Advice House Hunting Guide

The House Hunting Guide

Contents

Useful Contacts Students’ Union Advice Centre

0121 331 6801

When to Look

02

Where to Live

02

Who to Live With

02

Where to Look

03

What to Look For

05

Costs

06

Deposits

07

Legal Standards

08

www.birmingham.gov.uk/housing.bcc

When You Move In

09

Gas Safety Action Line

Checklist

10

www.birminghamcitysu.com/advice Birmingham City University Accommodation Services

0121 331 5191/2

www.bcu.ac.uk/accommodation Shelterline

0808 800 444

www.shelter.org.uk West Midlands Housing Aid Centre

0121 236 6668

Birmingham City Council

0121 303 5341



0800 300 363

www.hse.gov.uk/gas/index.htm Transco

0800 111 999

www.transco.uk.com TV Licensing Enquiries

08705 763 763

www.tv-l.co.uk

Introduction... The Students’ Union Advice Centre, with assistance from Birmingham City University Accommodation Services, has produced this guide to make house hunting as hasslefree as possible, and also to outline some things that you need to look out for.

When to Look It’s best to start looking in the second or third term to allow yourself plenty of time to find somewhere you like. There are many more houses than there are students so remember you are the customer and can walk away from a bad deal. There are plenty of houses available so don’t think you need to take the first house you look at. Give yourself plenty of time to look around but be realistic – you might not find the ‘perfect’ house so consider what you can afford (remember there may be extra costs such as deposits and bills) and keep your options open. NEVER take a house without viewing it first and get your contract checked out at the Advice Centre before you sign to avoid problems later! If you are offered a good deal by a prospective landlord, get it in writing to save any misunderstanding later. This is particularly important if a landlord is promising that repairs or improvements will be done before you move in.

Where to Live Student housing is spread all over Birmingham so there’s plenty of opportunity to decide which area suits you the best. Many students like to live as close to the City Centre as possible, with Edgbaston proving very popular. You might prefer to live closer to your place of study and travel costs might also be a factor. For information on local crime rates in an area see www.myneighbourhood.info. Popular student areas include Aston, Perry Barr, Erdington and Selly Oak. Detailed area guides are available at: http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/students/neighbourhoodwatch/

Citizens Advice

0121 248 4950

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

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Looking for accommodation can seem daunting but don’t panic! Be realistic about what you’re looking for and take your time to do some research. Use this guide for ideas on when and where to look for accommodation, what you can expect and the legal issues involved. If in any doubt, contact the Advice Centre.

Who to Live With Before looking for accommodation, you need to decide who you want to live with… or if you want to live on your own. The most common type of student accommodation is for groups of between three and five tenants (although sometimes more). They say you only truly know someone when you live with them: so think about people’s habits, hobbies and personality before you move in together. 02

Where to Look Word of mouth This is perhaps the best way to find somewhere that you will be happy with. Ask friends about vacancies for next year and if they have had any problems with the property or landlord. To see what other students have said about landlords or agents contact the Advice Centre and ask to see our housing feedback folder.

Accommodation Services As well as dealing with applications for halls of residence, Accommodation Services also have a list of private rented property. They are based in Howes Building at Perry Barr and can be contacted on 0121 331 5191/2. The list is also available on-line at: www.studentpad.co.uk/bcu. All landlords of properties on the list have to comply with a Code of Conduct which covers problem areas such as repairs and safety. Contact Accommodation Services, the Advice Centre or the housing advice section on the Union website (www.birminghamcitysu.com/ advice) for a copy of the Code. If you have problems with your landlord and he or she has breached the Code, the Advice Centre can help you make a complaint.

The Advice Centre ‘RoomsforRent’ Service This service enables students to advertise vacant rooms or advertise that they are looking for a room. It can prove especially useful to individual students looking to share with other 03

students. For details of vacancies or how to advertise, ask at any Union office or contact the Advice Centre on 331 6801 or online at www.birminghamcitysu.com/roomsforrent.

Agencies These vary a great deal in quality so it is worth checking to make the agency is part of a recognised body such as the Association of Residential Letting Agents (www.arla.co.uk). They will normally charge for their service, for example for drawing up tenancy agreements or reading the meter. The landlord, as part of the letting and management service, may pay some of these, but they could also be passed onto the tenant in the form of higher rent. The Accommodation Agencies Act (1953) makes it illegal for letting agencies to charge you a fee for simply registering with them. They also cannot charge you for providing you with a list of addresses. If you are charged wrongly then you should report the agency to the Council. Ask the agency what charges it makes before accepting accommodation (i.e. administration costs) and compare such charges with other agencies. If you have any doubts get help from the Advice Centre.

Shop windows/ Notice boards The smaller shops near to each campus often display postcards with adverts for rooms and houses. Keep an eye on notice boards at your campus especially towards the end of the summer term and during the summer vacation when groups are trying to find extra people to fill houses.

Newspapers

Door Knocking

You can find accommodation adverts in the Birmingham Mail (daily but best on Thursday), and the Bargain Pages (Tuesday and Friday). Also check the local free papers. Be wary when using notices and newspapers, as it is difficult for properties advertised in these ways to be properly regulated in terms of gas safety, etc. The areas to look out for are covered later in this guide.

Internet There are a variety of websites that allow students to advertise their spare rooms or look for potential housemates. Many letting agencies and landlords also advertise on the internet. Make sure you view the accommodation thoroughly and know how to contact the landlord or agent before you sign anything. Useful websites include: www.torent.co.uk www.accommodationforstudents.com www.gumtree.com www.rightmove.co.uk http://uk.easyroommate.com

The Advice Centre does not recommend door knocking as a way to find a property! However, if you do end up door knocking, remember to be safe! Some helpful tips to bear in mind if you do end up knocking on doors are: •

Never go alone!

•

Never go at night, apart from safety issues, you will also see a lot more problems with a house in daylight!

•

Remember that not all houses are occupied by students, only knock on the door if you are sure it is a student house!

•

Avoid exam times: as students will be too busy studying to show you their home.

Short Term Accommodation The tourist office may be able to help with bed and breakfast accommodation (see www.birmingham.org.uk) and you can also try the YMCA who have three centres with accommodation in Birmingham (see www. ymca.org.uk). 04

What to Look For If you’re landlord agrees to carry out repairs or make improvements before you move in make sure you get this in writing with a date it will be done by. When you agree to rent a property, you are creating a contract between yourself and the landlord, whether or not you sign a written agreement. You will have certain statutory rights as a tenant that nothing in your agreement can take away. If you are given a written contract, make sure you read this carefully and have it checked at the Advice Centre if there is anything you are unsure about. Even if you don’t receive a written contract you are legally entitled to a written statement of terms, detailing the basics of the tenancy. It is a good idea to ask for one of these if you are not given one, so that you know what your obligations are. It is important to get the actual landlord’s name and address as well as the agency details. The main types of tenancy agreement are explained below:

Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) All new tenancies are automatically ASTs, unless the parties agree otherwise. You are advised not to sign any agreement that does not cover the minimum period you expect to be in the property, as this 05

Costs type of tenancy allows the landlord to evict you at the end of the period specified in the tenancy, as long as s/he has given you two months notice. This is regardless of whether you have kept the terms of your contract. You will have security of tenure for the period agreed in your contract but it is extremely difficult to get out of an AST within the fixedterm unless you get the agreement of the landlord or can find a replacement tenant.

Excluded Lettings (Resident Landlord/Lodgings) If the landlord lives in the property and shares the facilities with the tenant then this tenancy is excluded from the protection given to other types of tenancy, and the tenant has NO security of tenure. The landlord only has to give ‘reasonable’ notice to quit, usually determined by how frequently rent is paid. The landlord does not need a court order.

Joint or individual? If you will be sharing accommodation with other tenants you may have individual (each person signs a separate contract) or joint (all tenants sign on the same document) contracts. If you have a joint contract you will be considered jointly and individually liable for rent and any damage to the property. For these reasons it’s important to be sure about who you want to live with and make sure all tenants know what they are signing up to.

It’s important to find out what costs may be involved in the tenancy. It’s likely you will be paying the utility (and possibly water) bills so find out how much these are likely to be. Before you hand over any money, check what you are being asked to pay and make sure you get a receipt, which you should keep in a safe place. If you are responsible for the gas or electric bills for your property always make sure you take the meter readings at the start of your tenancy, otherwise you may find yourself paying the previous tenants’ bills!

Rent Generally it’s cheaper to rent as a group in a shared house. Rents are set by owners who take into account ‘market forces’. In theory, the better the quality of the property and the better the location of the house, then the higher the rent should be. But this is complicated by the fact that there are always some bargains and there are always some houses which are overpriced. It’s also worth remembering that if you’re paying rent monthly this is slightly more than four weeks’ rent. For example, a weekly rent level of £42.00 will cost you £42.00 x 52 (the number of weeks in the year) which equals £2184. Divided by 12 (the number of months in the year), the monthly level works out at £182.00 (not £42.00 x 4 = £168.00).

to cancel should you leave the property. A standing order from your bank is much easier to control and cancel if necessary.

Premiums and Retainers A premium (also called key money) is a nonreturnable lump sum paid to a landlord to secure a property. Not many landlords ask for a premium, but it is not illegal to do so and there are no restrictions on the amount a landlord can request. If your landlord requires a premium think very carefully whether you should pay it given that they are not often required. A retainer is a non-returnable sum of money paid in lieu of rent in order to reserve a property while you are not living there (usually to cover the summer vacation). Again, get a receipt for this. If you pay a retainer that is less than the full rent, your access to the property and right to occupy will probably be restricted. Not all landlords charge retainers, so shop around.

Landlords ask for payment in various ways: by monthly cheques, standing order, or postdated cheques. Ask for receipts and/or pay by cheque in order to have proof of payment. We do not recommend that you give postdated cheques, as these may prove difficult 06

Deposits A landlord will usually ask for a deposit to safeguard against damage caused to property or contents. Amounts vary and there is no legal maximum but if it looks too high, e.g. over 2 months rent, try somewhere else. This is a returnable sum and a receipt should be obtained. If at the end of the tenancy there has been no damage beyond reasonable ‘wear and tear’ and no bills remain outstanding, then the deposit should be returned in full.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme Since 6th April 2007 all deposits taken by landlords in relation to assured shorthold tenancies (AST) have to be covered by a Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme. This law was introduced to ensure that when a tenant pays a deposit, he or she is entitled to get all or part of it back. There are two types of scheme: a custodial scheme and insurance-based scheme. Your landlord will have the option to choose which scheme they use. A landlord will have 14 days to safeguard a deposit from the day he receives it and will have to provide you with information about the scheme safeguarding the deposit within this time. In both schemes you will pay the deposit directly to your landlord. If using one of the insurance based schemes your landlord will keep the deposit but pay a premium to an insurer. At the end of the tenancy, if you and your landlord agree how the deposit should be divided, the landlord returns all or some of the deposit. If using the custodial scheme your landlord will pay the deposit into the custodial scheme. At the end of the tenancy, if the landlord and tenant agree 07

Legal Legal Standards Standards how the deposit should be allocated, they will tell the scheme, which will pay out the money as agreed. If you think your landlord has failed to protect your deposit you can apply for a court order requiring the deposit to be safeguarded or to get the information about the scheme in which the deposit is safeguarded. If the court believes that the landlord has failed to comply with these requirements, or the deposit is not being held in an authorised scheme, the court will order your landlord to return or protect your deposit and must also order the landlord to pay to the tenant a fine of three times the deposit amount within 14 days of the order.

To avoid disputes over the return of your deposit: • Agree with the landlord in writing BEFORE signing the agreement exactly what the deposit will cover. • Obtain a receipt for the deposit. • Insist that the landlord agrees an inventory with you before you move in. • Take photos as evidence of the condition of the property when you move in and out. • Before asking for your deposit back at the end of the Letting ensure that you replace any broken or missing contents, repair any damage and clean up. Your landlord may legitimately spend part of your deposit on professional cleaning services if the property is left dirty and untidy. • At the end of the letting your landlord will inspect the property. Be there! Check each item against the inventory and agree a date for the return of the deposit. Always get receipts for money you pay and keep them safe.

All tenants have a legal right to live in safe All tenants have a legal right to live in and healthy housing conditions. This section safe and healthy housing conditions. This looks at the standards and facilities to which section looks at the standards and facilities you are entitled. It is always best to hear the to which you are entitled. It is always best comments of existing tenants if possible, to hear the comments of existing tenants if rather than those of the landlord or agency. possible, rather than those of the landlord or agency.

Houses in Multiple Occupation If the house you are looking at has 3 storeys and above and has 5 or more tenants, the landlord may be legally required to have a mandatory licence that ensures appropriate health and safety standards are met on the property. It is a criminal offence for a landlord not to register a licensable property and they face a fine of up to £20,000. If you suspect a property requires a licence but the landlord does not produce one, don’t sign up to it and contact the Council on 0121 303 4009 or the Advice Centre on 0121 331 6801. You can also check for yourself at www.birmingham.gov. uk/housing.bcc

Gas Safety Carbon monoxide kills between thirty and forty people in their homes every year. Preventing these deaths requires the regular servicing of gas appliances and the maintenance of sufficient ventilation to the rooms containing them. Landlords are required by law to have both appliances and flues inspected every twelve months by a CORGI registered installer. They are also obliged to give tenants a copy of the gas certificate both when they move in and when

the certificate is renewed. If it is not inspected every year, contact the Advice Centre or ring the Health and Safety Executive’s Gas Safety Advice Line on 0800 300 363. If an appliance malfunctions (e.g. it soots up, the flame turns yellow or if after using it you experience symptoms including headache, chest pains, sickness or dizziness) stop using it straight away and seek medical advice. Do not use the appliance again until it has been checked. Never block up airbricks or window vents in rooms containing gas appliances. In the case of a suspected gas leak, turn off the supply, open the windows and call Transco’s 24 emergency line on 0800 111 999 immediately!

Electrical Safety This is not regulated in the same way as gas but landlords are under a duty to maintain electrical sockets and wiring. Signs that everything is not well include sparks coming from switches, frayed insulation and plugs which heat up. Never overload circuits using adapters.

Fire Safety Proper means of escape must be provided. This does not necessarily mean external fire escapes, but unblocked exits, fire doors and fire protected stairways. If your house looks as if it should have better fire safety, you may want to bring it to the attention of the local council who can check it out (ring 303 5341). A working smoke detector on each floor of the accommodation is recommended. > 08

Furniture If you don’t have this, contact your landlord. Check regularly that all your smoke detectors are working properly. Your chances of surviving a fire are three times greater if an alarm is fitted and working.

All upholstered furniture, whether new or second-hand, supplied in the course of letting any accommodation to a tenant has to comply with fire safety standards. Both coverings and fillings should pass ignition resistance tests. If in doubt, check any labels and be suspicious of any obviously old items. For further advice, contact the Trading Standards Department of the Council on 0800 413 381.

When You Move In... Find out which companies supply gas and electricity. If you’re not sure who your suppliers are you can contact Transco (gas) on 0870 608 1524 or MPAS (electricity) on 0845 603 0618. Make a note of the meter readings. Let the utility companies have the names of ALL tenants. Read the meters every three months so you don’t go into arrears. Make sure you know where the water stopcock, mains electricity switch, fuse box and gas isolator valve are in case of emergency. Make sure the telephone company has your moving in date and all the tenants’ names. Check with www. uswitch.com to check that you are getting the best deal for your utilities. Your landlord may give you a copy of the property’s inventory – this is a list of everything that is in the property when you start the tenancy. This may be used to check the property’s condition at the end of the tenancy so make sure you read it carefully and make a note of any items that are missing or damaged so that you cannot be held responsible for them later. If the landlord does not give you an inventory,

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write it yourself and ask an independent (like a friend) witness to sign it. Taking photos of the property may also be helpful. Don’t get caught without a television licence, you risk paying a fine of up to £1000. Council Tax is usually non-payable as long as all the tenants are full-time students and occupy the property as their main or only residence. If you are unsure, contact the Advice Centre. Exemption certificates are available from faculty offices. Possessions insurance is a good idea as parents’ policies don’t always cover student accommodation. Premiums vary from area to area so check first and shop around for the best deal. Certain students can still claim Housing Benefit e.g. single parents and students with disabilities. For more information contact the Advice Centre.

Checklist When looking at accommodation try to avoid visiting a property alone – take a friend for safety and to notice anything you might miss. Visit the property during the day and in the evening to check how safe the area is. Use this checklist, it has been designed to answer the essential questions before signing a contract.

The Essential Questions Location Convenient for campus? Bus stop/train station nearby? Local shops, pubs, laundrette, etc.? Does it feel safe. Contract Is there a tenancy agreement? Do you understand it? Do you get a copy? Fixed term? How long?....................... Can you leave before the end? Is it joint or individual?......................... Money How much is the rent?........................ How and when is it payable? (monthly, weekly, termly)…...................……...… What is included in the rent? ........................................................... Are rent books or receipts available? Retainer payable? How much?........... How much is the deposit?.................. Is there an inventory? Which deposit protection scheme is your landlord using?................................... Will you be paying the water charges? Are local insurance premiums affordable? Safety Is it a HMO? Has your landlord got a HMO licence? Is there a CORGI gas safety certificate?

When does it expire?.......................... Have you checked gas appliances for sooting and discolouration? Are there working fire detectors? Is there adequate fire safety equipment (fire blankets etc)? Are there clear escape routes? Wiring checked in the last 5 years? Do doors and windows have good locks? Does your room have its own lock? Who will have a key?................................... Have previous tenants returned keys? Furniture Enough space for you and belongings? Is there sufficient furniture? Is there an inventory of all furniture and fittings? Is their relative state of repair listed? Are all soft furnishings fire resistant? Heating & Plumbing Heating adequate and in good repair? Is there enough ventilation (do windows open properly)? Does all plumbing work, e.g. toilet flush? Are there any signs of leaks or damp? Repairs Do any repairs need doing?..................... Will these be done before moving in? Have you got this in writing? Is the property clean and decorated? What are your responsible for? (e.g. gardening) Does all kitchen equipment work? Landlord Do you have a record of their name, address and phone number? Problems relating to renting? Call the Advice Centre on 331 6801. 10

More Publications from the Advice Centre...

The Advice Centre

The Money Guide

International Students Guide

Rooms for Rent

Nursing Students Guide

BIRMINGHAM CITY CITY NORTH, GOSTA GREEN, EDGBASTON CAMPUS, MARGARET STREET, BOURNVILLE, MILLENNIUM POINT, CONSERVATOIRE, VITTORIA STREET

The Advice Centre Birmingham City Students’ Union, The Union Building, City North Campus, Birmingham B42 2SU www.birminghamcitysu.com/advice [email protected] Tel: 0121 331 6801 The House Hunting Guide is produced by The Advice Centre, Birmingham City Students’ Union. While every effort was made to ensure that the information in this guide was correct at time of publication, no liability can be accepted for omissions or inaccuracies.