Experienced Estate Agents
Our Tenants Guide
Our experienced estate agents have made renting a property through Stones as easy as can be.
Once you have seen a property we are advertising and you would like to view, here are the next steps involved.
1. Enquiry
Make your enquiry via online or by calling us. Our dedicated negotiators will register your details and criteria and look to make appointments for you based on your enquiry and other properties matching your description.
2. Offers
Once you see a property that you like and your offer is acceptable, we will look to request a holding deposit of 1 weeks worth of rent, ID’s and documents for your referencing.
We will carry out credit checks and go through our findings with you based on questions and clarity we may need.
Thereafter we present our findings to the landlord. When the landlord is happy we will arrange for tenancies to be drawn up and organise a move in date.
3. Pre Tenancy
Once all property certificates are in and tenancies have been drawn up, we will arrange to get these sent over to you electronically or arrange a suitable time for you to come in and sign. There we will explain to you what you are signing and answer any questions you may have. We will also look to seek the remaining balance from you.
4. Move in
On the day of move in, we will arrange a time for your key collection. Our experienced estate agents have notified all utility suppliers and the local authority of your details and meter reads.
We are approachable thereafter by phone, email or WhatsApp should you need us.
Tenant fees and permitted payments
All fees are inclusive of VAT unless stated otherwise
| Payment or service | Our charge and when it applies |
|---|---|
| Rent | The agreed rent shown in the property advertisement and tenancy agreement. For new assured periodic tenancies, rent is collected only after both parties sign; at most one month may be required before the start date. |
| Refundable holding deposit | One week’s rent per tenancy, shared between joint applicants. This reserves the property during checks. Only one holding deposit is accepted at a time. |
| Refundable tenancy deposit | Five weeks’ rent where annual rent is below £50,000; six weeks where annual rent is £50,000 or more, for tenancies covered by the Act. This is the total per tenancy, not per person. |
| Tenant requested change | £50 including VAT per agreed variation, assignment or novation, including a change of sharer. If reasonable costs actually incurred exceed £50, those costs may be charged instead, with supporting evidence. No separate duplicate charge for the same work. |
| Lost key or security device | Reasonable costs actually incurred because of the loss, supported by written evidence. Necessary locksmith work or lock replacement may be included where reasonable. Payable only where the tenancy agreement provides for this default charge. |
| Late rent | Interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 3 percentage points per year on overdue rent, calculated daily. Charged only once rent has been outstanding for at least 14 days and where provided for in the tenancy agreement. No flat late payment fee. |
| Leaving without sufficient notice | Where a tenant requests release without the required notice, any agreed payment is assessed individually against the landlord’s actual loss and the agent’s reasonable termination costs. It will not exceed the rent that would have been payable with correct notice. No departure fee where correct notice is given. |
Weekly rent = annual rent ÷ 52. For monthly rent, annual rent = monthly rent × 12. Charges are applied only where their legal and contractual conditions are met.
Bills payable under the tenancy agreement
| Payment | Amount and recipient |
|---|---|
| Utilities | Gas, electricity, other fuels, water and sewerage: the applicable bill or lawful allocated share. Resale charges must comply with the relevant maximum resale rules; no profit markup. Lawful Green Deal payments may apply where required by the agreement. |
| Communication services | Landline telephone, internet, cable or satellite television: the applicable agreed service cost or allocated share under the tenancy agreement. No arbitrary administration surcharge. |
| Council tax | The amount due to the local authority where payable by the tenant. If included in rent, this is stated in the agreement. No separate additional council tax payment to us or the landlord. |
| Television licence | The licence charge payable to TV Licensing where required. If included in rent, this is stated in the agreement. No separate additional licence payment to us or the landlord. |
Holding deposit refunds
The normal deadline to enter the agreement is 15 calendar days after receipt, unless changed in writing. We refund the holding deposit, or with your consent credit it towards rent or the tenancy deposit. Retention is permitted only on statutory grounds, including withdrawal, materially misleading information, failure of Right to Rent requirements, or failure to take reasonable steps to enter the agreement where we have done so. Applicable refunds and written retention reasons are provided within the statutory seven day deadlines.
Services for which we do not charge tenants
No viewing, application, initial referencing, credit check, guarantor check, tenancy setup, routine inventory, check in, check out, renewal or reference provision fees. No routine inspection, rent reminder, mandatory professional cleaning or separate pet permission fee. A genuine tenant requested contractual variation is governed by the £50 rule above. We do not require a paid insurance, guarantor service or deposit replacement product as a condition of letting.
Our scheme memberships
Our client money protection certificate is displayed at our public offices and on our website. For assured periodic tenancies, deposits are protected within 30 days and the required deposit information is supplied.
62
Years of experience from our leadership team
200+
Properties to buy or rent
65+
Properties added every month
5000+
On average, new buyers and tenants annually
WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU
Services Stones offer
Stones provide a comprehensive range of services to meet all your property needs. Our dedicated team of professionals is committed to delivering exceptional service and ensuring your experience with us is seamless and successful.
