new tenancy - what to look out for

halia

Hi all I have my copy of tenancy agreement ready to sign for move in at the end of the month, but before I sign it I want to check a few things.
a) there has been no mention in either the TA/letter or in any verbal discussion I've had with the EA of an inventory
b) this is important because the outgoing tenants have left a bit of a mess (its unfurnished but badly worn/stained
I'm not too worried about the chipped paint etc as this is a short term rental whilst we have builders in our house, however I don't want to get stung for damages caused by someone else.

I've drafted a letter I was going to send with the tenancy agreement asking about the following things:
inventory
gas safety
viewings (the house is currently on the market for sale)

Now should I push for those things to be sorted out BEFORE I sign the tenancy agreement?

If no inventory / condition check is carried out by the LA/LL can I do my own with photo's? and if any dispute arose how effective would that be?

clutton_2

""Now should I push for those things to be sorted out BEFORE I sign the tenancy agreement?" - yes

yes you can do your own, if the LL does not do one. if you do, sign it, date it, and send a copy to the LL - keep photos

are they going to protect your deposit ?

halia

clutton wrote: »

are they going to protect your deposit ?

Yes but it states that the agent takes all the interest - is this normal?

Planner

halia wrote: »

Yes but it states that the agent takes all the interest - is this normal?

I would include in your letter that you would like the 5p interest to be return to you at the end of the agreement :rotfl:

Pee

How much interest is there going to be anyway?

Def get photos for the inventory, and discuss and agree what is reasonable re: viewings. I would hate to rent a house which was being regularly viewed...

halia

Forgot to say, the tenancy agreement is a bog standard one that the Estate Agent obviuosly churns out. It has lots of sections which arent' relevant to this house and its in convoluted legal language, there's a section which says:

"the landlord has occupied the premises as his only or main home and/or may require the Property as his or her spouse's only or principle home and the Landlord hereby gives notice to the tenant that the possesion of the property may be recovered on Ground 1 in Part 1 of schedule 2 to the housing act 1988."
what exactly does this mean?

Planner

halia wrote: »

Forgot to say, the tenancy agreement is a bog standard one that the Estate Agent obviuosly churns out. It has lots of sections which arent' relevant to this house and its in convoluted legal language, there's a section which says:

"the landlord has occupied the premises as his only or main home and/or may require the Property as his or her spouse's only or principle home and the Landlord hereby gives notice to the tenant that the possesion of the property may be recovered on Ground 1 in Part 1 of schedule 2 to the housing act 1988."
what exactly does this mean?

Standard Clause that has to be in the tenancy agreement on the off chance that the landlord wants to use that particulary reason to evict you under what is known as a s.8 notice under the 1988 Housing Act. Its unlikley to ever be acted upon as there are much quicker ways to get you out after your fixed term has expired.