Tenants

We don’t deal in property, we deal with people

At Coopers, we let and manage a variety of furnished and unfurnished properties throughout Hemel Hempstead, Watford and the surrounding villages in Hertfordshire. As members of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme at the Dispute Service, all security deposits are held in a designated Clients Account and fully bonded.

Our site contains a constantly updated register of rental properties available. In order to receive a regularly updated list of our available rental properties, please register 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 01923 228822.
Please keep in mind that a range of rigorous checks on all prospective tenants will be carried out and we will require 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
Different Letting Agents have different procedures, this guide is intended as a general overview to assist you when renting a property from Coopers. 

YOUR OFFER – Once we have found your suitable property, Coopers will be in a position to make an offer to the Landlord for consideration. Please note that any offer you make would be subject to you fulfilling our reference criteria.
At this point, you will be requested to provide a Holding Deposit equivalent to 1 weeks rent which withdraws the property from the market and holds the property for you. 
You should be aware this deposit is non-refundable if a tenant withdraws from taking the property or, should your references prove unsatisfactory, this holding deposit would be non-refundable.

AGREEING THE LET- As soon as your offer has been accepted by the Landlord, we will apply for references and draw up the relevant documentation which will form the basis of the agreement between you and the Landlord. 

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO EARN TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE PROPERTY?
Having passed all the referencing criteria to be considered for the property you must earn (or the jointly earn if more than one tenant) at least 2.5 times the yearly rent. 

REFERENCES
Occasionally, a GUARANTOR will be required if, for example, the tenant has not been continuously employed for the past 6 months or has been working abroad in the previous 6 months.
Please note that the same criteria applies to the guarantor and, furthermore, the guarantor must earn the equivalent of 3 times the yearly sum of the rent and be in full time employment

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 some one else), for the entire occupancy of the property, not just for the period of the initial tenancy term.

Tenant & (if applicable the Guarantor) will be expected to provide: 

IDENTIFICATION/PROOF OF RESIDENCY
All tenants must show proof of address. Examples of acceptable documentation:
Utility bill (less than 3 months old) 
Full driving licence 
Council tax bill (less than 3 months old) 
Bank statement (less than 3 months old) 

TENANCY AGREEMENT – Once all references have been received. Coopers will draw up an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement and make an appointment with you to visit the Coopers office to sign this Agreement. The Landlord will also be asked to sign their copy of the Agreement.

RENT AND DEPOSIT – You will be required to provide the agreed sum of rent and deposit in cleared funds before taking possession of the property.

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 Coopers in their designated clients’ account. It is returnable in full 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. The preferred method is by bank standing order.

COMPANY LET - Company applications are acceptable where the company will be paying the rent.

CHECK IN AND INVENTORY - If we have been instructed by the Landlord, an Inventory will be prepared of your new home and on some occasions an appointment will be made with the Inventory Clerk to carry out a Check In report to coincide with your move in day, the Landlord will pay for this inventory.

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 & Telephone Line upon moving into the property and will be responsible for checking that the relevant suppliers have been notified accordingly.
3. 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 will be given in the event that Coopers or the Landlord wishes to inspect the property. 
7. Most lets are for 12 months, although some Landlords may consider shorter terms of say 6 months.
8. The new TDS laws have set a time limit of 10 days for returning deposits but this is normally subsequent to the final inspection of the property. Coopers will 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.
9. The most common type of Tenancy Agreement is the Assured Short hold used for 6-12 month lets and takes the form of a standard contract between both parties.
10. Coopers will deal with the property viewings, references, agreements and getting you moved in. If we have been instructed to manage the property by your Landlord then you will report any repairs or queries to us. If not, then you will deal directly with the Landlord.
11. Coopers, 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.