRC and the relevant form and guidance notes can be downloaded from We are legally obliged to deduct tax from rental income at the prevailing rate on all rental payments received in relation to overseas landlord s property, unless we receive a letter of approval from HMRC addressed to us providing your approval number. This money is forwarded to HMRC on a quarterly basis. For any period during which we are required to deduct tax from your rental income due to HMRC not providing us with an approval number or you re not being accepted into the non-resident landlord scheme, we shall make an administration charge as shown in our schedule of charges. If the tenant pays you direct and you are a non-resident landlord and the tenant has not received approval from HMRC to pay the rent gross, the tenant must deduct the tax and forward it to HMRC on your behalf. No person or organisation is exempt from this scheme. schedule 3: Your undertakings and responsibilities Rent arrears or breach of covenant It is your responsibility to take all necessary steps to ensure actions are taken to protect your interests, including instructing solicitors and commencing legal proceedings to preserve your rights, recover arrears of rent and to defend all actions or other legal proceedings and arbitrations which may be brought against you in connection with the property. All costs and disbursements incurred including legal costs and disbursements will be payable by you. Please note that our management fees are due and payable whether or not the rent is received by the tenant. We therefore strongly recommend you obtain rent and legal protection insurance. Reimbursement of the agent You will keep us reimbursed and indemnified for and against any claim, damage, expense or liability whether criminal or civil suffered by us from and during the time we are or were acting on your behalf unless it is due to our negligence or breach of contract. For the avoidance of any doubt we reserve the right to have work carried out on your behalf and to charge you for that work to ensure you fulfil your contractual and statutory obligations as a landlord. If any notice is served on us under the Housing Health and Safety Rating Scheme of the Housing Act 2004 requiring us to carry out any work, repairs or maintenance of the property you agree to reimburse us promptly on demand for all costs expenses and fees incurred. Water rates If we do not manage the property, you should endeavour to obtain a forwarding address from your tenant at the end of the tenancy to give to the water company in accordance with the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, which makes payment of the final water account your liability as from October 2011 if no forwarding address is provided. We cannot be held liable if we do not manage the property and/or the tenant does not provide an address or gives an address which is not deemed acceptable by the water company. The water companies have now provided a website for registration of the name and address of the current account holder for the water at the property. It is your responsibility to ensure the information is current to prevent any liability arising for yourself relating to water charges. Sub-contractors Any other party including, but not limited to, external inventory clerks, gas, electrical or water engineers, builders or surveyors, domestic energy inspectors, or solicitors who we instruct will be instructed on your behalf. This means you are the contracting party and you have the primary liability for the payment of that sub-contractor s invoices, fees, charges or other expenses they, and not we, owe you a liability for the quality of their work. Housing Act 2004 Due to this Act certain types of property may require a licence before they can be let, i.e. a house in multiple occupation (HMO). It is your responsibility to determine whether you need and to obtain that licence. You agree to keep us fully indemnified against all losses, costs or damages we might incur, whether criminal or civil, due to your failure to obtain an adequate licence for the letting of your property. If we become aware that the property is let in a manner which 15

16 Schedule 3: Your undertakings and responsibilities requires a licence and you refuse to obtain one, we reserve the right to terminate our instruction immediately and to inform any occupiers of the property and the local housing authority of the situation. Also, as part of the Housing Act 2004, private dwellings must comply with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System ( HHSRS ) which is a means of measuring hazards and risk of injury at the property. This system applies to all properties but is most commonly applied to tenanted properties. The responsibility for ensuring the property complies is entirely yours. If we accept an instruction to let your property and subsequently an order is served to comply with the HHSRS or if we incur any costs for compliance due to an order being served upon us, you agree to reimburse us within 14 days of written demand or by way of deduction from monies paid to us by the tenant or from any other property owned by you where we collect or hold sums on your behalf. Indemnity If you ask us to do anything which we consider to involve a higher risk to us or to you or which is outside our normal procedure, we may ask you for a written agreement to indemnify us against any loss, damage or other costs which we might incur as a result of following your instructions. If you refuse to provide this, we reserve the right to refuse your instructions and to terminate this agreement. Third party commission We may earn and retain a quantitative discount from contractors and suppliers used, which is capped at a maximum rate of 10% including VAT, from invoices raised. An additional supervisory fee as specified in our schedule of charges is charged for supervising work in excess of 600 including VAT. By signing our terms of business you agree that we can instruct contractors on your behalf and deduct the cost of repairs and maintenance from the rent or the maintenance fund. For obtaining more than 2 contractor quotes we will charge an administration fee as detailed in our schedule of charges. Council tax From April 2013 the way in which councils deal with council tax has changed. Included in this change are the exemptions of certain properties which once received full council tax exemption. Please refer to the local authority applicable to the property for further details. Should a tenant move out, you will be responsible for paying the council tax until a new tenancy commences. Immigration Act 2014 The Immigration Act 2014 imposes an obligation on you to check the passport or other identity documents with the applicant present and to check that any person who requires a Visa or work permit holds the valid authorisation and is complying with its terms. We will check this information at the start of the tenancy but if we do not manage the property it will be your responsibility to ensure the work permit or Visa is renewed. We have no liability if you fail to do so. For further information please refer to search for right to rent, or contact Home Office helpline on Signing the tenancy agreement You (or in the case of joint owners, all named landlords) are responsible for signing the tenancy agreement before the tenancy start date. In the event that you are unable to sign the tenancy agreement electronically, by signing our terms of business, you agree that a representative of the agent can sign the tenancy agreement, tenancy renewal documentation and any relevant notices on your behalf and this will bind you to all the obligations contained in the tenancy agreement. Subject to contract Until both you and the tenant(s) have signed the tenancy agreement, all s, letters, and verbal communications will be subject to contract. We are not liable for any expenses which may have been incurred by either party on the expectation of the tenancy proceeding. Binding date The binding date is the date the tenancy agreement becomes legally binding. This will be the date the tenancy agreement is received by us signed by all parties and the binding date will be inserted by us. Electronic signature As a company, our preferred method of obtaining signatures to any relevant documentation is via DocuSign. DocuSign provides the most comprehensive capabilities for preparing, sending, signing and managing documents digitally. They are experts and fully certified to facilitate electronic exchanges of contracts and signed documents. DocuSign are fully compliant with the UK Electronic Communication Act For more information please visit co.uk/how-it-works/legality. Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 ( CPR ) At all times we will comply with the Consumer Protection Regulations and any future amendments. We would advise you to familiarise yourself with this Act and note that any of the following practices will be deemed 16

17 unfair if they affect, or are likely to affect, the transaction decision making process of the average tenant. a. misleading actions providing false or misleading information to tenants; b. misleading omissions hiding or failing to provide material information to tenants; c. aggressive practices exerting undue pressure on applicants; d. failing to show professional diligence not exercising honest marketing practices and not acting in good faith. You will be deemed responsible for providing us with honest and transparent information about the property to be let in order that we can pass on the relevant information to the applicant. Failure to comply with this could result in a tenant terminating their tenancy early and pursuing you for any costs incurred. Change of address details By signing our terms of business you agree to notify us in writing of any change in your residency along with a new proof of residency. Warranty You warrant that all the information you have provided to us is correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. If you provide incorrect information to us which causes us to suffer loss or causes legal proceedings to be taken you agree to reimburse and compensate us for all losses suffered. Energy performance certificate ( EPC ) Under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Order 2007 it is a legal requirement to provide any prospective applicant for a tenancy with an energy performance certificate ( EPC ) produced by an approved domestic energy inspector ( DEI ) and failure to supply one is a criminal offence punishable by a fine. We must provide any prospective applicant with an EPC when we provide them with written details of your property or when they first view it, whichever occurs first. If the you already have an EPC please provide us with this when returning the signed terms of business. Otherwise it will be necessary to instruct a DEI to prepare one. You are able to source one yourself or we can instruct a DEI on your behalf. Our charges are set out in our schedule of charges, and if we are not providing our Managed Service, our arrangement fee is also payable. We will be unable to market your property until an EPC has been received. Schedule 3: Your undertakings and responsibilities HMRC How to Rent Guide Since 1st October 2015 the tenant of all new tenancies must be provided with a copy of the How to Rent Handbook which is produced but the government and failure to do so means a valid section 21 cannot be served. To comply with the Deregulation Act 2015 and to protect our clients we provide a copy of the handbook to all tenants at the start of a new tenancy and to existing tenants prior to serving notice under section 21 of the Housing Act

18 Schedule 4: deposit handling Agent to hold as stakeholder If a tenant pays a deposit in connection with an AST it must, from the moment it is received, be dealt with in accordance with a government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme. You must give the tenant and any relevant person prescribed information about the deposit and comply with the initial requirements of an authorised scheme within the statutory time limit. We are a member of the TDS, which is a government-authorised scheme, administered by The Dispute Service Limited of PO Box 1255, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 9GN and who can be contacted on , at or on deposits@tds.gb.com. If we receive a deposit for an AST on your behalf, we will serve the prescribed information and comply with the initial requirements of the TDS. If you do not wish us to protect the deposit on your behalf, the tenant will be asked to pay the same directly to your bank account and it will fall to being your responsibility to protect it as required by law. Alternatively, the tenant can pay the deposit to us, and we can arrange for it to be transferred directly to your preferred scheme. A valid notice seeking possession under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 cannot be served on a tenant whose deposit is not protected or whose deposit was registered late. A tenant or any relevant person may apply through the courts for compensation from you of at least the amount of the deposit, and between 1 and 3 times the deposit, if you (or someone acting on your behalf): a. fails to provide prescribed information within the statutory time limit; or b. fails to comply with the initial requirements of an authorised scheme within the statutory time limit; or c. notifies the tenant or relevant person that the deposit has been protected in a scheme, but the tenant or relevant person cannot obtain the scheme s confirmation that the deposit is protected. If you do not give us written instructions advising that you wish to make your own arrangements for deposit protection, we will receive and hold the deposit under the terms of the TDS. We must comply with the rules of the scheme, and this means we will not be able to act on your instructions with regard to the deposit if those instructions conflict with the scheme rules. The scheme rules are available to view and download from A very important point for you to bear in mind is that we must hold the deposit as stakeholder, meaning we can only pay money from the deposit if: a. both you and the tenant (and any relevant person) agree; or b. a court orders us to do so; or c. the TDS directs us to do so. During the tenancy We will hold the deposit as stakeholder in our client account (separate from the money we use to run our business). Any interest earned on the deposit will belong to the person entitled to it under the tenancy agreement. If the TDS directs us to send the deposit to them, we must do that within 10 days of receiving their direction. The scheme will not normally direct us to send them the deposit unless there is a dispute about how it is to be paid at the end of the tenancy. Where there is NO dispute about the deposit at the end of the tenancy At the end of the tenancy following the inventory check-out we will liaise with you to ascertain what (if any) deductions you propose to make from the deposit, or have already agreed with the tenant. If we are providing you with our managed service, we will endeavour to try and resolve any areas of dispute within a reasonable time scale obtaining quotations, estimates or arranging contractors on your behalf in accordance with your written instructions please refer to our schedule of charges. Once you and the tenant have agreed how the deposit should be allocated, we will ask you both to confirm your agreement in writing. We will then pay the deposit, in accordance with the agreement reached between you and the tenant, within 10 working days of receiving written confirmation of the agreement from both parties. If there are joint persons forming the tenant, all of them must agree. Where there IS a dispute about the deposit at the end of the tenancy You are required to use reasonable efforts to reach a sensible resolution to the dispute as soon as practicable after the tenancy ends. A tenant can ask us to repay the deposit at any time after the tenancy has ended and you are required to agree to us releasing promptly any part of the deposit that does not need to be held back to cover breaches of the AST. We will take your instructions at the time regarding the amount to be withheld. If the tenant asks us to repay some or all of the deposit, and we do not do so within 10 days from and including the date of the tenant s request, the tenant can notify the TDS of a dispute. The scheme will then direct us to pay the disputed amount to them. We have 10 days, from and including the date we receive the scheme s direction, to send in the money to them. 18

19 If we protect a deposit with the scheme on your behalf, by signing our terms of business you authorise us to pay to the scheme as much of the deposit as the scheme requires us to send. We will contact you to keep you informed, but we will not need to seek your further authority to send the money to the scheme. The TDS will review the tenant s claim and decide whether it is suitable for independent ADR. Usually, this will take the form of adjudication, but it may involve assisted negotiation or mediation. Alternative in this context means an alternative to court proceedings. It is intended to be a faster and more cost-effective way of resolving disputes. The TDS does not make a charge to you or the tenants for using the ADR service if it relates to an AST. If the tenant s claim is referred for ADR, we and you will be invited to accept or contest the claim. You are required to notify the scheme whether you agree to submit the dispute for ADR within 10 working days from (but not including) the date of the scheme s communication to you. If you do not respond by the deadline, you will be treated as having given your consent to ADR. Schedule 4: deposit handling We and you are permitted to refer a dispute about the deposit to the TDS. If you or we refer a deposit dispute to the scheme, they will contact the tenant to confirm whether they agree to ADR. If there are joint persons forming the tenant, all the persons must agree. A tenant who does not reply to the scheme is NOT deemed to consent to ADR. If the tenant (or all joint persons forming the tenant) do not agree to ADR, and do not agree to the deposit deduction(s) you claim, you will need to begin court proceedings if you wish to pursue your claim. If the parties agree to adjudication, the adjudicator s decision is final and there is no right of appeal. Further information about adjudication is available to download free from The TDS will pay the disputed amount to the person(s) entitled within 10 days beginning on the date the scheme receives notice of: a. the adjudicator s decision; or b. an order from the court which has become final; or c. an agreement being reached between you and the tenant. If you order any work to be done at the property before a dispute has been resolved, you do so at your own risk. There is no guarantee, if you incur expense, that a dispute will ultimately be resolved in your favour. Consent to use personal information When you agree to use our services, you agree that we may use information you give us, including information about yourself, for the purposes of performing our obligations to you. You also agree that we may supply such information as is reasonably required to the scheme. You agree that the scheme, or the government department responsible for the scheme, may contact you from time to time to ask you to participate in surveys. If at any time you do not with the scheme to contact you for that purpose, you should write to the scheme as explained in the scheme leaflet (see www. tenancydepositscheme.com). Our duty to provide correct and complete information When you agree to use our services, you guarantee that all the information you provide to us is complete and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. You agree to inform us immediately if it comes to your attention that any information was incorrect. If we suffer any loss or incur any cost because information you have given us is or was incomplete and/or incorrect, you agree to pay us the amount necessary to put us in the position we would have been in if the information had been complete and correct. This clause does not relieve us of our own obligation to use reasonable skill and care in providing our services to you, or to take reasonable steps to keep our losses and costs to a minimum once we realise that there is a problem. Where the tenancy is not an AST The deposit does not have to be protected by law. However, the TDS will make its independent ADR service available to you as our client, because we are a member of the scheme. If a dispute arises you, we or the tenant will contact the scheme. Then: a. the scheme will propose what they consider to be the most effective way of resolving the dispute (assisted negotiation, mediation, adjudication or arbitration); b. you, we and the tenant must consent in writing to the proposed method if we all want to proceed (if we don t, the options are to negotiate or litigate); c. all parties will have to pay a fee of 600 including VAT (or such other minimum fee as the scheme may set from time to time) or 10% of the deposit plus VAT, whichever is the larger amount; d. the scheme will not start the dispute resolution process until all parties have agreed to use the scheme and paid the applicable fee and the disputed deposit to the scheme. Joint landlords If there is more than one person forming the landlord, any of you will be able to participate in ADR. TDS does not accept liability to any one or more joint persons forming the landlord by acting on the instructions of any other joint person forming the landlord. TDS does not accept directions from joint persons forming the landlord to deal only with 19

20 Schedule 4: deposit handling instructions agreed unanimously by joint persons. If you want all decisions to be made jointly, this is something that should be agreed between the persons forming the landlord prior to requesting adjudication. It will then be a matter for the persons forming the landlord to resolve among themselves if one or more of them have not complied with that agreement. No scheme applicable We will collect the deposit together with the initial rent payment from the tenant at the commencement of the tenancy and, regardless of the service used by you, hold the deposit in a stakeholder capacity. As stakeholder we will be unable to release the deposit or any part of it to you or the tenant without the other party s written consent. The deposit or any balance payable will be paid to the tenant or you as appropriate at the end of the tenancy. The deposit will also be held in an interest bearing client account and any accrued interest will be retained by us and used to cover any bank and administration costs incurred by ourselves. After the tenancy ends you are entitled, with the written consent of the tenant, to ask us to deduct from the deposit money to compensate for damage or any breach of the tenancy agreement. You will need to specify the amounts to be deducted and the reasons for any deductions to be made. Provided the parties agree to the deductions we will send you the amount agreed for damage, cleaning, unpaid bills, other costs or unpaid rent and pay the balance, if any, to the tenant. If the amount of compensation you seek exceeds the amount held as the deposit, you may require the tenant to pay the additional sum within 14 days of the tenant receiving the demand in writing. Please note that you will be responsible for pursuing these monies from the tenant. Landlord to hold We will arrange for the tenant to forward the deposit direct to your bank account and you are responsible for registering it with a scheme within 30 days of receipt. Alternatively, we can take payment from the tenant and forward this directly to your chosen scheme. If the tenancy is an AST you must ensure you comply with the rules of the relevant scheme, including serving the prescribed information on the tenant including any terms and conditions, leaflets or other information required to be given to the tenant or relevant person. If you fail to protect the deposit within the statutory time limit the tenant can take legal action against you in the county court. The court will make an order stating you must pay the deposit back to the tenant or lodge it with the custodial scheme which is known as the deposit protection scheme ( DPS ). In addition a further order will be made requiring you to pay compensation to the tenant of an amount between 1 and 3 times the deposit the sum being up to the discretion of the judge. You will be unable to serve or enforce a valid section 21 notice until you have protected the deposit and served the prescribed information or you have returned the deposit in full (or the agreed balance of it) to the tenant, or the Court has disposed of any proceedings relating to the return of the deposit. We have no liability for any loss suffered if you fail to comply. If you instruct us that you do not want us to protect a deposit for an AST, we shall not be liable for any loss suffered or cost incurred by you if you fail to comply with your obligations to protect the deposit and give prescribed information together with other relevant documents. You must pay us for any loss or inconvenience suffered or costs incurred by us if you fail to comply with those obligations. 20

21 The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) regulations 1993 These regulations require that specified items must be match resistant, cigarette resistant and carry a permanent label. It is a criminal offence to let property with upholstered furniture or soft furnishings containing foams which cannot be proven to comply with the above regulations. By signing this agreement you confirm you have removed all items which do not comply to the regulations. If any items are found in the property which do not meet the regulations, you will be liable to all costs in relation to their removal and disposal. Electrical Equipment (Safety) regulations 1994 You are responsible for providing instruction books for all items of electrical equipment and for ensuring all electrical appliances within your property comply with the above regulations. You should also ensure all electrical installations are safe and have them checked regularly. If you would like us to arrange for an electrical safety check under these regulations there will be an administration charge as shown in our schedule of charges in addition to the cost of the safety check itself, if you are not one of our managed service clients. Schedule 5: Safety legislation Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 It is a criminal offence to let a property with gas appliances, installations and pipe-work which have not been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. We therefore a copy of a valid gas safety certificate ( GSC ). If a GSC is not provided when you return our terms of business you give us authority to arrange one on your behalf. The GSC will need to be renewed at 12 month intervals and if we are providing our managed service we will arrange for a new GSC automatically, at your expense in accordance with our schedule of charges unless advised to the contrary in writing. If we do not receive the GSC from you 3 days before the current certificate is due to expire, we will arrange for a new GSC to be carried out at your expense. If we are not providing our managed service and we arrange for a GSC there will be an administration charge as shown in our schedule of charges in addition to the cost of the GSC. Each of your tenants require documentary proof of your compliance with these regulations at the commencement of the tenancy and within 28 days of the GSC being renewed. If we are providing our managed service we will deal with this formality for your behalf. If you use your own contractor we will need proof of their Gas Safe registration. No tenancy can commence until we are in receipt of a valid GSC. We have no liability if you fail to comply with the regulations. Part P Building regulations (Electrical Safety in Dwellings) From 1st January 2005 the above regulations came into force requiring qualified personnel to carry out certain electrical work at the property. To ensure compliance with the regulations we will only use a competent person to carry out any electrical work at the property. If you wish to use your own contractor we will need written proof that they are registered with an approved self-certification scheme before issuing instructions. In the absence of such proof we will instruct our own contractor if we are providing our managed service. We do not instruct contractors if we are not providing our managed service. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors It is now law that all properties built from June 1992 must have mains fitted smoke alarms with battery back-up. From 1st October 2015 you will have the legal obligation to fit smoke alarms on each storey of the property and a carbon monoxide detector in any room with a solid fuel appliance before entering into any new tenancy. In addition to these regulations we strongly recommend that where there is a gas appliance located within the property you ensure carbon monoxide detectors are installed. In addition you are required to have the detector and alarms tested at the start of the tenancy and to hold records of such tests. We can arrange the fitting of the alarms and detectors, if required, prior to the start of the tenancy at your expense and subject to our administration fee as shown in our schedule of charges. Maintenance of the appliances is your responsibility during the tenancy however the tenant will be responsible for testing the alarms and detectors during the tenancy, replacing all defective batteries and informing you or us of any defect in the alarm or detector. The alarms and detectors will be tested as part of the check-in process. Woodburners and chimneys Prior to the commencement of the tenancy, we will require a HETAS landlord/agent/homeowner/occupier safety record for any solid fuel appliance confirming it has been serviced and the chimney recently swept, which is your responsibility. Thereafter, the ongoing maintenance of the appliance and chimney is subject to contractual conditions contained in the tenancy agreement. Oil boiler and tank service and maintenance record Prior to the commencement of the tenancy, we will require a copy of the OFTEC engineer s service report (format known as CD10, CD11 or CD12 and includes a record of the combustion analysis results). This report should be no more than 12 months old at the commencement of the tenancy. All boilers and oil tanks should be serviced, in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions, at your expense. We can arrange this for you, upon receipt of your written instructions You are responsible for reading the level of oil in the oil tank prior to the commencement of the tenancy, all oil tanks are required to have either a digital transmitter Watchman Sonic fitted and plugged in inside the property OR a clearly accessible oil tank tube gauge which can be easily read by the tenant or ourselves. 21

22 Schedule 5: Safety legislation Green deal finance Should the property be subject to a green deal finance plan, your tenant, as the utility bill payer, will be liable for the repayment of the loan for the duration of their tenancy, in addition to their electricity usage. Therefore, this information must be disclosed in writing by you at the point of instruction. Legionnaires disease In order to comply with the Health and Safety Executive s code of practice, a legionella risk assessment of the property is required prior to the commencement of the tenancy, especially if there are open water tanks, cooling systems, a hot tub, pond, or a swimming pool. A copy of any written risk assessment must be provided upon instruction and at the latest prior to any tenancy agreement being signed. By signing this agreement you acknowledge your responsibility for the safety of the tenant at the property, confirm you have acknowledged all risks regarding legionnaires disease and have carried out a risk assessment. If you would like to instruct us to arrange a professional risk assessment of the property, please provide your written instructions. This will be at your expense. The assessment will be required to be updated upon change of tenancy or every 2 years, whichever is the sooner. If we are providing our managed service, we can arrange to renew the risk assessment at your expense in accordance with our schedule of charges. However, if we are not providing our managed service, or you do not wish us to renew the risk assessment, it is your legal responsibility to arrange for the renewal. We have no liability if you fail to comply with the HSE code of practice. Internal Blinds and European Safety Standards New European regulations now apply to the installation of raising and lowering blinds; and the movement of curtains across windows. This means that new blinds and curtains being installed by a contractor will have fixed cords or ball bearing pulls to prevent the danger of asphyxiation to a young child; and a warning notice with the purchasing material. Existing blinds and windows may need to be fitted with safety features to ensure compliance. If we are providing our managed services, we will check all blinds and curtains during our property visits and, if necessary arrange for the relevant safety feature to be fitted at your expense. If we are not providing our managed service it is your responsibility to make such checks and arrange the fitting of any necessary safety feature. We have no liability if such precautions are not carried out. 22

23 If you have a complaint As a firm accredited by the Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors, the Association of Residential Letting Agents and the Property Ombudsman, Bannisters Limited (referred to as Bannisters ) aims to provide the highest standards of service to all vendors, purchasers, landlords and tenants, but to ensure your interests are safeguarded, we offer the following: If you believe you have a grievance, please write in the first instance to the Branch Manager as detailed below: Stacey Mole Bannisters Pevensey House 27 Sheep Street Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 6JF Schedule 6: Complaints procedure The grievance will be acknowledged within 3 working days and investigated thoroughly in accordance with established in-house procedures. A formal written outcome of the complaint will be sent to you within 15 working days. If we require longer than this timescale we will advise you in writing and confirm our revised response date. If you remain dissatisfied with the result of the internal investigation, please contact our Managing Director, Nick Devonport at the address given below, who will review the complaint: Suite 6 Minton Place Victoria Road Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 6QB clientcare@bannisters-property.com Following the conclusion of our in-house review we will write to you with a final written statement within a further 15 working days. If you are dissatisfied with the conclusion of the in-house review of the complaint, you can refer the matter to: The Property Ombudsman, Milford House, Milford Street, Salisbury. Wiltshire. SP1 2BP, as an individual consumer; or The RICS Dispute Resolution Service (DRS), Surveyor Court, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JE as a commercial client. These referrals should be made within 6 months of the date of our final written statement. 23

24 Schedule 7: General information and useful facts Withdrawal from the tenancy Please note that if a formal offer has been made by a prospective tenant and you subsequently inform us that you wish to withdraw from the proposed tenancy, the tenant could take legal action against you for any losses suffered. If a prospective tenant agrees to accommodate your request you should expect to meet reasonable costs and expenses incurred by them. Pre-tenancy works We are unable to arrange any works prior to a tenancy commencing (whether requested by you or the intended tenant) unless sufficient funds are held to cover the cost and you have requested us to arrange the works in writing. Mail reduction We recommend you arrange for your mail to be redirected by the Post Office prior to a tenancy commencing as we are unable to take responsibility for forwarding any mail sent to you at the property. Property maintenance and instruction books If we are not providing our managed service, the responsibility for arranging repairs and to providing the tenant with copies of all instruction books, guarantees and maintenance contracts falls to you. If this is not done, you may incur additional costs and the tenant may be entitled to compensation. Tenant s abandonment If the tenant leaves the property of their own accord prior to the expiration of the term we are unable to take responsibility to take the appropriate action to recover any outstanding rent from the tenant. Tenancy type There are several different types of tenancy in England and Wales with several different types of statutory regimes. Rent Act Historically tenancies were covered by the rent Act These tenancies can no longer be created and are generally dying out. However, these tenancies provided a very high level of protection to tenants for life and benefited from below market rents. Housing Act The vast majority of tenancies created today fall under the Housing Act The Act applies where tenancies are created on or after 15th January 1989 and creates one of two types of tenancies. The tenancy was either an Assured tenancy or an Assured Shorthold tenancy if the landlord served a section 20 notice advising the tenant that his tenancy was NOT an Assured tenancy. An Assured tenancy is a tenancy for life, which means it is very difficult to evict a tenant, and a tenancy at a market rent. Assured Shorthold tenancies are created, as stated above, on the service of the section 20 Notice or those created after 28 February The vast majority of tenancies today are Assured Shorthold tenancies which are tenancies at a market rent and permit the landlord to obtain possession much more easily. Common Law Contractual tenancies where the rent exceeds 100,000 per annum. These tenancies are not governed by any specific statute but are a contractual arrangement between the landlord and tenant. Deposits and inventory There are no restrictions on deposit levels in England and Wales however, you are required to register the deposit with an approved tenancy deposit protection scheme. In addition to the registration you are also required to provide the tenant with information which differs depending on the scheme that is used. Failure to adhere to the deposit scheme rules can result in landlords facing claims by the tenant for up to 3 times the deposit amount in addition to a return of the deposit. Furthermore, landlords are not permitted to issue possession proceedings on the expiry of a section 21 notice if the deposit rules have not been complied with because the notice is in fact invalid upon service. The deposit schemes all offer a free adjudication service in the event of a dispute in respect of any deductions from the deposit. However, in order to consider such disputes, the schemes will expect to see a comprehensive inventory. It is often the case that landlords do not arrange for an inventory or arrange for a poor quality inventory and this makes it impossible to show the condition of the property has deteriorated over the course of the tenancy term. In the absence of any proof of deterioration, you are unlikely to be successful in any claim to make deductions from the tenant s deposit. Consents If you are thinking of letting a property where you have a superior landlord, then you will need to seek their permission to let. Insurance companies, Mortgage companies and even co-owners will also need to be contacted for permission to let. Without the necessary consents you risk having your head lease forfeited, your insurance cancelled and your mortgage company demanding an immediate return of the full loan amount. 24

25 Advertising the property Property adverts must be accurate as false advertising is a criminal offence and carries an unlimited fine. Examples of such false advertising include saying the local schools are good when they are in fact average and that permission has been sought for an extension when it has in fact already been refused. Where tenants have fallen victim to false advertising they are entitled to vacate the property within the first month of their occupancy and demand a full refund of any rent they have paid. Energy performance certificate All properties on the rental market must have an energy performance certificate (EPC). The EPC provides potential tenants with an estimate of the cost to heat and light the property and recommend works which could reduce these costs if carried out. The EPC uses a rating system based on the letters A to G and from 2018 properties with a rating of E or below will no longer be rentable unless improvements are made or it is not possible to make improvements. Discrimination landlords may be selective in respect of their tenants but they cannot discriminate unlawfully. Such discrimination is a breach of the Equality Act 2010 and can include a refusal to let to people of a particular religion or sexual preference. Disabled tenants can ask for non-structural reasonable adjustments, such as handles along the stairs and it would amount to discrimination if the landlord refused the tenant because they asked for the adjustments. Gas safety It is compulsory throughout the UK for landlords to have gas appliances checked annually. These checks must be carried out by Gas Safe approved engineers and a copy of the certificate must be given to the tenant. It is the Health and Safety Executive who enforces this requirement and landlords can face a prison term and/or a fine for failing to comply in the most serious cases. As with deposits, landlords are not able to issue a valid section 21 notice if the Gas Safety certificate has not been given to the tenant. Schedule 7: General information and useful facts Electrical safety In the UK there is no specific legal requirement to obtain certification for the electrical appliances in a rental property. However, for houses in multiple occupation checks must be made of the electrical wiring every 5 years but not the appliances. Failure to have the wiring checked is punishable by an unlimited fine. However, landlords are required to ensure that electrical installations and appliances are safe and the practical way of achieving this is by means of testing. Should a tenant be injured due to a faulty appliance the landlord can face prosecution and even a damages claim by the injured tenant. However, the government has passed the Housing and Planning Act 2016 in England which allows for regulations to be made in respect of electrical safety. At present the government is consulting over how this will be implemented and how often tests should be undertaken. The legislation is expected to be implemented in Fire safety Properties should be fire safe and include an adequate means of escape in case of fire. Landlords should carry our fire risk assessments and provide tenants with written instructions on how to operate any fire safety equipment and the procedure to be adopted in the event of a fire. It is a legal requirement for all properties to have at least 1 battery powered smoke alarm on each storey of the property. A local authority can serve an enforcement notice requiring alarms to be fitted on 28 days notice and if this is not complied with then they can issue a penalty notice for up to 5,000. Furniture All soft furniture and furnishings must meet appropriate fire regulations. Most modern furniture will meet the required standard and include appropriate labelling but older or imported furniture may not. The standard of safety and furniture labelling is required prior to supplying the tenant with the furniture and any breach of the requirement is a criminal offence punishable by a prison term and/or a fine. Property standards The Deregulation Act 2015 has placed more pressure on property standards. If a landlord is served with a notice under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) which requires the property to be improved or allows the local authority to do work itself then they will not be able to serve a notice under section 21 for the next 6 months. In addition, if a tenant complains to a landlord in writing about the condition of the property and then complains to the local authority who take enforcement action under the HHSRS then any section 21 notice served on the tenant between their initial written complaint to the landlord and the enforcement activity will be invalid. Immigration and the right to rent landlords in England are obliged to check the immigration status of their tenants. In order to comply with the requirement landlords should carry out checks on all adult tenants prior to granting a tenancy. There is a civil penalty for failing to adhere to the requirement of up to 3,000 per individual who is in a property unlawfully. From December 2016 these penalties increased to include prison sentences and unlimited fines. 25

26 Schedule 7: General information and useful facts New provisions in the Immigration Act 2016 came into force on 1st December These provisions require landlords to evict their tenants if they receive notice from the Secretary of State that the tenant/s do not have the right to rent. These new provisions have resulted in changes to the section 8 notice served by landlords or their agents under the Housing Act How to rent guide In England all tenants must be given a copy of the government published guide How to Rent: A Checklist for Renting in England. Where landlords fail to provide the guide they will not be able to serve a valid section 21 notice. In order to serve a valid notice, the tenant must also have been given a valid GSC and EPC. House of multiple occupation A house of multiple occupation (HMO) is a property occupied by a group of people who do not form one household. The Housing Act 2004 does not require that all HMOs are licensed but where a license is required and not obtained anyone collecting the rent is committing an offence. Local councils can elect to change the licensing requirements in any area and bring it into force retrospectively. landlords will therefore need to know what the HMOs rules are if any and what needs to be carried out in order to comply with them. Rent to rent Landlords that rent properties to a tenant who elect to sublet the property to other tenants on a room by room basis may not have sought your consent. Rent to rent tenancies are on the increase with the introduction of companies such as Air B&B. Unfortunately, these tenancies could be a breach of local licensing, head lease, insurance and/or mortgage conditions. Penalty notices and rent repayment The Housing and Planning Act 2016 (H&PA) creates new penalty notices of up to 30,000 in respect of all matters which are offences under the Housing Act This includes all forms of offences relating to HMOs and the HHSRS. In addition, the H&PA widens rent repayment orders allowing the local authority and tenants to recover rent paid without there having been a conviction and also applying them more widely to all Housing Act 2004 offences as well as to unlawful eviction. Banning orders and the database In addition to the electrical safety legislation the H&PA will also implement banning orders and a database for rogue landlords. Banning orders are not expected to be in force until October 2017 and it is not clear what offences could lead to landlords being banned. But a banning order will prevent a person from being a landlord, acting as a letting or managing agent, or both. The banning order will last for at least 12 months and a breach could lead to a prison term of up to 51 weeks and/or an unlimited fine. Any person who is banned must also be placed on the rogue landlord database for the length of their ban. Furthermore, if a person has been served with 2 fixed penalty notices or prosecuted they can be added to the database of rogue landlords. This will allow other local authorities to find out about them and use the information to make decisions about licensing. Addition to the database is for a minimum period of 2 years. The private rental sector is subject to a huge increase in legislation and will continue into the foreseeable future. It is possible that other regulations will be introduced at relatively short notice. landlords can help guard against being caught out by these changes by using a high quality professional agent who will stay on top of the legislation. 26

27 Schedule of charges Schedule of charges All prices include VAT Let only service 1 month s rent Rent collection service (subject to a minimum fee of 72 per month) (landlord set-up fee payable) 9.6% Managed service (subject to a minimum fee of 96 per month) (landlord set-up fee payable) 13.2% Investment Club 900 Landlord set-up fee (online marketing and tenancy agreement) (payable in advance) 300 Legal and rental protection (up to 2,500 per month rent + 75,000 legal costs) 180 Legal and rental protection (up to 8,000 per month rent + 75,000 legal costs) 200 Energy performance certificate (EPC) 90 Gas safety certificate (GSC) From 70 Gas safety certificate and boiler service From 120 Smoke alarm - supply and fit From 50 Carbon monoxide detector - supply and fit (in any room where solid fuel is burnt i.e wood, coal or biomass including open fires) From 50 Electrical condition inspection report (5 yearly) From 130 Portable appliance testing (PAT) From 50 Legionnaire risk assessment (LRA) 90 Office copy entries (proof of ownership of property from HM Land Registry) 6 Preparation of tenancy agreement (included in set-up fee) 90 Preparation of renewal tenancy agreement (fixed term) or memorandum of agreement (periodic term) (Let only service) Preparation of renewal tenancy agreement (fixed term) or memorandum of agreement (periodic term) Rent review service (review existing rent, review tenant credit check, review mortgage rate, an additional property visit and sales valuation) 5% Special clauses in tenancy agreement (per clause) 20 Deposit registration (payable for each tenancy term) 20 Administration and preparation of documents for a tenancy dispute (TDS)* 180 Compliance/quotation arrangement fee* 36 Preparation and service of a prescribed notice section 21 (seeking possession of property) 90 Preparation and service of a prescribed notice section 13 (rent increase in a periodic tenancy)* 90 *Payable if not on managed service 27

28 Schedule of charges All prices include VAT Preparation and service of a section 8 notice (notice to terminate AST when a tenant has breached the agreement i.e fallen into rent arrears)* Preparation and service of section 47 and 48 notices (providing address for service of notices and rent demands.) This address must be in England or Wales and can be the name and address of managing agent)* Inventory schedule of condition - dependant on size of property and whether furnished or unfurnished Arrange professional clean and/or garden maintenance POA POA Accounting and administration fee for holding tax for overseas landlords (monthly) 15 Supervision service (supervising maintenance work to the property over 600) (per visit) 120 Void period service (weekly visit to your property during void periods) (per visit) 120 Contractor waiting service (per hour) 60 Arrangement fee for contractor work during void periods (percentage of total work invoiced) 10% Cancellation of tenancy check-in (after tenants have been approved and terms agreed to proceed) 240 CHAPS bank transfer 30 File retrieval from archive (per file) 25 Additional property visit, including detailed report and supporting photographs 90 Attending court on your behalf with written consent (per visit) 150 Prepare and administer a household insurance claim on your behalf (per claim) 150 Replace property keys (per set) Shopping - purchase of miscellaneous items (per visit) (+mileage at 45p per mile) POA 60 p/h Minimum termination of terms of business fee (per property) 240 Transfer of property data (upon termination of terms of business) (per property) 120 Negotiating deposit release with all parties (in excess of 5 working days) 25 p/h Non-exclusive service administration fee charged for services provided within the fixed period 240 Sales commission if tenant purchases your property 1.5% Photocopying (black and white per sheet) Photocopying (colour per sheet) 6p 18p Preparation of duplicate documents and postage by Royal Mail 6 *Payable if not on managed service 28

29 Our affiliations Our affiliations 29

30 Notes Notes 30

31 Notes Notes 31

32 How to contact us Our lettings team Our property management team Sheep Street, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 6JF Monday -Friday: 9:00am - 5:30pm Saturday: 9:00am - 3:00pm 32