Tenant FAQs
About Relo
Are you general letting agents?
No, we most certainly are not. Relo only lets and manages shared houses for professional tenants. We do not let and manage flats or family houses or have tenants without jobs or who have families living with them.
Why did you decide to only manage shared houses then?
We realised that the quality of shared accommodation in most large cities is substandard and so we saw an opportunity to deliver superior quality accommodation at affordable prices. Somewhere that people can call home and love living in, as opposed to having to live there as it’s the best worst option, as well as providing people with a community of instant new friends around them when they move to new cities and don’t know anyone.
Choosing Our Tenants
What type of tenants rent your rooms?
Our tenants are all professional working tenants with jobs, typically in their twenties or thirties. We only take tenants who would be a good fit for the house and company.
Do the existing tenants have a say in which tenant moves in?
Yes, we encourage the existing housemates to have a say as at the end of the day they will be living there with someone so they have to get on. We usually try and conduct viewings when the existing tenants will be around and if not we try to organise beers to meet them (beers on us), where practical!
Is it mainly boys or girls in each house?
We try and have an even split of both if possible.
Are you tenants just from the UK?
The majority of our tenants are from the UK but we have had a number of different nationalities in the past.
Is there a maximum number of people allowed in a property?
Yes there is and for good reasons.
Not only are there very strict rules around the number of people who can live in a property, but most importantly we wouldnt want you to live in an house stuffed full of as many people as possible as some landlords do!
Can I have a friend to stay?
Yes, by all means.
We will not tell you how to live in your house but we do ask you make sure your other housemates are happy and its only for a short period of time.
Deposit
Do you take deposits?
No, we give you the choice between either joining our flaitfair deposit alternative scheme which means you dont have to pay a deposit or, if you don’t wish to join, we would then ask for a traditional deposit (one month’s rent) from you instead.
If I pay a deposit, where is it kept?
We send any deposits off to a Goverment approved custodial scheme called My Deposits.
Can you deduct monies from my deposit if you think I have damaged something?
Yes but you have to agree to it beforehand.
If we can’t agreee then the matter will go to a third party to be reviewed who will then decide what is reasonable based on the evidence provided.
Do you regularly deduct monies from a deposit?
We try not to.
It is extremely rare for us to do so and there has to be very good reason for doing so such as not paying rent or clearly breaking something in your room which isn’t general wear and tear from usage.
Rent
How do I pay for my room?
You pay your rent via a standing order that you need to set up when you apply to become a Relo tenant
Do I have to pay for the bills too?
No, we offer one simple payment each month meaning any costs are all wrapped up in your rent however because we are super nice, we pay all the bills for you so you never have to worry about them.
What is included in my monthly payment?
All bills are included in your monthly rent including water, electric, gas and council tax.
We also include the super fast WiFi as well as a weekly cleaner to look after the communal areas and in the summer a gardener attends our properties.
What are all of your other charges?
We only charge one simple payment each month which includes everything from your rent, utility bills, cleaning etc so you will never be hit with any other fees from us.
Amenities
What furniture will be provided in my room?
It differs from house to house but typically we provide you with a double bed, bedside table, wardrobe, chest of drawers, mirror and bin. Most rooms also have a desk & chair and some even have their own sofa!
What is provided in the sitting room?
Again, this varies from house to house but we try and provide each house with a 50″ TV, a sofa, coffee table, rugs and beanbags as well as either a table & chairs or breakfast bar & stools.
What do you provide in the kitchen?
Pretty much everything you could think of unless you are doing some unsual cooking needing strange shaped dishes!
Each house will have crockery, cutlery, plates, bowls, utensils, pots & pans, a kettle, a toaster, a microwave and plenty of mugs and glasses as well as most other items you would find in your kitchen at home.
Each house will also have a washing machine and dryer either in the kitchen on in a utility room.
Do you provide an iron and ironing board?
Of course, we can’t have you looking scruffy for work! We also provide a vacuum cleaner, dustpan & brush, mop & bucket as well as clothes line and racks for everyone to share.
Cleaning
Can the cleaner clean my room?
No unfortuantly not – the cleaner will only do all the communal areas.
Is my room professionally cleaned before moving in?
Of course.
As soon as a tenant leaves, we get our cleaners in to do a proper deep clean on it before anyone else moves in. We also regularly re paint rooms to keep them looking bright and clean.
Maintenance Requests
Who do I call if there is something needs fixing in my room or in the house?
Each house has a Property Manager whose detailes are on the notice board and they are your best point of contact. Or you can report any maintenance requests on our dedicated app.
What if you are closed and its an emergency?
Again on the house notice board there are details of who to call if we are closed and there is an emergency.
Does someone have to be in to let contractors in?
No, all of our contractors will be accompanied by a Property Manager who will let them in.
Tenancy
Do I have to sign a tenancy agreement?
Yes you will. We use what’s called an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement (ASTs) which is very common for renting in the UK.
Is there a minimum period?
No, we offer a cancel any time policy for the most flexible renting meaning our ASTs are not fixed for any period of time meaning you just need to give a month’s notice if you wish to leave.
Does that mean you can get me out with only a month's notice if you want to?
No it does not. It is very rare we want someone out but even on a periodic tenancy, we cannot serve notice within the first 6 months unless they have not breached their contract.
Can I leave if I lose my job?
As long as you give us a month’s notice then that’s fine. We don’t want to put any financial pressure on you to have to pay rent if you can’t afford it.