Tenant information & FAQ’s
An extensive choice of properties to tenants, from one bedroom flats to large family houses
From the day you first contact Robson Estates, until the day you collect the keys to your new home, we make every effort to ensure that everything runs as efficiently as possible for our Tenants. We understand that moving can be a stressful time and we are on-hand to provide advice every step of the way. We choose to belong to A.R.LA., N.A.L.S., and The Property Ombudsman to prove to you that we have the ability to protect you and deal with you professionally and effectively. Quite simply, we’ve been doing this for over 20 years, so why would you want to go anywhere else?
We’ve put together some frequently asked questions and answers for Tenants, however, if you can’t find what you need to know here then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
I’ve found a property I like – what next?
The best thing to do is to contact us to check that the property is still fully available and to advise us that you are interested in applying for it. Every tenant aged 18 or over will then need to complete an application form. These are available from the office. This form includes instructions on how to complete it and what to do next. Bring the completed forms and relevant information to prove identity and residence details into the office.
You will be asked to pay an application fee at this time to confirm your interest. All the relevant information regarding this is contained within the application form. We can only accept an application on a property once you have been to view it internally, so if you haven’t done this yet, please contact us and we’ll be happy to arrange this.
If you have a guarantor for your application, they also have an application form to complete and these are also available at our office.
How do I pay my rent?
There are various ways that you can do this…
Standing Order
This is the most usual way to pay your tenants rent each month, directly from your bank into ours. The form to arrange this is available from our office. Once this is completed, please return this to us so that we know to expect the payment directly from your bank. We will then send this form to your bank for them to action your instructions.
By Debit or Credit Card
You can make tenants payment in this way either over the phone or in our office.
There is charge to use a debit card and a credit card of 3% of the amount you wish to pay
By Cheque
Tenants can pay us with a cheque but this must be received at our offices 7 days before the rent is due to allow for the cheque to clear, otherwise your rent could be paid late.
Who holds my deposit?
By law your tenants deposit must be registered with one of the three available schemes to ensure that it is protected during your tenancy and that the way it is dealt with at the end of the tenancy complies with the current legislation. We normally use TDS (The Dispute Service) but your landlord may use one of the others. In any event you should receive written notification within 14 days of paying your deposit, telling you exactly where it has been registered and how the scheme operates.
How long is a tenancy agreement for?
A tenancy agreement is for a minimum of 6 months and usually a maximum of 12 months in one term but they can be extended with everyone’s agreement as many times as required. You will find an indication of the initial term that the landlord is looking to offer on our details for the property.
What happens if something goes wrong at the property?
The most important thing is to contact either us, if we manage the property for your landlord, or your landlord directly if not, as soon as practically possible after discovering any maintenance problem. Arrangements will then be made for a qualified tradesman to attend to the problem.
If it is an extreme emergency ie. a water or gas leak or mains electrical problem, it is very important that you understand how to turn off and isolate these services. The main stopcock for a property is often located in the kitchen, under the sink. This is not always the case so please make sure that you know where yours is located. The gas always has a lever to turn off the gas supply at the meter. The electricity can be turned off at the ‘fuse board’ or ‘consumer unit’. This is often a plastic box with a flap cover or a collection of fuses on a board and is often located in the hallway on the wall near the ceiling or in a cupboard under the stairs. Again, this is not always the case so please ensure you know the location of yours.
Downloads
You can now download the Tenant Application Form and Notice Form here, please click to download as applicable…
IMPORTANT NOTE: When you apply for a tenancy there will be an administration fee to pay. Please ask our branch staff for further details of this fee and the tenancy bond and other fees which may become payable during the lifetime of your tenancy before you book a viewing.
NEW TENANT – what I should do?
CALL 01302 323 343
For more information on our services or enquiries on available properties for rent in Doncaster from Robson Estates