What All Tenants Should Know About Renting

What is a guarantor?

A guarantor is needed for all student properties. If you cannot provide one then you may be asked to pay advanced rent and provide alternative references. The guarantor is usually one of your parents and they must sign a deed agreeing that if you do not pay your rent, they will pay it. As you will sign a joint tenancy agreement, the guarantor agreement is also joint and covers all tenants but each tenant must provide their own guarantor.

Download a guarantor form here.

What is a credit reference?

For groups smaller than three people and for professional tenants, Walton Robinson conduct a credit check on behalf of the landlord. You fill in your bank details which we send to your bank and await their response as to how reliable you are likely to be in being able to meet the commitment of the monthly rent payments.

How does the deposit work?

The deposit totals the equivalent of a months rent. You pay a £100 holding deposit to secure the property and the balance of the deposit is then paid when you come to sign the tenancy agreement. The deposit is held until the end of the tenancy and returned after this subject to a check out inspection and dependent on any damage caused. 

Are rents negotiable?

Sometimes, yes! We encourage you to make an offer which we can put to the landlord and many are flexible on rent for the right tenants.

What happens if I need to move out early?

If for any reason you wish to move out before the end of the tenancy, you will still be liable for the rent until a replacement tenant is found but we can help you advertise your room. If you wish to back out of a tenancy before it starts then you will not get your administration fee back, you may get your £100 holding deposit back but this is the landlord's decision.

Can we change the furniture?

As with the rent, landlords are often willing to be flexible on any requests tenants have such as extra storage space, small re-decorations or replacement of furniture. There's no harm in asking! 

What happens if I lock myself out or lose my keys?

You can come into the office, leave us a £30 deposit and take one of our copies until a new one is cut. Then you will receive the deposit back minus the cost of key cutting. 

What happens if there's an emergency and the office is closed?

If a pipe has burst or there is any other emergency, you can call our emergency out of hours numbers; 07949102695 or 07843282341.

Any other questions? Email enquiries@waltonrobinson.com or give us a call on 0191 243 1000.