End of Tenancy FAQs 2016

When do I have to vacate the property?
You must be out of the property and return all keys to the office before 11am on the date your contract ends.

How should I leave the property?
In short: as clean and tidy as possible inside and out! Make sure you give the property a clean, remove all of your belongings, put all rubbish in the external bins and move all furniture back to where it was when you moved in. You will also need to turn off any freezers to allow them to defrost and make sure you leave the boiler on, with the pressure topped up to the correct level.

There are a couple of extra things to consider that you are also responsible for:

• Replace any missing or broken light bulbs. If we have to replace them for you, it is charged at £5 per bulb because it means we have to send out our handyman to purchase and install them, ready for the next tenant.
• Outside any lawns need to be cut, edges trimmed and flower beds and borders to be weeded where garden equipment has been provided.
• Take the meter readings and inform your suppliers, the council and anyone else that you are moving out.
• Make a list of any maintenance items, if you haven’t already, and let us know what they are by reporting them on FIXFLO.

What about cleaning?
The best (and simplest!) thing to do is to get the property professionally cleaned, which is what we would advise you to do if possible. We can offer preferential rates through our contractors especially for End of Tenancy Cleans so get in touch with your Property Consultant to arrange this and save you and your housemates the hassle.

If the property was professionally cleaned before you moved in, this is the standard you need to match. Your contract states that you must leave the property in the same condition you found it in, apart from fair wear and tear. So unless you are super-confident cleaner it’s well worth considering a professional clean, as often tenants waste time and effort cleaning a property, only to find on the check-out inspection that it doesn’t reach professional standards!

What if I want to clean the property myself?
If you can’t stretch to a professional clean and must do it yourself, here are some tips to help you get things to ‘inspection’ standards:

• If you are going to clean the property yourself, the biggest piece of advice is to remember to leave enough time! You should allow about 7 hours to properly clean your house from top to bottom.
• Vacuum all floors and carpets and clean any marks or stains.
• Thoroughly wash any hard floor surfaces.
• Make sure the oven, hob and extractor fan are clean and free of grease.  When it comes to cleaning the oven, it’s best to put the oven cleaner on the night before. Leave it to soak in and do its thing and then get scrubbing in the morning before you go. Oven pride is recommended!
• Move the fridge out and clean the area behind it.
• Defrost freezers and clean dishwashers.
• Clean all cupboards, drawers, shelves – inside and out in all rooms, including the pantry.
• Get your marigolds on and clean shower cubicles, baths and sinks. They need to be free of any soap residue and grime. Plus make sure you clean the toilets inside and out.
• Dettol Anti Mould Spray is really good for grout and silicon to remove the stains and mould. If the mould is really excessive though, it will need to be replaced.
• Washing machines need washing too! Clean it and don’t forget the soap draw.
• If there’s any mildew, this will need to be cleaned off ceilings or other surfaces.
• Wipe down wall surfaces and woodwork – don’t forget to clean the tops of skirting boards, window sills and internal windows. Light fittings, ledges, tops of doors and window sills also need to be dust free.
• Watch out for cobwebs! Get rid of any that may cling to ceilings, walls and floors.
• Check and clean under beds, sofas and all other furniture to ensure the rooms are completely clean – you’ll be amazed at what you can find.
• Put all rubbish in the outside bins and leave the outside area tidy.

What about maintenance items?
Please report to us via FIXFLO any items of maintenance, or any breakages at the property, so that we can log this and repair in time for the new tenants. Here’s the link: https://hop-property.co.uk/knowledge-base/report-a-repair/

What about the keys?
Please return the keys to our office by 11am on the last day of your tenancy. This is so that we have a chance to inspect the property ready for the new tenants. It’s really important to get all your keys back to us. If you don’t return them, we have to replace the locks for security reasons, the cost of which is then charged back to you. Our office address is: Let Leeds, Coburg House, St Andrews Court, Leeds, LS3 1JY and there is some parking available at the rear of the building.

What do you check for on the check-out inspection?
Make sure you are prepared and take a look at the check-out form, so you know what we’ll be looking for at inspection time. This is some of the criteria we use to see if there are any deductions required from your deposit, so make sure you’ve been through it carefully. Click here to download a copy and use it as a checklist to make sure you’ve covered everything: /wp-content/uploads/tenant-check-in-out-form.pdf.

What about my rent payments?
It’s really important that you cancel your standing order with your bank straight after your last rental payment. This does not happen automatically so your bank may continue paying it until you cancel it with them. That would mean not only are you paying rent unnecessarily but then we have to try and get it back to you, which in peak periods is really time consuming. It can take us up to 14 days to process a payment so don’t be caught out and contact your bank to cancel your standing order as soon as your last rent payment has gone out. If the worst happens and you need the payment back immediately you can request a 24 hour transfer back to your account, but we will charge £20 plus VAT (£24) for this service.

Who should I notify when moving home?
It’s such a stressful period, we know, but it really does help if you get organised and notify all the people who generally contact you at your address. We’ve made a bit of a list to help you get to started: https://hop-property.co.uk/who-to-notify-when-youre-moving-home/

When should I start getting ready to move home?
Now! It’s a really busy time, so get ahead of the game. Be organised and have a look through our moving home countdown that we’ve prepared to help you get ready for the big day: https://hop-property.co.uk/moving-home-countdown/

How do I get my deposit back?
The DPS is the Deposit Protection Service and they have been managing your deposit in a third party account if you’ve been living at one of our Managed Properties. You can contact the DPS on 0844 4727 000 when you are ready to get your deposit back. You will need your Deposit ID and your Repayment ID for this. We obviously have to do our checks first, to make sure that the property is clean, tidy and left in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy; but if you’ve been thorough and all looks good, once we’ve given the property the all-clear and you’ve completed the process below, your deposit is usually paid back to you within 5 days. Below is an overview of the deposit reclaim process:

1. Find your Deposit ID

• You’ll need your Deposit ID.
• This will have been sent from the DPS to the ‘Primary Tenant’ via email at the start of your tenancy.
• You can request your Deposit Repayment ID by calling the DPS on 0844 4727 000.

2. Find your Repayment ID

• You’ll need your Repayment ID.
• Again, this will have been sent to you from the DPS via email at the start of your tenancy, normally via email.
• We do not keep a copy of your repayment ID as it’s your PIN number to get your deposit back!
• You can request your Deposit Repayment ID by calling the DPS on 0844 4727 000. They will send this through via email to the Primary Tenant’s email address.

3. Deposit Repayment

• Before we start this bit, we will need to have completed a Tenancy Check-Out. That means that everyone has moved out of the property and keys are returned.
• Once you have your Deposit ID and Repayment ID, log into the DPS at https://www.depositprotection.com/login.aspx and insert your Deposit ID and Repayment ID online.
• You can agree to the deposit repayment or request a repayment.
• As long as we are in agreement about any possible deductions from your deposit (e.g. Late payment fees, damage to the property or unpaid rent) then the deposit will usually be repaid directly to your bank account within 5 days

Thanks again for being one of our tenants, we hope you found this useful and that we see you again soon!

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