FAQs

By signing a tenancy agreement, you have agreed to abide by all the terms contained within it. The most common duties you must perform as a tenant are to pay your rent on time, pay household bills on time, report any damages you notice and maintain the cleanliness of the property. You are responsible for mowing the grass and keeping the garden tidy.
Check Your Finances. Before you start house hunting, work out how much you can afford each month. The average monthly cost of rent is 35% of your regular wage remember to budget for amenities like gas, electricity and water, phone and internet connections, TV licence, council tax (if you’re not a student).
Remember to put enough aside for food, household items and any other regular outgoings. You may also need to pay a deposit, this is usually one months' rent, although it could be up to five weeks rent depending on your circumstances and whether you have permitted pets, and will be held until the end of the tenancy.
At DB Roberts we can also put you in touch with someone to help with Lifestyle protection, as the need to protect your income in the case of critical Illness is essential in helping you to continue to afford your rent.

If you feel there is a problem that needs fixing - an integrated appliance such as cooker, fridge etc - or general repair work that is needed on a property that we manage, you should contact us immediately. We will inform your landlord and if necessary, call upon one of the reputable tradesmen on our database of contractors. You should be aware that if you cause damage to the property or its contents or decoration you will usually be required to pay the cost of repairing it.

Should your landlord wish to increase the rent that you pay, they must enter into a period of negotiations with you; we will be happy to mediate should this arise to help achieve a satisfactory outcome for both parties. Your rent cannot be increased during the fixed term of an assured short hold tenancy.

A period of notice will be set out in your tenancy agreement and you must serve this when you intend to leave. Providing this is followed, it is easy to move out of a property, as long as you adhere to the timescales and procedures that are in place. You should tell us as soon as you have decided to move out and we will advise you on your next steps. You cannot stop paying rent until the end of the tenancy period.

You need the landlord's consent before you redecorate. Please contact the Property Management department and we will speak to the landlord. You can call us on 01743 284973 or email us.

Your landlord and DB Roberts as managing agent must give you sufficient notice if they wish to enter the property, except in the case of an emergency such as a burst pipe.

Once the end date of the initial fixed term of the tenancy agreement has been reached, it is often possible to renew it so you can continue living at the property. As the term comes into its final months, please contact us to discuss and we can advise you on your landlord's willingness to extend your tenancy agreement.

Once you have moved out of the property we will conduct a check-out service and examine the Schedule of Condition; we will report the results to both you and the landlord. Your deposit will then be returned in accordance with the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme, less any deductions should they be warranted.