CHECK IN & OUT PROCEDURE

On the day you move into the property you will be given a welcome pack.

This will contain:

• Copy of your inventory and schedule of condition
• A photocopy of your tenancy agreement
• Copy of Signed Tenants Terms and Conditions
• A standing order mandate, to be handed to your bank
• A key sheet (photocopy of the keys for your new property)
• Contact information for utilities companies
• Smoke Alarm release form
• Tenants repairing and responsibility guide

You will need to contact the appropriate companies/council to advise them of your move. If you are unsure of who supplies the gas and electric at your new property, you can call MPAS on 0870 905 0806 to find out who currently bills the property for electricity, and TRANSCO on 0870 608 1524 to find out who bills for gas.

Around 2 months before the end of your agreement, you should receive a telephone call from the office asking about your plans for renewal.

If you are planning to leave at the end of the agreement, then we do ask that you give at least a months notice, and allow access for viewings.

If you are planning to stay on, you can either sign up for another fixed term, or move onto a periodic contract, both subject to agreement from the landlord.

Help us to return your full deposit

Once you have given us correct notice in writing, and a date has been agreed to end your tenancy, there will be a check out booked.

This will involve us inspecting the property against the amended inventory from the start of your tenancy. You are welcome to be present at the checkout, as long as this is arranged with the office before the end of tenancy.

These notes are issued for your guidance to ensure that the property is left in an acceptable condition. In reading the following, please note that some allowance for normal wear and tear will be made, dependent upon the length of the tenancy and any works carried out by your landlord during your stay. Any damages or discolouration caused by smoking is not considered wear and tear.

1. We will check all items on the inventory to ensure that they are all present, in their correct places and in good, clean, undamaged condition. You will be charged for our additional time if items are not in their original positions as this will involve additional work in checking the inventory.

2. Whilst we will check the property and contents throughout, we would draw your particular attention to the following which, from our previous experiences, can often be overlooked.

The following items are often found to be missed by tenants when preparing to leave a property. These are simple things that do not cost anything to do yourself, but are chargeable when we have to arrange them.

Properties must be clean

This includes things not necessarily in your day to day domestic clean:

• Skirting boards
• Doors and doorframes
• Pendant light shades
• Inside kitchen cupboards and drawers
• Windows and their frames
• Fridges and freezers should be defrosted, cleaned and switched off making sure to leave the door slightly open to prevent mould
• Soap drawers within washing machines
• Cookers (Oven, grill, hob, all shelving, grill pans etc.)
• Extractor hoods cleaned and filters changed
• Carpets, making sure to remove any stains
• Curtains and net curtains should be cleaned to specific instructions
• All furniture and contents must be located as per the inventory
• Any rubbish should be removed prior to leaving
• Gardens must be tended, grass cut and borders weeded

PLEASE NOTE THAT SHOULD ASTONS OF SUSSEX BE INVOLVED IN ANY ADDITIONAL WORK OR ADMINISTRATION
FOLLOWING CHECK OUT A CHARGE WILL BE MADE TO COVER COSTS INCURRED BASED ON OUR STANDARD HOURLY RATE.

General items found to be an issue after you have moved on from a property are such things as:

• Mail should be redirected in good time, as any post handed to the office will be returned to sender or destroyed
• Utility accounts should be settled and ultimately closed down
• Standing orders should be cancelled
• A forwarding address should be supplied to the office, as without it, deposits cannot be returned

We hope to return your deposit (less any charges) as quickly as possible, within 14 working days and no sooner that 7 working days.