End of Tenancy FAQ’s: June 2024

For most of our Student Tenants, we are now just a couple of weeks away from your Tenancy coming to an end and it is time to start thinking about getting ready to move.

We hope you’ve enjoyed your time in the property and with HOP, but as your Tenancy starts to draw to a close it’s time to start thinking about moving on. The student changeover period is historically our busiest time of the year, so we really appreciate your patience and co-operation to make this go as smoothly as possible.

To help you get ready for this busy time, we’ve compiled you a handy list of Frequently Asked Questions to help make sure that both you, and your property, will be ready when it’s time to move out.

How do I return my keys?

• To minimise the number of people needing to come to the office, all keys must be returned by one Tenant only from each house no later than 11am on the date your contract ends.
• Please put all keys in a sealed envelope with the address of the property written on the front .
• On Sunday 30th June there will be a member of staff on the front door who will mark your keys down as returned.
• If keys are returned prior to the 30th, and the office is closed, there will be a QR code with steps to follow before the keys can be posted through our letterbox.

Please ensure you leave any internal doors unlocked when you return your keys.

When do I have to vacate the property?

You must be out of the property and have returned ALL SETS of keys to the office before 11am on the date your contract ends.

However, we ask that wherever possible, they are dropped off sooner. If you can move out sooner than the end of your contract date, it will give us more time between tenancies to prepare for the new tenants.

Do I need to cancel my Standing Order?

Yes! 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 it’s something you need to add to your to do list ASAP. It is not easy for us to get any overpayment back to you right away and there are also charges for returning overpaid rent, so please make sure that you cancel it.

What should I do with my router?

• If you are on a Bills Inclusive Package please ensure that, along with the keys, you return your Virgin/Sky broadband routers to the office – in a bag that is clearly labelled with the property address.
• If you are returning keys outside of office hours, you will need to leave this package clearly visible in the property and follow the steps given from the QR code on the door, to notify us that this requires collection.

How can I prepare for the move?

Your Student Tenant Handbook contains important guidance for you and advice on the kinds of things we’ll be checking for when we inspect your property on Check Out.

Click here to download a copy of the 2023 Tenant Handbook.

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.

Don’t forget, there are other things that you are also responsible for too:

• Replace any missing or broken light bulbs. If we have to replace them for you, it will incur a charge 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 our 24/7 Online Maintenance Portal.

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 that is possible. We have emailed you directly with some of our chosen contractors especially for End of Tenancy Cleans or get in touch with the HOP Leeds Team to arrange this and save you and your housemates the hassle.

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 ‘professional’ cleaning and inspection standards:

• 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.
• Astonish Anti Mould Spray is really good for grout and silicone 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, windowsills and internal windows. Light fittings, ledges, tops of doors and windowsills 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 any items of maintenance, or any breakages at the property, in the usual way us via the 24/7 Online Maintenance Portal. This is so we can organise repairs in time for the new tenants.

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, click here to read the blog.

How do I get my Deposit back?

If you’ve been living at one of our managed properties, it’s not the Landlord that holds your Deposit, it is a third party called the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). Just visit tenancydepositscheme.com when you are ready to get your deposit back. You will need your Certificate Code or Deposit Account Number for this, which will have been emailed to the lead tenant . Once we’ve given the property the all-clear and you’ve completed the process, your deposit is usually paid back to you within 5 days.

When will I get my Deposit back?

We understand how keen you will be to get your Deposit, but please be aware that there are a number of steps that need to be completed before it can be released. The whole process can take about 4 weeks. There are a number of things we need to go through for every property, which includes:

• We need to complete a Tenancy Check-Out once everyone has moved out of the property and all keys are returned.
• Checking the property is clean, tidy and left in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy
• Agreeing any costs with Landlords and Contractors to put right any damage over and above fair wear and tear
• Checking for any remaining Tenant rental arrears and identifying any outstanding charges such as lock change, key cutting or late payment charges
• Checking for any End of Tenancy cleaning invoices as well as any possible costs for replacement bulbs and smoke detector battery costs etc
• Checking that those on Bills Inclusive have not had any over usage of their gas and electric
• As long as we are in agreement about any possible deductions from your deposit, then the deposit will usually be repaid directly to your bank account within 5 days

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

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