WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME OF GOOD TIMES

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1 WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME OF GOOD TIMES

2 We hope you re going to have a great time in your new home in Leeds. This guide contains everything you need to know about moving into your new home and other useful information relating to your tenancy. SECTION ONE MEET THE TEAM WHAT TO EXPECT ON MOVING IN DAY MY PARKLANE SECTION TWO WHEN YOU MOVE IN UTILITIES SAFETY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION THREE HIVE CHARGES 8 10

3 WELCOME HAPPY TIMES #BESTYEAROFMYLIFE B EER CAN MOUNTAIN

4 MEET THE TEAM Lorraine Walker Branch Manager Andy Walker Lettings Negotiator Matt Heron Lettings Negotiator Sam Lyness Assistant Branch Manager James McGrath Property Consultant Matthias Auton Property Consultant Conor Buckley Property Consultant The Parklane team are here to help you settle in to your new place and answer any questions you may have even if it s just to know where the nearest shop or bar is! We will aim to visit your property at various times throughout the year to make sure everything is okay and there are no issues. The team will do everything they can to ensure you have a smooth tenancy but if you have any problems then just get in touch! HEADINGLEY OFFICE Parklane Otley Road Headingley Leeds LS6 3AA West Yorkshire LS6@parklaneproperties.com OPENING TIMES Mon/Tue/Thur/Fri: 9.00am pm Wednesday: 9.30am pm Saturday: 10.00am pm Sunday: CLOSED Bank Holidays: CLOSED 1

5 WHAT TO EXPECT ON MOVING IN DAY Due to the quick turnaround it may be that the previous tenants have only moved out 24 hours ago. We do ask that on departure tenants clean the house and leave it in good repair. However this is not always the case. DON T WORRY... We have a team of Inspectors who will endeavour to visit your property within the first 48 hours of your tenancy and complete: 1 An inventory of all furniture 2 An inspection of the property and its condition 3 Take photographs of any damage 4 Report if any rubbish or personal belongings need removing from your property 5 Report if we need to arrange for a cleaning company to attend (this will be charged to the previous tenants) 6 Complete a maintenance report of any jobs that need attending to The maintenance report will be sent to Hive Property Services who will be in touch with the Head Tenant by on progress. A copy of the Inventory & Schedule of Condition for your property will be available for you to download from My Parklane for your reference & to check that you agree with our report. 2 2

6 MY PARKLANE To make managing your tenancy easy we have created a personal one stop shop on our website for everything you need to know. It s quick and easy to use, can be accessed 24 hours a day and contains all documentation from pre-tenancy through to post tenancy! The information is regularly updated so there s no need to come in to the office - just access it online! Simply log in using your address and tenant code as your password that you have received in previous s or login using Facebook. My maintenance Enter the details of any problems you are experiencing with your property and this information will be passed onto Hive who undertake all property maintenance issues on behalf of Parklane. Document downloads You can download all documentation relating to your tenancy including Direct Debit forms and Gas Safety Certificates. My personal details Personal details can be amended and updated quickly in this section of My Parklane. Please keep your details up to date so we can get in touch. 3

7 WHEN YOU MOVE IN Inventory and Schedule of Condition This will be available to download from My Parklane. The Inventory and Schedule of Condition is a detailed list of all items and their condition throughout your property. Please record any damages and return it to the office within 14 days of moving in. An Inventory will be available to each tenant if separate contracts are signed for each room but if a joint contract is signed then only one is necessary. Please check that all items listed on the Inventory are present and are in the condition described. We will use this Inventory when you vacate your home at the end of the tenancy, so it is important to make sure it is returned to us. If you do not return the completed Inventory to us we will assume that you agree with the report. Your Rent You are required to pay your rent in accordance with the dates stated on your tenancy agreement. The method of payment for rent is by Direct Debit. If we have not been able to collect the monies via Direct Debit you can make a payment by debit/credit card by calling the office on: or you can pay online at: Should you use your credit card a 3% surcharge will apply. Direct Debit forms are available to download online at: Condition of Property It is the previous tenant s responsibility to return the property in a clean state and in good condition at the end of the tenancy and to remove any personal belongings. Should the property not be left in a clean condition, Parklane will employ cleaners as soon as practically possible. If you believe that there are major problems at the property that will prevent you from being able to live there, then you must notify the landlord in writing without delay. If it is necessary to provide temporary alternative accommodation, you will remain liable to pay the rent due under the terms of the tenancy agreement. Student Loans You need to ensure that you can pay your rent regardless of when your student loans are paid! We do not work in conjunction with the student loan companies and the rent payment dates are not in line with student loan release dates, so you must allow for this. If you do not have the funds available for the dates the rent is due, you must arrange alternative methods for payment i.e. your guarantor. Your Contract The contract you have signed is a legally binding document. It is a fixed term Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement for which you are jointly and severally liable. Your tenancy agreement does not allow any opportunity for early termination; you are committed to the full period as stated in your contract for rental payments. We may however allow tenants to assign their tenancy over; should you require further information on this or anything connected to your agreement, please contact your property consultant. 4

8 UTILITIES ALL INCLUSIVE If you have taken the property inclusive of bills you do not need to do anything. We will come to the property and take meter readings each quarter. The gas and electricity is subject to our fair usage policy, see clause 10 (13) of tenants agreements in your contract. Please be aware that you will be charged for any gas and electricity you use over the fair usage policy. If any utility bills are delivered to the property, which you are not responsible for, please bring these to the office and we will deal with them. NON INCLUSIVE If you have taken the property non inclusive of bills, it is your responsibility to set up the gas, water and electricity accounts in your name and take meter readings. Water You will need to call Yorkshire Water Have the following information ready to give them: ADDRESS your new address and your billing address if different DATE the date your tenancy started METER READING the meter reading at your new house, if you have a meter installed Gas You will need to find out who supplies your gas by calling Have the following information ready to give them: ADDRESS your new address and your billing address if different DATE the date your tenancy started METER READING this will be on the front of your meter Gas safety certificates are available on My parklane Electric You will need to find out who supplies your electric Either log on to and complete the box at the bottom right hand side or call They will be able to provide you with the energy supplier and their phone number. Have the following information ready to give them: ADDRESS your new address and your billing address if different DATE the date your tenancy started METER READING this will be on the front of your meter Council Tax You will need to call the council If you are a full-time student you do not have to pay council tax. Please inform the council of all tenants at your address and liaise directly regarding any bills or obtaining a Council Tax Exemption Notice. TV Licence It is your responsibility to purchase a TV Licence 5

9 SAFETY Fire Safety You must not do anything which may create a fire or safety hazard at the property. Please be cautious whilst using the cooking appliances within your property. Over half of all fires are started within the kitchen and a large number of these are chip-pan related and their use is prohibited within the property. Candles can be extremely dangerous and are strictly forbidden, you are prohibited from lighting candles or incense within the property (please see section 10 (41) in your tenancy agreement). In the interests of safety, tenants and their visitors should refrain from smoking within the property. You are responsible for carrying out any test (including a daily visual inspection) required to the fire detection system and for replacing the batteries in any non hard-wired fire detectors where necessary (please see section 10 (47) of your tenancy agreement). You must report immediately to the landlord if any faults are detected i.e. loose wires, faulty lights etc. Serious action will be taken against those caught tampering or abusing the fire alarm system or equipment. Escape routes must be kept clear at all times. fire extinguishers present in the hands of people who are not trained to use them. Fire blankets are provided in all of our properties. Gas and Electrical Safety For your safety an electrical test of the property is done every five years and a gas safety check is done each year to ensure all appliances are safe and ready to use. A copy of the gas safety certificate can be found on My Parklane. Should you suspect a gas leak please ensure you call Transco immediately on and also contact Hive on Contents Insurance It is the tenant s responsibility to purchase contents insurance, unless you are living in an Autograph property, in which case it is included. Tenants should ensure that fire doors are kept closed at all times and report immediately if any self-dosing mechanisms are faulty or broken. Fire doors should never be propped open. Due to fire safety regulations you MUST NOT fit locks to doors within the property. This also has implications for the TV Licence as any locked room becomes a separate dwelling and must have its own licence if there is a television inside. Please report to us immediately if there is a lock on an internal door. Fire extinguishers have been removed from all properties as it is deemed more dangerous to have 6

10 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Arrears Should you fall into arrears we will initially write to you and your guarantor and add an administration fee of 25 to your account. If your account remains in arrears, we will add a further charge of 20. All tenants and guarantors will be notified if it becomes necessary to take further action to recover the rent and further costs will be incurred. If you are experiencing difficulties paying your rent please don t ignore the problem, contact your property consultant at your earliest opportunity and we can try and work something out. Interim Inspections Your property consultant will carry out interim inspections of your property, usually in the autumn and spring, but other inspections may also be arranged. Damages and Breakages Any malicious damage to the property shall be deemed to have been caused by the tenant/s and the cost of rectifying any such damage shall be apportioned accordingly. Inspections will be carried out regularly to ensure there are no outstanding repairs and to make sure you are looking after the property. Noise You are requested at all times to have respect and consideration for all residents within the property and your neighbours. It is especially important to keep noise levels at a minimum between 11pm and 9am. Illegal Substances The use of illegal substances within the property will not be tolerated. Any reports will be referred to the Police. Personal Furniture To ensure compliance with safety regulations, we request that residents do not bring their own furniture. If you must bring electrical goods then you need to ensure that they have been PAT tested (Portable Appliance Testing). Housekeeping The property you live in is your home and as such, you are responsible for the cleanliness of the property in accordance with your tenancy agreement. We recommend that you agree a cleaning rota to avoid any unnecessary conflict within your apartment/house. Please note we do not allow the use of blue tac or other such adhesives on the walls as it causes stains, and you would be charged for the necessary re-painting of the wall/s. Security Most student burglaries are through windows and doors being left open or unlocked. Please ensure you lock your front and back doors AT ALL TIMES. Don t leave expensive items on view through your windows. Leave lights or a TV on when out, make your house look occupied. Noise nuisance will be reported to the University Noise Nuisance Control as well as Leeds City Council s Noise Nuisance and Anti-Social Behaviour officer who conducts home visits and has the power to serve an abatement notice. Leeds City Council Noise Service:

11 PROPERTY SERVICES PROBLEM CALL RESPONSE ATTEND FIXED For any maintenance issues with your property please go to My Parklane and report this under My Maintenance page. We have instructed Hive Property Services to ensure that our properties are maintained to a high standard. Hive will deal with any maintenance issues you have with your property. HOW TO REPORT MAINTENANCE ISSUES Should you have any maintenance issues with your property, please ensure you log this through My Parklane under the My Maintenance page. Hive will allocate the job on a priority basis and will you to confirm the job has been booked in. You will receive a further to confirm when a tradesman will be attending your property. Parklane will provide them with a set of your keys so you do not need to be present if it is not convenient. Hive are interested in gaining your feedback and therefore will be sending out survey links throughout your tenancy, please complete and return these to help Hive to improve their service. OUT OF HOURS EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE If you have an emergency maintenance issue outside of office hours, please call Hive on for our out of hours number for our emergency company who will deal with your request. (Please make sure it is an emergency before calling or you may be charged for this service, if it is not an emergency you will be held liable for all costs). PRIORITIES Once a job has been reported it will be assessed and completed in order of priority, this is explained below in more detail: Priority 1 - HIGH Hive will visit the property within 12 hours. The maintenance issue makes the property uninhabitable e.g. a collapsed roof, major leak or flood damage. Priority 2 - MEDIUM Hive will visit the property within 3 days e.g. broken appliance or dripping tap. Priority 3 - LOW Hive will visit the property within 10 days e.g. re-decoration or broken furniture. Tel: repairs@hiveliving.co.uk Web: hiveliving.co.uk 8

12 PROPERTY SERVICES Tenant s Responsibilities A rented property does not simply mean that a landlord will fix or repair everything for you. You must act in a responsible manner. This means those small repairs and the day to day running of the property are your responsibility. Please see below a list of some of the most common problems which you can deal with in order to avoid incurring charges. This list is by no means comprehensive. Changing light bulbs This is the tenants responsibility, if Hive are requested to attend you may be charged. Unblocking the sink, toilet, shower and drains You can easily buy a plunger or a recommended drain cleaner from your local hardware supermarket. Unblocking vacuum cleaner, changing the belt and emptying the bag - this is also deemed the tenants responsibility, if you have tried all of these options call Hive and they will attend. Unblocking appliances - Washing machines and dishwashers often block up due to waste from washing, please check the filter before contacting Hive. When defrosting your fridge/freezer remember not to use any sharp objects to break down the ice as this may damage the appliance. Charges Hive have a minimum charge depending on the nature of the callout. These fees are only applicable if the maintenance request is deemed the tenants responsibility or something which has arisen from tenant misuse. If you are liable for the charge you will receive an invoice from Hive, which can be paid online at or over the phone on Example of minimum charges Callout to allow tenant access into property 25 + VAT Callout to unblock sink/shower VAT Callout where specialist trade required e.g. electrician VAT You will receive with your inventory a note of repair and replacement charges from Hive for your records. This is also included on page 10 of the welcome pack and is accessible via My Parklane. Maintaining the garden This includes maintaining the grass, hedges, weeding and generally keeping the garden/yard tidy. If you do not maintain the garden to a satisfactory level, then Hive have been instructed to maintain this for you and to charge you for this service. Gardening can be charged at up to 60 an hour. Hive will carry out a gardening round every 4-6 weeks throughout the growing season, which is generally between April and the end of October you will be informed of via prior to the visit. 9

13 CHARGESPrice Item Description list 2017 Please note that these charges are provided by our external contractor Hive property Services and are to be used as a guide of potential charges. Charges may include labour and call our costs. Prices correct as of the 1st June Prices may vary due to the condition of the house and are exclusive of VAT. 10

14 LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL...

15 We hope you re going to have a great time in your new home in Leeds. If we can help in any way then don t hesitate to get in touch.

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