Please find our Tenant Fee Schedule here.
At The Bath Property Shop, we let and manage a variety of furnished and unfurnished properties throughout Bath and the surrounding area. As members of the Dispute Service (TDS) all security deposits are held in a designated Clients Account and fully protected. We are also members of The Property Ombudsman and Propertymark.
Our site contains a constantly updated register of rental properties, we encourage you to view our latest list. In order to receive a regularly updated list of our available rental properties, please register on our home page and we will contact you with details of new properties to suit your specified requirements.
For more detailed information or appointments to view please contact us on 01225 464400.
Please keep in mind that a range of rigorous checks on all prospective tenants will be carried out and we will require 5 weeks rent as a deposit and one month’s rent paid in advance. Should you be uncertain as to your suitability or have specific requirements, please contact us.
Tenant’s Guide
Although Letting Agents have different procedures, this guide is intended as a general overview to assist you when renting a property. We have set out below a few significant pointers to assist you.
Your Offer – Once we have found your suitable property, you will be in a position to make an offer to the Landlord for consideration. At this point, we would ask for some basic details and put your offer to the Landlord. If the offer is accepted we would then request a holding deposit of 1 weeks rent to be paid to take the property off the rental market. Please note that any offer you make would be subject to you fulfilling our reference criteria.
Referencing- As soon as your offer has been accepted by the Landlord and the holding deposit of 1 weeks rent is paid, we will provide you with application forms. This will allow us to start referencing and draw up the relevant documentation which will form the basis of the agreement between you and the Landlord.
You will be expected to provide one proof of address and one photographic identification from the following:
- IDENTIFICATION/PROOF OF RESIDENCY
- All tenants must show proof of address. Only the following forms of identification are accepted:
- Utility bill (less than 3 months old)
- Full driving license or another approved form of photo ID (Passport etc.).
- Council tax bill (less than 3 months old)
- Mobile phone bill (less than 3 months old)
We will also contact your employer and your landlord (if you are in rented accommodation already). Your previous employer will also be contacted if you have recently changed jobs. If you are self-employed we will need to contact your accountant. A credit check will also be conducted.
To assist us in collating the necessary references, it would be advantageous for you to notify the above individuals in advance that references are required as these can be return to us within a matter of a few days, barring any delays.
Occasionally, a GUARANTOR will be required if, for example the tenant has not been continuously employed for the past 12 months; has been working abroad in the previous 6 months; the tenants’ income falls short of our criteria or the tenants’ employment is considered as changeable.
Please note that the same criteria applies to the guarantor and, furthermore, the guarantor must earn the equivalent of 2.5 times the yearly sum of the rent, be in full time employment or be able to prove by bank statements that they have “independent means”.
The guarantor must be aware that they will stand as guarantor for you, (and your partner if you are moving in to the property with someone else), for the entire occupancy of the property, not just for the period of the initial tenancy term.
If a Guarantor cannot be supplied, an alternative may be to pay a portion of the fixed term's rent in advance. This is usually six or twelve months in advance.
Tenancy Agreement – Once referencing has been completed, the Tenancy Agreement shall be drawn up and a copy e-mailed to all parties to be read. An appointment will then be arranged with you to visit our offices to sign the hard-copies.
Rent and Deposit – You will be required to provide the agreed sum of rent and deposit before taking possession of the property. The deposit will equal 5 weeks of the rental.
The deposit is required for the full tenancy against loss, damage or charges payable at the termination of the tenancy. The deposit will be held by The Bath Property Shop in their designated clients’ account and is fully bonded. It is returnable at the end of the tenancy subject to final inspection of the property and it should be noted that deductions will also be made for cleaning should the property (and garden areas) not have been left in a satisfactory condition.
Rent is to be paid monthly in advance commencing on the first day of the tenancy and then on the same day each month thereafter.
Inventory and Check-out – Most of our Tenancies undergo a professional inventory. This is predominantly conducted by a local, independent company called “The Inventory Company” although some Landlords use their own Clerks. A professional Inventory benefits both the Tenant and the Landlord and dramatically reduces any issues or confusion at the end of the Tenancy. The purpose of the Inventory is to accurately record the state of the property upon Tenant move-in. This includes cleanliness and any pre-existing damage caused by wear and tear. This is done via detailed documentation (the schedule of condition document) and photographic evidence.
At the end of the Tenancy, a formal check-out appointment is conducted by an Inventory Clerk (the Tenant is advised to be present). After the check-out, a report is drawn up which compares the current state of the property to the original inventory. This ensures that no unfair deductions are proposed against Tenant’s deposit.
Other Points of Interest:
1. The Tenant will be responsible for insuring their own possessions
2. The Tenant will take over all utilities such as Gas, Electricity, Water/Sewage charges, Council Tax upon moving into the property. As part of our service, we will contact the relevant suppliers on the Tenant's behalf, once the Tenancy begins. The suppliers contacted will be the basic utilities and council, any providers for telephone, internet, TV etc. will be the Tenants responsibility.
3. The Landlord is responsible for any repair/maintenance problems to appliances etc. but the Tenant is responsible for any breakages which should be reported immediately.
4. Decoration of the property must only be done with your Landlord’s permission
5. No pets are allowed unless the Landlord has given consent
6. Reasonable notice should be given in the event that the Letting Agent or Landlord wishes to inspect the property outside pre-agreed times. The minimum notice period is 24 hours.
7. Most lets are for 6 or 12 months.
8. Should you wish to quit your Tenancy earlier than the agreed term, you will be liable for all rent until the end of the agreed Tenancy, unless a replacement Tenant is found.
9. There is no set law regarding the time limit for returning deposits but this is normally subsequent to the final inspection of the property. Letting agents generally encourage Landlords to employ a professional inventory agent to conduct the inspection and produce a report as to the condition of the interior at the beginning of the Tenancy and again at the end but this is not obligatory. In most cases, the deposit will be returned once any damages are ascertained by the Tenant/Landlord/Inventory Clerk and appropriate deductions agreed.
10. The most common type of Tenancy Agreement is the assured short hold used for 6-12 month lets and usually takes the form of a standard contract between both parties.
11. The Letting Agents will deal with the property viewings, references, agreements and getting you moved in. If the agent has been instructed to manage the property then you will normally report any repairs or queries to them. If not, then you will deal directly with the Landlord.
12. The Letting Agent, whilst acting for the Landlord, operates within accepted guidelines in the industry to ensure that you are able to rely on a professional letting agent taking your concerns seriously and advising the Landlord if they are being unreasonable. In this regard, you should be assured that the property conforms to all safety regulations and is fairly priced.
13. You require a professional service and, as such, The Bath Property Shop is a member of a recognised body such as ARLA and NALS. This ensures that professional standards are met, for example, the correct Tenancy Agreement is used; proper procedures are in place for reporting and dealing with repairs; safety checks are conducted and a bonding scheme is provide to protect your deposit.