Tips on getting a rented property in Sheffield?

paintpot

A deposit equivalent to a month's rent is standard.

All the best

paintpot

paintpot wrote: »

A deposit equivalent to a month's rent is standard.

All the best

Sorry, I didn't see your post before. A month's rent in advance and deposit equalling a month's rent is standard. Yes the landlord can put the rent up once they are in but not until they are out of the fixed term period and if it becomes a periodic tenancy then the increase can only be every 12 months. Have a read of the tenancy agreement as this could mention how the landlord proposes to deal with rent increases, some link into inflation etc but it would sound like this landlord will more than likely play it by ear. If everything they have said is true then they sound like they value long term tenants and are not looking to bleed their tenant's dry.

The rent may be cheap because there is an underlying problem but it could also be any of the following: a) the landlord is pricing competitively to avoid void periods, b) there may be a glut of similar properties on the market so see a), c) landlord doesn't have a mortgage to pay so is able to afford a more competive rent.

The tenancy should be an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) for 6/12 months. If I were your daughter I would ask for 6 months, or 12 months with a break clause. It works both ways and if your daugther wants to move out, she is tied into the fixed term. At least six months give her time to test out the property, landlord, area, new job etc.

You could ask for references from a couple of his previous tenants if it would set you mind at ease.

HTH

Lady_K

Thankyou,

The landlord has actually asked for references from them, my daughter starts her job in mid september so cant provide proof of her employment yet but he accepted that, taking her word for it but he does want references from her boyfriends place of employment.

I feel the same about a 6 month tennancy but at the same time it also causes problems as regards them having to start off a new phoneline contract in thier name and broadband agreement, they only run 12 month min contracts. They could manage without a phone really as they both have mobiles but its the internet that they will need and this place has no virgin media cable laid in the street so they have to have a bt line to get adsl. I'm not sure if there is a way around that yet I know mobile bb isnt very reliable and they have been advised against that for everyday use.

What Kind of break clause for the 12 month tennancy?

paintpot

If it's a 12 month contract, lots of landlords will put a break clause in at 6 months so it is very similar to a 6 month tenancy, it just allows the tenant or a landlord to bring the tenancy to and end earlier than 12 months.

I would strongly advise your daughter to stick with 6 months or 12 months with a break clause. If she really wants the phone line (I know nothing really about phone contracts) but if it would not be transferable to a new property (worth asking) it would be better for her to take a hit on paying for the remaining 6 months on a phone contract than potentially have to pay 6 months rent due to things going pear shaped. Things might go well at her new house, then she has nothing to worry about but she could find she has a bad landlord, hates the location, hates her job and wants to move, splits up with boyfriend etc. They probably won't happen, but better to be safe than sorry as everything is so new for her. Her landlord may insist on 6 months anyway as it is a risk also for a landlord to sign a tenant up for longer as if the tenant becomes a nightmare then it is very difficult to evict them whilst they are in a fixed term period.

I am surprised the landlord isn't doing more comprehensive checks. I would at least be asking for proof of your daughter's job offer. Is the landlord conducting any credit checks on your daughter/boyfriend?

tbs624

Lady_K wrote: »

....I don't want them handing over a deposit to someone unless its the right person and everything is legit. It is a private rental place, no estate agents or agencys. How can they protect themselves?

get everything in writing and if they are worried they can take a copy of the tenancy agreement to a CAB or Sheffield law centre to get it checked out.Also see http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/housing-services/housing-aid - Sheffield City Council has a private sector lettings Tenancy Relations Officer who may be able to help with any queries.

Lady_K wrote: »

She said its at the top of a hill as I said be carefull of the flood risk areas there. But even if its the top of a hill if theres bad weather they need to find out if its hard to get in or out of.

Whole areas of Sheffield were not really affected during last year's floods - the news reports may have made it look like the whole city was under water but it wasn't. The key areas that did flood were Atlas/Brightside/Catcliffe etc (up near Meadowhell Shopping Centre) and places like Heeley Bridge, but you could still get around using diversions. Penistone Rd up near the Hillsborough Sheff Weds ground flooded but Walkley should be fine. As someone else has said it's the "snowline" at districts like Stannington and Lodge Moor that can cause you problems with getting about when there is bad weather.

Parts of Walkley have a real community feel to them - lots of old stone terraced houses , and as another poster has said a good mix of different types of people. Also easy access out to Derbyshire & Loxley/Rivelin Valleys, and you can see across to Sheffield Ski Village too

Lady_K

paintpot wrote: »

If it's a 12 month contract, lots of landlords will put a break clause in at 6 months so it is very similar to a 6 month tenancy, it just allows the tenant or a landlord to bring the tenancy to and end earlier than 12 months.

I would strongly advise your daughter to stick with 6 months or 12 months with a break clause. If she really wants the phone line (I know nothing really about phone contracts) but if it would not be transferable to a new property (worth asking) it would be better for her to take a hit on paying for the remaining 6 months on a phone contract than potentially have to pay 6 months rent due to things going pear shaped. Things might go well at her new house, then she has nothing to worry about but she could find she has a bad landlord, hates the location, hates her job and wants to move, splits up with boyfriend etc. They probably won't happen, but better to be safe than sorry as everything is so new for her. Her landlord may insist on 6 months anyway as it is a risk also for a landlord to sign a tenant up for longer as if the tenant becomes a nightmare then it is very difficult to evict them whilst they are in a fixed term period.

I am surprised the landlord isn't doing more comprehensive checks. I would at least be asking for proof of your daughter's job offer. Is the landlord conducting any credit checks on your daughter/boyfriend?

She didn't mention anything about credit checks just that he wanted a reference from her boyfriends place of work. She hasn't actually got written conformation of the job offer yet, they are supposed to be sending that out on 29th August and she is told to expect it the following week. Its a bit complicated but she can't get conformation any other way until that comes although she is guaranteed the job. Maybe she explained that and he was ok with it.

Good point about the phone and internet I didn't think of that, I guess its possible they could transfer the contract to another property if they did have to move on before the 12 months. Overall though I think if she does end up unhappy there which I hope she doesnt and finds she cant transfer the phone/internet its worth paying off the remaining months of the contract than having a 12 month tennancy and being stuck.

She said the landlord is quite old as she put it. I don't know long hes been a landlord or how many properties he has but there are 8 in that building split up into roomy apartment houses. He did stress he wanted everything keeping clean and well looked after. The accom accross the road which is £550 pcm is newly built so thats prob why its more expensive

Lady_K

tbs624 wrote: »

get everything in writing and if they are worried they can take a copy of the tenancy agreement to a CAB or Sheffield law centre to get it checked out.Also see http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/housing-services/housing-aid - Sheffield City Council has a private sector lettings Tenancy Relations Officer who may be able to help with any queries.

Whole areas of Sheffield were not really affected during last year's floods - the news reports may have made it look like the whole city was under water but it wasn't. The key areas that did flood were Atlas/Brightside/Catcliffe etc (up near Meadowhell Shopping Centre) and places like Heeley Bridge, but you could still get around using diversions. Penistone Rd up near the Hillsborough Sheff Weds ground flooded but Walkley should be fine. As someone else has said it's the "snowline" at districts like Stannington and Lodge Moor that can cause you problems with getting about when there is bad weather.

Parts of Walkley have a real community feel to them - lots of old stone terraced houses , and as another poster has said a good mix of different types of people. Also easy access out to Derbyshire & Loxley/Rivelin Valleys, and you can see across to Sheffield Ski Village too

Thankyou,

She did say that the area is a real mixture of residential homes and apartments, flats and alsorts and she liked the atmosphere. Sounds like they should be ok there then as far as weather is concerned.

Should the landlord just give them a copy of the agreement to take away with them before signing it without them having to ask for it? I think it is best that they show someone who understands it like you suggested, cab or the Sheffield law society at least they will know if everythings ok or if they need something changed on it.

Lady_K

Might be a daft question but should there be a stair rail in a rented property?

My daughter said the stairs just go up between 2 walls but there is no stair rail. To me I'd think it was a safety feature. They are going to ask the landlord if he can put one in. I wouldnt be able to get up or down there without a rail I know that and her grandma definitely wouldnt be able to and the loo is upstairs so it makes things a bit difficult if we visit.

I hope he agrees to put one up and not say they can put one up themselves as they don't feel comfortable drilling the walls as its an old building.

Is it reasonable to expect the landlord to put up a stair rail?

Richard_Webster

Might find a stair rail actually prevents getting some furniture upstairs!

My daughter lives in Walkley and confirms it is good to get to from there to the Northern General. She is not sure about the parking but thinks that nurses "eventually" get a space.

tbs624

Following on from the Housing Act 2004, local councils assess housing in their area by using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), as from 6 April 2006. Whilst it doesn’t set out minimum standards it’s about minimizing risk/hazards within rented properties: LLs who want to be accredited or who run HMOs have to have inspections, but the council can also inspect other properties.

See: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/150940.pdf
On p46 under the glorious title of Measures that will lessen the likelihood of hazardous occurrence and reduce harm outcomes -you’ll see that they recommend handrails to either side of a staircase.

Document * K* of the Building Regs "Protection from Falling, Collision and Impact" says that, in "dwellings", stairs less than 1m wide should have a handrail on one side, if the staircase is wider there should be one on either side but different Building Regs will probably have been in force at the time this property was built/refurbished..

Additionally, a LL does owe his/her tenants a duty of care, and his insurers may not be too impressed if a tenant has a fall on the stairs and they discover that there was no handrail.

Regardless of any specific rules/regs, I think any reasonable LL would put in a handrail if a tenant asked them - and the majority would have done it anyway to cover themselves.

Your daughter should may be keep it informal at this stage: sometimes tenants worry about these things and if they just talked to the LL, a compromise/solution can often be reached. The cost would probably be around 25/30 quid - after the initial discussion and, hopefully, agreement to the request, your daughter could get/put it in writing before signing up that the LL will sort a handrail out.