Residents FAQ

Great to hear you want to view one of our properties! You can go onto our property search page and find the property you like. Click on the Book a Viewing button and just select a date and time. You’ll receive a confirmation email and a text on the day to remind you. Cool huh! If we’ve not managed to set up a viewing slot with the current tenants it won’t offer you any viewing days/times so instead you can enter your details and register for updates, or if the times don’t suit you can click “Arrange another time” so we can be in touch. If you prefer good old conversation just give us a call and one of our team would be happy to get you booked in!

First of all, don’t panic. All offers for a rental property will be put to the landlord to make a decision on which offer to proceed with. For an offer we need details on who will be living in the property, your employment details and address history. If you are in a competitive situation for a flat then it can also help to offer slightly more for the monthly rent. This can help make your application stand out for a landlord, all other things being equal.

We recommend prospective tenancies for consideration to our landlords where the applicants can provide three years’ worth of address history and employment details. We would look for applicants to be permanently employed and meet the affordability criteria of their gross monthly income (combined if more than one tenant) meets at least 2.5 times the monthly rent. If this is not the case then the landlord may still proceed but expect to provide a UK based guarantor or pay a larger deposit of up to twice the monthly rent.

No. None, whatsoever.

We normally ask for a security deposit equivalent to 1 month’s rent + £100 unless it is agreed with the landlord to hold a larger amount (to be negotiated at the offer stage). This security deposit will be held by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). Once we have your application and the landlord is happy for us to proceed with referencing you, we request a holding deposit from you (normally the full deposit amount) in order for us to remove the property from the market and commence credit checking and referencing.

Yes, you will be referenced. We require to conduct a credit check and normally request an employer and previous landlord reference (where one or both of these is not possible, if you were a homeowner or are self-employed, we may request references from other parties). We use Lettingref to conduct our credit checks.

Since 2012, tenants’ deposits are no longer held by a letting agent or landlord but in a government approved third party scheme. Any deductions that might be made for cleaning, damages, excessive wear and tear or rent arrears need to be applied for from the scheme so that the tenant has the opportunity to argue their case if they disagree.

An inventory is an essential document which provides a written and photographic record of the property and it’s contents at the beginning of the tenancy. Our inventory contains details in full on all fixtures, fittings and contents of the property and it will be checked after the tenancy expires. You will have 7 days to check, make any comments and sign the inventory after you move into the property.

Since 1^st December 2017 a new Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) was introduced in Scotland to replace the Short Assured Tenancy agreement (and associated AT5) that was most commonly used in residential lettings. In its simplest form, a tenancy agreement is a legal binding contract between the landlord(s) and tenant(s), outlining all of the contractual obligations of both parties. In general, a tenancy agreement should include the following;

• state the start date of the tenancy agreement
• state the amount of rent due and when it should be paid
• tell you if the rent can be increased and how it will be calculated
• say who is responsible for decoration and repairs to the inside and outside of the property
• state if there are any conditions or restrictions to the use of the property

The Scottish Government has produced a model PRT for landlords and agents to use. Some highlights include:

• It contains two types of clauses for repossession – mandatory and discretionary.
• Only one date is needed on the lease – the start date. The legislation does not allow the parties to agree a duration for the lease or an end date.
• The tenancy can be terminated at any point after the start date by the landlord or tenant (see below for more information on notices).
• In addition to the lease, there is a prescribed information document which must be provided to tenants on or before the start of the tenancy.  This replaces the previous Tenant Information Pack.
• The first rent increase can be carried out on the anniversary of the lease and thereafter it cannot be increased more frequently than once a year (3 months’ notice of a rent increase are required)
• A First tier tribunal has been set up to assist with decisions and appeals relating to rented properties

If there is more than one tenant named on the tenancy agreement then those tenants are ‘joint and severally’ liable during the course of a tenancy agreement. This means that all of the tenants (and guarantors!) on the tenancy agreement are jointly responsible for all tenancy liabilities including rent or any breach of tenancy. For example, if one tenant is acting antisocially, all tenants are deemed to be acting antisocially. Similarly, if a tenant does not pay rent then all tenants (and guarantors) either individually or as a group can face debt recovery proceedings. If a tenant wishes to serve notice to end your tenancy you need to have agreement from any joint tenants Edinburgh before doing so.

It is the tenant’s responsibility to set up a standing order to pay the monthly rent. You should set this up in plenty of time before your 2nd month’s rent is due (you will have had to pay your first month’s rent before moving in). You should set your standing order up to pay us a couple of days before your monthly rent due date in order that the rent clears in our account on, or before, the rent due date. If you set up your standing order on the rent due date, your rent could be late every month and you may receive penalty charges.

Your monthly rent payment should be paid in full from one bank account. So, if you’re sharing with some flatmates, please nominate one person to pay us each month and please transfer your portion of rent to them a day or two before this date.
Alternatively you can set up a joint bank account with your flatmates and each pay your rent portion into this account each month then set up a direct debit to pay the full amount from this joint account to us.

Yes! Monthly Rent – Please set up the monthly payment so that it clears by the same date of the month that the tenancy agreement commences (you may need to set up your payment to come out of your account 2-3 days before your rent due to ensure it clears into our account on time). Contents Insurance – You are responsible for the insurance of your own contents and accidental damage to the landlord’s belongings.  It is a requirement of your tenancy agreement that you MUST hold adequate contents insurance for the property. Telephone/Broadband/Television – You are responsible for payment of a TV license if you use a TV in the property.  Umega Lettings has secured preferential rates with Virgin Media for telephone/broadband/television packages and any Umega tenant will receive a ‘welcome’ credit if they open an account with Virgin Media through Umega Lettings.  Please contact our office if you would like further information. Utility Suppliers – You are responsible for informing suppliers ASAP with meter readings (see inventory for readings and suppliers) and your personal details. Council Tax – You are responsible for setting up and closing your council tax account.  Edinburgh council can be contacted at [email protected]. Inventory – We recommend you taking photographs of the condition of your property when you enter.  You should return the inventory, including notes of any defects, to us within 7 days.

If you have a maintenance issue at your property simply go to our Report a Repair page on our website and follow the instructions and guides. Our tenants find they can resolve many maintenance issues quickly following the guides available on our website. If you follow these steps and are still unable to resolve things you can raise a maintenance ticket and your property manager will deal with it within 24 hours or by the next working day.

CONDENSATION IS NOT DAMP! Condensation is created when a property is not ventilated well enough and becomes evident when there is a difference in temperature between inside and outside. It is a tenant’s responsibility to make sure condensation and mould do not build up in a property. Make sure you open your windows and doors to ventilate your property and don’t turn off the extractor fan in internal bath/shower-rooms. If you are concerned that mould in your property may be related to damp, please let us know ASAP and we’ll organise a damp specialist to survey the property to give us their professional opinion.

External maintenance and upkeep is normally the responsibility of the landlord. Similarly, if your property is within a factored development, the landlord will normally cover the cost of communal costs such as stair cleaning / lift servicing / gardening. If your property has its own garden you are responsible for the upkeep of this as long as the landlord has provided you with the necessary tools to do so.

Sorry to see you are thinking of leaving us! The flexibility of renting is great for exploring new opportunities so we hope your next home works out for you. In order to serve your notice it’s important to know what lease type you are on. If you moved in prior to 1^st December 2017 it’s a Short Assured Tenancy (SAT) after that date its most likely to be a Private Rented Tenancy Agreement (PRT). What’s the difference you ask! Plenty I say. But the important bit is that they have different notice periods for you to serve. So the first step to serving notice is check what lease agreement you are on. All that paperwork not making sense or the dog has eaten it – phone us and we will confirm. A summary is provided below on how to serve notice using either tenancy agreement: Serving notice on Short Assured Tenancies (SAT) If you want to leave you must provide 2 months notice from your ish date (the date in which your tenancy started) in writing, notice only can be issued after your initial fixed period ends by either party (refer to your lease for this information) Notice should be provided by all tenants. Tenants can submit notice via email (to your property manager or  at [email protected]), and this must be done by all parties noted on the lease. Serving notice on Private Rented tenancy (PRT) If you want to leave, you must give 28 days’ notice in writing. Notice can be issued by either party at any point after the start date. Notice should be signed by all tenants. Tenants can submit notice via email (to [email protected]), so “signed” by all tenants would follow the same rules as the lease in that a typed signature would be ok, but you should also copy in your co-tenants so it is clear you are all in agreement with the notice being served. The landlord must serve notice on ALL tenants and can only end the tenancy if one of 18 grounds for possession apply. Some of the grounds are labelled “mandatory” and some are “discretionary” – if the ground is mandatory, this means the landlord will be granted possession of the property by the First-Tier Tribunal.  Some of the mandatory grounds include; if the landlord wishes to sell the property, if it is to be sold by the mortgage lender, if the landlord wishes to refurbish the property or if the landlord wishes to live there themselves. Discretionary grounds include if the tenant has breached the tenancy agreement or if the tenant is acting anti-socially. The amount of notice you receive from your landlord will depend on how long the tenancy has been running for, and/or the ground under which the notice is being served. For further information on Private Residential Tenancies, the Scottish Government have produced an “Information for Tenants” guide: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/private-residential-tenancies-tenants-guide/

No way! The deposit is held against the property to cover damage and settle any outstanding amounts at the end of the tenancy. We are not able to touch the deposit until after the tenancy so if you don’t pay your last month’s rent the landlord will be out of pocket and will not be happy….and you will be in breach of your contract.

Yes!

1. Ensure you leave the property in a clean and tidy condition that is suitable for Umega to re-let. If cleaning is required the costs will be deducted from your deposit.
2. The utilities should be paid in full up to your vacating date. It is your responsibility to contact the local Council to update their Council Tax Records.
3. Check the inventory – Please ensure that no items have gone missing or have been damaged during the term of your tenancy. If there is anything missing or damaged which is listed in the inventory this will need to be replaced.  No personal belongings/unwanted items are to be left in the property.
4. On the date that you vacate the property please return all keys to the office. If this is outside office hours please put them in an envelope and drop them through our office letterbox.
5. Please also arrange with the post office for your mail to be redirected.
6. Your deposit cannot be used to pay your last month’s rent. Please arrange for your standing order to be cancelled by your bank following the payment of your last monthly rent due.

When your tenancy is over and you have vacated the property, we will carry out a check out inspection where we assess the condition of the property at the end of your tenancy compared to the start of the tenancy, by using the inventory – you are welcome to attend. If any cleaning or work is required at the property then you will be notified and the necessary work ordered. Once the invoices come back from our contractors then we can notify the Tenancy Deposit Scheme provider of the final balance (if any) to be billed against the deposit held. This process can take a couple of weeks but we do it as quickly as we can.