FAQ
Signing-up for your first house might seem like a scary thing to do, but we will help you make sense of it all…
Most of your queries will be covered in this list of frequently asked questions, but please do not hesitate to contact us if there is something we have missed or if you would simply like more information.
- When do your houses get booked up?
- When can we view your houses in Loughborough?
- What type of tenancy agreement will we be signing?
- How is rent calculated and paid?
- What do we have to pay when we sign-up for one of your houses?
- How do we know we will get our security deposit back?
- What is a rent guarantor agreement?
- What is included in the all-inclusive package?
- Can I access the Internet in my bedroom?
- Is there a TV point in my bedroom?
- Landlords never maintain their houses, do they?
- What about parking?
- Recycling and waste
- DASH Landlord Accreditation Scheme
- National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
- House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
- Agency Houses
When do your houses get booked-up?
It seems to get earlier every year, so our advice is “the early bird catches the worm”. Many students form their household group during the Autumn term and start house hunting straight-away, in preparation for the following academic year. And because our houses are so popular, last year we had enquiries from October / November, and everything had been booked-up before the Christmas holiday.
We are a caring, private student landlord with an unrivalled reputation for quality and service. We have a handful of amazing houses in the Golden Triangle; when they are gone, they are gone!
The sooner you secure your accommodation with us for next year, the better. Later in the year, choice of good quality accommodation can become severely restricted.
When can we view your houses in Loughborough?
We will make an appointment for a no-obligation viewing at any time to suit you, and we will show you around personally. Often the current tenants are happy to show you around themselves, so just knock on the door and ask; this will also give you the opportunity to get some inside information about us, as a landlord, and our houses.
What type of tenancy agreement will we be signing?
We only let our student houses in Loughborough to groups of students who want to fill a whole house; the tenancy agreement is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, as defined in Section 20 of the Housing Act 1988; see sample tenancy agreement (241KB PDF file).
The tenancy runs from 1st July for 52 weeks, and to confirm your reservation for a house you will all be required to sign a joint tenancy agreement.
We have an online e-signing platform for you to submit your application, and sign the tenancy agreement. It is a simple 4-stage process, and you will receive 4 pieces of email:
- Email 1: to begin arranging your tenancy you will be asked to create an account on our system.
- Email 2: once you have created an account, the second email will prompt you to submit your references and provide contacts, photo ID etc.. If a rent guarantee is required, we will also ask for your rent guarantor’s details.
- Email 3: as soon as we have approved your references, we will create the tenancy agreement and all housemates will be asked to view, read, and sign the agreement.
- Email 4: When all housemates have signed, we will send a PDF copy of the signed tenancy agreement to save for your own record.
Job done: you have secured one of our Premier Student Homes!
How is rent calculated and paid?
Rent for the house is specified in the tenancy agreement; it is calculated by multiplying the number of rooms in the house, by the average weekly rent per room, by 52 weeks.
Each tenant is jointly and severally liable for paying rent for the house; the rent becomes due for payment quarterly in advance on 1st July, 1st October, 1st January and 1st April.
Exclusive to Andrew CHELL Premier Student Homes; we offer flexible rent payment plans to sync with student loan dates.
What do we have to pay when we sign-up for one of your houses?
NO HOLDING FEES, NO SIGNING FEES, NO SECURITY DEPOSIT!
When you sign-up for one of our Loughborough Student Houses there is NOTHING to pay until the start of the tenancy.
To confirm your reservation for a house, you will be required to sign a tenancy agreement; and at the start of the tenancy, when you pay your first instalment of rent, there will also be a returnable security deposit of £250 per tenant to pay.
How do we know we will get our security deposit back?
At the start of the tenancy, there will be a returnable security deposit of £250 per tenant to pay.
We are a professional landlord, and we hold deposits in a properly designated client account. The deposit will also be registered in a Government-authorised tenancy deposit protection schemes; we are members of my|deposits insurance-based scheme, operated by Tenancy Deposit Solutions Ltd.. You will be provided with details of the scheme and a copy of the deposit protection certificate. See www.mydeposits.co.uk for more information.
Check-in: at the start of the tenancy you will be invited to attend a check-in process, where you will be provided with an inventory and schedule of condition relating to the property; the inventory is a record of the condition of the property and the fixtures, fittings, furnishings and effects.
Check-out: at the end of the tenancy you will be invited to attend a check-out process, which will comprise a full inspection of the property. Any items missing, damaged or otherwise in a different state to their condition at the check-in will be recorded.
Deposit return: if there are any deficiencies or defects discovered at the check-out, we will account for the cost of any agreed remedial action. Otherwise, subject to their being no deficiencies or defects, your deposit shall be returned in full within 10 working days of the end-of-tenancy accounts having been agreed.
What is a rent guarantor agreement?
Our rent guarantor agreement is a binding legal contract where the guarantor’s liability is limited to the tenant’s individual share of the rent; see sample guarantor agreement (132KB PDF file)
During the process of submitting your tenancy application, if a rent guarantee is required, we will also ask for your rent guarantor’s details. Your guarantor can be any UK-based resident over the age of 18, and will usually be a parent, guardian, relative, or family friend.
We have an online e-signing platform, and your guarantor will receive email to ask them to view, read, and sign the guarantor agreement.
What is included in the all-inclusive package?
NO BILLS TO PAY!
Our all-inclusive package for students is the best in Loughborough; it’s a budgeted allowance scheme that is added to the rent to cover the cost of Water Rates and TV Licence along with all the bills for electricity & gas supplies and superfast Virgin Media internet [up to 500Mbs] + HD Cable TV.
For more information, go to the all-inclusive package page.
Can I access the Internet in my bedroom?
YES: every bedroom has a hard-wired Ethernet port, with a local area network connected to superfast Virgin Media internet [up to 500Mbs]. All you need to do is decide what Virgin Media package you require.
Wi-Fi UPGRADE: every house has a dedicated commercial grade Wi-Fi network for GUARANTEED superfast Wi-Fi signal in every bedroom!
Whether your connection is hard-wired or Wi-Fi, superfast Virgin Media internet [up to 500Mbs] allows multiple devices to be online simultaneously with no loss of speed.
Virgin Media package: the cost of superfast Virgin Media internet [up to 500Mbs] is covered by your all-inclusive package.
Is there a TV point in my bedroom?
YES: all our houses have a digital TV aerial and a state-of-the-art TV distribution system; every bedroom has a TV point with a high-quality digital TV signal for crystal clear reception.
TV Licence: the cost of a TV Licence is covered by your all-inclusive package.
Landlords never maintain their houses, do they?
We care passionately about the standard of accommodation and level of service we provide. And of course - as the owner of the house - nobody could be more interested in making sure you are happy tenants and that your house is in tip-top condition. All we ask is that you to let us know straight away if there is something that is not as it should be. We deal with all maintenance problems promptly and always arrange a suitable time and date with you in advance to carry out the work.
Just have a look around any of our student houses in Loughborough, ask the current tenants what they think, and make up your own mind.
What about parking?
Leicestershire County Council is responsible for the administration of Residents' Parking Schemes in Charnwood Borough. The schemes are designed to help residents park close to their homes, while deterring vehicles from outside the area from parking and causing congestion. These schemes do not reserve places exclusively for each permit holder, but permit holders can park in any of the streets within their designated scheme area (zone) in the resident parking bays provided.
Residents are guaranteed one permit per property at a cost of £50 - valid for 12 months - additional permits, and visitor parking permits can be applied for and are issued subject to availability.
For further details of where the Residents' Parking schemes are, how they operate and how to apply for a permit please go to the Parking Permits page on the Leicestershire County Council website.
Or contact Residents' Parking office at Leicestershire County Council as follows:
Phone: 0116 305 5442
Email: [email protected]
Post: Residents' Parking, PO Box 9854, Leicester LE3 7BX
Recycling and waste
Charnwood has an alternate weekly collection for recycling [green wheelie bin] and waste [black wheelie bin]. You can find out when your recycling and waste collection days are by going to www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/recycling and entering your address or postcode.
You can find out more about recycling by going to www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/recycling
DASH Landlord Accreditation Scheme
We are a DASH Accredited Landlord. DASH accredits the landlord rather than the property, but DASH staff carry out random property inspections to ensure that properties registered with the scheme meet the required standards, and that they offer a satisfactory level of health and safety. At least 10% of properties are inspected when a landlord initially joins the scheme, though this figure can be far higher in some cases. Properties are then randomly sampled on an on-going basis to ensure that compliance is being maintained. DASH will also randomly sample tenants, usually through postal questionnaires, to establish whether their landlord continues to comply with the scheme's Code of Management.
If you select a DASH landlord, you take the risk out of choosing your property. Landlords that have come forward to join the scheme have done so on an entirely voluntary basis. They have joined the scheme because they believe they are the best in the business and can be relied upon to make your experience as a tenant as enjoyable as possible. See DASH website www.dashservices.org.uk for more information.
National Residential Landlords Association (NLA)
We are members of the NRLA [formerly NLA] which is the leading independent national organisation for private residential landlords. The private rented sector is now governed by over 50 Acts of Parliament. With this increasingly heavy regulatory burden, it is now more important than ever that landlords understand their legal responsibilities. As a member of the NRLA, we receive the latest analysis and guidance on all landlord-related issues. See NRLA website www.nrla.org.uk for more information.
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
The Housing Act 2004 defines an HMO as being any dwelling which is occupied by three or more unrelated persons. Shared student houses fall into this category, and standards for amenities, room sizes and management apply.
Larger HMOs - defined as being those dwellings that are occupied by five or more unrelated persons - must be licensed by the local authority.
We hold valid HMO licenses for all houses that require them, and we are fully compliant with the Housing Act 2004.
Agency Houses
Andrew CHELL Premier Student Homes is Loughborough’s leading provider of high-quality private-sector student accommodation. To support this ethos, we are delighted to endorse agency house listings. Whilst the agency houses are not owned by Andrew CHELL, please be assured there are three things that will never be compromised: quality of location, quality of accommodation and quality of service.
The agency houses are owned by a handful of highly regarded professional student landlords and represent a selection of the very best private-sector student houses on offer in Loughborough.
For agency houses that are managed by the owner-landlord, Andrew CHELL Premier Student Homes acts only for the owner-landlord as a tenant finder and contract facilitator; the tenancy agreement will be drafted in the owner-landlord’s name and during the tenancy you will deal directly with the owner-landlord about any management or maintenance issues relating to the property. However, if you have any queries before, during, or after the tenancy, Andrew CHELL Premier Student Homes will be more than happy to help at any time.
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