The best way to keep up to date and find the property you want is to Register your details.
If you are looking for something particular, you may prefer to Contact us.
Once you register with us, you’ll be sent newly available properties that match your chosen criteria, meaning you’ll be first to see them.
Alternatively, you can visit our website to view available properties.
You can complete our contact form or call us on 0113 278 8651.
We’ll then arrange a convenient time to meet you at the property. We can arrange evening and weekend viewings.
If you fall in love with a property you’ve just viewed and want to ensure no further viewings are booked, you can reserve the property with a ‘holding deposit’ of £100.
You can reserve the property with a holding fee of £200 per person to take the property off the market whilst the paperwork is completed. This will ensure that no further viewings can be booked, whilst the holding fee is completely refundable against the deposit.
We ask you to complete a simple application form which we will email to you. We will require your personal information and details of your employer and previous landlord. A name, address (or email address) and phone number would be perfect.
We will need a photocopy of your driving licence or passport. If you cannot provide either of these, please contact us.
We realise the a CCJ (County Court Judgement) doesn’t make someone a ‘bad’ tenant. We only ask that CCJs are declared on the application form. This is due to the referencing process as undisclosed CCJs will result in a declined application.
In fact, we much prefer to contact your previous landlord for information on whether you have been a decent tenant; paid your rent on time and left the house in a suitable state. If you have, great. However, if you haven’t got a previous landlord we will have to carry out a bank reference instead.
On some occasions a Guarantor will be required to support your application.
If this is the case, your Guarantor must be in full time employment, a resident in the UK for the last 3 years and be a homeowner.
Once your references come back in order we’ll the complete the paperwork and the Tenancy Agreements.
We’ll contact you to arrange payment of the deposit and formally sign the agreements.
Depending on your timescales and availability of the property we can arrange for you to move in the next day, subject to references and payments of your first month’s rent and deposit if required.
A Tenancy Agreement is a legally binding document which details the obligations and responsibilities of the Tenant and the Landlord.
the majority of our tenancies are Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements (ASTAs) which has been drafted and vetted by our legal representatives and updated regularly to keep up with changes in legislation.
For student properties the Tenancy Agreement will usually be for 12 months, starting and ending on 1st July.
A deposit equal to one month’s rent will be required before you move in. This will be held with a government backed deposit protection account. The deposit provides a level of insurance in the unlikely event that a tenant doesn’t meet their obligations such as maintaining the cleanliness and condition of the property.
In April 2007 the legislation governing the holding of deposits changed. This means all deposits must now be held by a regulated agent, who must be part of the approved or government run deposit scheme.
sbliving are members of the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS) which is a Government approved tenancy deposit protection scheme. Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP), as set out in the Housing Act 2004, requires that all agents/landlords protect their tenants’ deposits under a statutory tenancy deposit scheme within 14 days of receiving a deposit.
The DPS will safeguard that deposit throughout the period of the tenancy and repay the funds to the appropriate parties in accordance with their instructions at the end of the tenancy period. The scheme is supported by a dedicated call centre and an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service.
Pets can sometimes be allowed in our managed properties. In all circumstances the tenant must gain permission in writing from the agent or landlord prior to a pet being introduced to the property.
If the landlord accepts a pet at the property we may charge a deep clean payment to cover cleaning and fumigation at the end of the tenancy.
We strongly recommend contents insurance.
Tenants should review any existing policies when renting a property as some standard insurance products may place restrictions on cover for rented properties.
Rent of an existing tenancy can only be increased once every twelve months. Where an Assured Short Hold Tenancy holds over as a statutory periodic tenancy, a specific prescribed form called a ‘section 13 notice’ will be used to notify tenants of a proposed increase in rent.
sbliving or someone working on our behalf has the right to view the property to assess its condition and to carry out necessary repairs or maintenance at reasonable times of the day. The law states that a landlord or agent must give the tenant at least 24 hours notice of any visits in writing.
The tenant may allow sbliving to enter the property sooner to carry out work or inspection, however we will only do this is if agreed verbally with a tenant that gaining access is acceptable to them. The landlord or agent may gain access to the property in an emergency with no warning.
A landlord, in very general terms, has a legal responsibility to repair the structure and exterior of the property including drains, gutters and external pipes; to keep in working order the installations for the supply of electricity and water and for the installations for the provision of space and water heating.
The landlord also has other legal responsibilities relating to the safety of such items as gas, electricity and furnishings as well as general standard or fitness of the property for habitation.
A tenant has an implied covenant to act in a ‘tenant-like manner’. This means to report disrepair promptly; to take reasonable steps to ensure that neither the tenant nor guest damage the property, its fixtures & fittings, to do the minor day to day things any home occupier would normally do eg replace light bulbs, fit a new battery in the smoke or carbon monoxide detector; to keep the property reasonably warm and aired to help prevent condensation or freezing of pipes; to leave the property secure when absent from it and other areas reasonably tidy and free from rubbish.
Most student properties are available either with bills included or excluded within the quoted rent. You should speak to our lettings staff and request your preferred rent tariff. If not already included we may be able to quote you a rent tariff for your chosen property with water, gas, electric and broadband costs included in an increased rent tariff.
The law around ending a tenancy is relatively straightforward as long as the right timescales and procedures are followed, along with the correct format of notice. It is recommended that you end your agreement properly if you wish to leave. If you don’t you may still be liable to pay rent, even once you’ve moved out. To do this, you have to give written notice to the landlord. You may not be able to end te agreement early if you have signed for a tenancy for a fixed period of time.
If a landlord wishes to gain possession, they must give a minimum of 2 months’ notice in writing to end at the end of the period. If you wish to give notice, you must give a minimum of 1 month’s notice in writing to end at the end of the period.
You have a joint tenancy if you share with a spouse, partner, family member or friend and both/all of your names are on the agreement. The actions of each individual person will affect all of your rights. For instance, if one of you gives notice to the landlord the agreement will normally be automatically ended for all of you. However, this does not apply if you have a fixed term tenancy that has not come to an end. If one of you leaves without giving notice, the whole rent is still due and the other(s) will have to pay the missing person’s share. If one of you has caused damage, the landlord may be entitled to take money out of your shared deposit. If you’re thinking of leaving, be sure to discuss it with the other joint tenant(s) before you take any action. It may be possible for someone else to take your place, and/or for the landlord to give a new agreement to those who are staying.
There are only limited ways in which this can happen; the landlord cannot make the tenants move out, nor can the tenants lawfully walk away from their obligations to fulfil the contract. Either party might request of the other that a formal ‘surrender’ of the tenancy be allowed. It would then be up to the parties to agree the terms and conditions of such a surrender. This might include some financial compensation for inconvenience or costs incurred.
This may be possible if you have no choice but to leave early and want to avoid paying rent on more than one home. However, you have to get the landlord’s agreement for the person you suggest to move in to the property. The landlord may also want to take up references for them and charge you for allowing the change over
Walking away or posting the keys through the letterbox is called ‘abandonment’ and will not end your agreement. Your agreement with the landlord will continue even though you’ve left and the landlord can continue to charge you rent, so you’re likely to build up rent arrears. If your agreement is a fixed term, you can be charge rent until the term ends. If your agreement is periodic, you can be held liable until the agreement could have been ended by giving proper notice. The landlord can apply for a court order to make you pay what you owe. The court will decide whether you should have to pay your landlord the money or not. The landlord may have to show that they tried to find another tenant for the property but hasn’t been able to do so. If the landlord has managed to let out the property they can’t claim rent from you after the new tenant moved in. If the landlord doesn’t make any effort to let out the property the court is likely to reduce the amount of money you will have to pay.
