Looking to rent?

Renting can be a big step to take…let Changing Home help you. We’ll make the process straightforward, so you can move forward with confidence.

Check in with Changing Home

Once you’ve decided to rent a property, have a chat with us. Tell us what you’re looking for, whereabouts, and how much you’re looking to spend.

We’ll offer help and advice. We talk to tenants and landlords every day, know what’s available and what’s likely to be available, and can help ensure you get value for money.

We’re also on top of current legislation for the rental marketplace, constantly running background checks.

Setting up your contract

Once you’ve decided somewhere that’s right for you, we’ll take care of the paperwork and help to explain the nitty gritty. Things like:

 

• What your rent covers
• Whether bills are included or cost extra
• Your move in date
• Term of the contract
• Special details eg whether or not pets are allowed.

Managing your property

Changing Home offer a property management service for landlords where we manage the property on their behalf. As a tenant, this means we’re your first port of call for any major problems - we’ll explain this to you when you’ve agreed the rental.

Some landlords prefer to manage the relationship themselves, in which case, they’ll be your ongoing contact.

Taking the keys

Once you get your keys, you’ll get an inventory detailing everything in the property. You’ll need to double check its accuracy and take pictures of anything that isn’t quite right. Then let Changing Home know so we can report any discrepancies to the landlord. This is to protect you, highlighting that the issue wasn’t down to you.

Once you’ve moved in

Changing Home will add your deposit to an accredited deposit scheme within 30 days and send you a certificate of validation.

Depending on whether or not your landlord has chosen Changing Home to manage the property, we’ll be available to help out with any ongoing issues you may have such as boiler breakdown etc.

The costs

As well as paying the rent, you may also need to make the following payments:

 

• Before the tenancy starts (payable to Changing Home):
• Holding deposit: 1 week’s rent
• During the tenancy (payable to Changing Home):
• Payment of £50 including vat if you want to change the tenancy agreement (ie change of sharer, addition of new tenant, addition of special clause, change of name, change of rent date).
• Payment of £50 including vat if you want to assign the tenancy (early termination) plus landlords costs of £300 including vat to cover landlord re-letting costs.
• Payment of interest for the late payment of rent 3 % above the Bank of England base rate.
• Payment of costs incurred for the loss of keys / security devices / parking fobs.
• During the tenancy (payable to the provider) if permitted and applicable:
  • Utilities – gas, electricity, water
  • Communications – telephone and broadband
  • Installation of cable/satellite
  • Subscription to cable/satellite supplier
  • Television licence
  • Council Tax
• Other permitted payments
  • Any other permitted payments, not included above, under the relevant legislation including contractual damages.

Tenant protection

Changing Home is a member of The Royal Industry of Chartered Surveyors (RICs), a client money protection scheme, and also a member of The Property Ombudsman (TPO) which is a redress scheme. For further information about these schemes, email glenda@changing-home.co.uk or call 01244 345664.