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Being a good tenant will give you the peace and order you need and want in your home. Clifford Sinclair Limited has over 20 years experience in letting student accommodation around the University of Reading.
These are some suggestions for good tenant practices...
Pay your rent.
The lifeline to your rented home is your rent, so always pay it on time and in full. Failure to pay rent for two months could get you into trouble, and this would possibly mean eviction and lowering your chances of getting help from the local council, or other authorities. In extreme cases when you cannot pay the rent, let your landlord know immediately and find out if you can negotiate for a due date extension.
Talk to your landlord.
If there's an issue in the house, inform your landlord.
If you have damaged something in the house, inform your landlord.
If you're having problems with paying rent, inform your landlord.
If you're leaving the house for a few days/weeks, inform your landlord,they will check the house in your absence.
Have a good and honest talk with your landlord and let them know what situation you are in, especially if you are in need of help. Your landlord is human and it may surprise you that they may well be able to advise you and be considerate of your house problems.
Be responsible.
It is your responsibility to report to your landlord any issues or repair problems. If left unreported, small issues will escalate and you may get billed for repairs that would have otherwise been the landlord's responsibility but, because of neglect there is larger damage which your negligence has caused.
It is also your responsibility to inform your landlord if you are going away for a few days or weeks.
It is your responsibility to take good care of the property. Treat it as your own, with due care and respect.
Understand the need for access.
Reporting issues to your landlord and house maintenance repairs.
Make a mutually agreed appointment for the visit of any maintenance staff, and respect their availability to do the needed repairs, safety checks and inspections. It would be helpful to note that they will request your co-operation in giving them access, so that these can be done in a timely manner. They are not going to be able to chase you numerous times for an appointment.
Take good care of your home.
Taking care of your home simply means that all common parts are clean and uncluttered, with each personal room of the house in good order and well ventilated.
This is your responsibility. You will need to replace broken light bulbs, ventilate the property well, test the fire alarms, maintain good hygiene, bleed the radiators, and keep a general eye on the house as a whole. The things you do to take care of your own home are much the same as the things you need to do in your rented home. Be careful when putting up decorations. Anything that leaves a permanent mark on the property will be an issue when you leave the property at the end of your term.
Respect your tenancy agreement.
Please read and understand your agreement before signing it. If there is anything that you do not understand, ask for an explanation. Try and make sure you do those things that are your responsibility, do not do what is forbidden in your lease, if in doubt on any point get in touch with your landlord.