frequently asked questions
Q. I am not 21 yet. Can I still rent a room in one of your student houses or flats?
Q. Why do you only rent to students age 21 and over?
Q. My son/daughter is not 21, is very studious and does not party all the time. We are really keen that they should live in a nice quiet student house. Can they rent a room from you?
Q. I hate tobacco smoke. How can you be sure that everyone in a shared house is a non-smoker?
Q. How long will my tenancy agreement be for?
Q. Can I move out before the end of my tenancy?
Q. Do you take up references and make credit checks? Do you require parental guarantees?
Q. Are all properties furnished?
Q. Do you provide kitchen utensils or do I need to bring my own?
Q. Do all properties have a washing machine and tumble drier?
Q. Can I bring my own furniture instead of using yours?
Q. My partner and I want to share a room. Is this allowed?
Q. Are pets allowed in your student accommodation?
Q. Do you charge administration fees?
Q. Will I have to pay a deposit or bond?
Q. Are bills included in the rent?
Q. Do you offer properties with bills included?
Q. Do you only rent student accommodation to groups or can I just rent a room?
Q. Do you have any 'student halls' type accommodation?
Q. Will I be able to get an internet connection installed?
Q. I work during the week. Can I view your student accommodation at the weekend?
Q. How long in advance do we need to book if we want to view some of your student accommodation?
Q. Do we meet you at the property or should we come to your office?
Q. Do you offer a Summer discount?
Q. What happens if something in the property stops working?
Q. When and how does the rent have to be paid?
Q. Do I have to pay my rent by standing order?
Q. Can my parents pay my rent?
Q. Can I paint my room?
Q. Where can I keep my bike?
Q. Will I have to pay Council Tax?
Q. What happens if I can't pay my rent?
Q. How long does it usually take to get my bond back?
Q. I am an international student. Can I rent a room now and move in immediately I arrive in Plymouth?
Q. Can I rent a room from you for more than one year?
Q. Do your student properties have fire detection systems?
Q. Can I have a friend to stay?
Q. Do you provide off-street parking?
Q. What if I've got a question not answered here?
Q. I am not 21 yet. Can I still rent a room in one of your student houses or flats?
A. You must be a full-time student age 21 or over when your tenancy starts. So, if you are looking for a room for next September you will have to be 21 before then.
Q. Why do you only rent to students age 21 and over?
A. We offer quality student accommodation in nice quiet houses for nice quiet students! Our tenants are post-graduate students studying for just one year, final year under-graduate students or mature under-graduate students. Whilst they haven’t forgotten how to enjoy themselves, they prefer to share a quiet house with other students for whom studying is the number one priority.
Q. My son/daughter is not 21, is very studious and does not party all the time. We are really keen that they should live in a nice quiet student house. Can they rent a room from you?
A. None of us learned how to party while we lived with Mum and Dad! Your son or daughter will enjoy their time at University and benefit far more from sharing with like-minded students of their own age. We don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun; we’re happy for them to party all night every night, but like you, we don’t want them doing it in our house!
Q. I hate tobacco smoke. How can you be sure that everyone in a shared house is a non-smoker?
A. We do everything we can to ensure that all of our tenants are non-smokers. All tenants have to confirm that they are a non-smoker before we agree to rent a room to them.
We do not tolerate smoking in our properties. We always deal promptly with any complaints, which thankfully are very rare. It is a term of all tenancy agreements that smoking is not permitted in our properties and any tenant who does so will be served with a Notice and then, if necessary, will face eviction through the Courts. Thankfully, this has never been necessary.
Q. How long will my tenancy agreement be for?
A. Tenancies are usually for a fixed term of 12 months from September. The only exception is where we are re-letting a room that for some reason has been vacated part way through the academic year.
Q. Can I move out before the end of my tenancy?
A. You can move out whenever you like, but you still have to pay the rent until the end of your tenancy! Under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement you are legally bound until the end of your tenancy. If for some reason you have to leave early we will be happy to try and re-let your room, but you will have to pay the rent up to the day a new tenant moves in. We also make a small charge to cover our costs in preparing the tenancy agreement for the new tenant, checking the inventory and other essential administration that is caused by your early departure.
Q. Do you take up references and make credit checks? Do you require parental guarantees?
A. We may request a reference from your previous landlord or check your credit history, but we will always tell you before doing so. We rarely require parental guarantees.
Q. Are all properties furnished?
A. Yes, all of our student houses and flats are furnished to a good standard. All bedrooms have a bed (usually a double), bedside cupboard, wardrobe, desk, chair and bookcase plus fitted carpet, curtains and lampshade. Kitchens are fully equipped.
Q. Do you provide kitchen utensils or do I need to bring my own?
A. Our properties are fully furnished, and kitchens are fully equipped. All houses have just one kitchen, with at least one oven and hob, a microwave oven, kettle, sink and draining board. Houses with more than 6 bedrooms have 2 ovens, 2 hobs and 2 sinks. All properties have a fridge and a freezer or 2 fridge/freezers, so that everyone gets a fridge shelf and a freezer drawer. All kitchens have enough cupboards so that everyone has one base cupboard and one wall cupboard. We provide pots, pans, cutlery, crockery, tea towels and just about everything you will need except sharp knives.
Q. Do all properties have a washing machine and tumble drier?
A. Yes. Some smaller properties may have a washer/drier, but most properties have separate automatic washing machine and tumble drier. All properties also have an outside washing line.
Q. Can I bring my own furniture instead of using yours?
A. We will not remove any of our furniture from the property but if you wish to supplement what we provide (for example, whilst we do not provide them, many of our rooms are big enough to accommodate a sofa or armchair), you may do so as long as the furniture you bring meets the appropriate regulations in terms of fire retardant covers and cushions etc. However, you must get our written permission before bringing any furniture into the house. Please also make sure that you take the furniture with you when you move out!
Q. My partner and I want to share a room. Is this allowed?
A. Except in our one bedroom properties we do not grant tenancies to more than one person.
Q. Are pets allowed in your student accommodation?
A. Definitely not; not even a goldfish!
Q. Do you charge administration fees?
A. No, we do not charge registration fees, administration fees, inventory fees or make any other charges when renting student accommodation. We are not a rental agency or property management company but only rent properties that we own. The only fee that you have to pay is the Government imposed fee of £30.00 to protect your tenancy deposit. This is collected with your first rent payment.
Q. Will I have to pay a deposit or bond?
A. Yes. When you reserve a room in one of our student properties we require a non-refundable holding deposit equal to one months rent (so, for a room at £78 per week the non-refundable holding deposit is £338). At the beginning of your tenancy this becomes your tenancy deposit and so it is fully refundable at the end of your tenancy.
Your tenancy deposit will be protected by Tenancy Deposit Solutions (TDS). For more information see http://www.mydeposits.co.uk/tenants/tenant.htm.
Q. Are bills included in the rent?
A. Broadband internet is networked through every property and is included in the rent. Water, gas and electricity charges are not included. The University Accommodation Office recommend that you budget £8 - £10 per week for these bills.
Q. Do you offer properties with bills included?
A. No. We are not a gas or electricity provider and neither are we a water company! We rent quality student accommodation to responsible adults who are capable of making their own arrangements for paying for the electricity, gas and water that they use!
Q. Do you only rent student accommodation to groups or can I just rent a room?
A. We prefer to rent accommodation on a room-by-room basis rather than to groups.
Q. Do you have any 'student halls' type accommodation?
A. No, we do not. We specialise in providing quality student accommodation in shared houses. Our tenants prefer quiet student houses to the hustle and bustle of halls of residence.
Q. Will I be able to get an internet connection installed?
A. All of our student properties have broadband internet networks already connected from the day you move in, so you can email your friends and family and send them webcam pictures of your new home before you’ve even unpacked! Most properties have a wired network (Ethernet cable), but some have wireless networks.
Q. I work during the week. Can I view your student accommodation at the weekend?
A. We can arrange viewings most days but to minimise disruption to our student tenants we try not to do any viewings on a Sunday, except during September. We always give our tenants at least 24 hours notice before showing people around their home, so please be sure to call us before you arrive in Plymouth.
Q. How long in advance do we need to book if we want to view some of your student accommodation?
A. We need 24 hours to inform current tenants of any viewings. To arrange a viewing please call us on 07971 431121.
Q. Do we meet you at the property or should we come to your office?
A. We will normally ask you to meet us outside the property.
Q. Do you offer a Summer discount?
A. No. All of our tenancies are for 12 months and the rent is the same during the summer months.
Q. What happens if something in the property stops working?
A. We are professional full-time landlords. You will be given an emergency contact number, which is available 24/7 to report anything that requires attention, from a noisy washing machine or blocked loo to a blown fuse. As we live in Plymouth ourselves we are able to deal promptly with any issues that arise.
Q. When and how does the rent have to be paid?
A. If you are a student in a student shared house the rent must be paid by standing order on a termly basis. The first instalment is due on the first day of your tenancy, which may be before the start of the term (and therefore before you receive your student loan!). Subsequent payments are on the first day of term after the Christmas holiday and the first day of term after the Easter holiday. If you are on a gap-year placement or for some other reason are being paid monthly we will be happy to discuss alternative arrangements for paying your rent, but please discuss it with us BEFORE you take a room.
Q. Do I have to pay my rent by standing order?
A. Standing Orders are the most efficient way of paying your rent. They are also the cheapest for us, which helps us to keep your rent down! Standing orders can be paid from all cheque accounts and there is therefore rarely any reason why the rent cannot be paid by standing order. Your rent is paid automatically on the day it is due once a standing order has been set up. If there is a genuine reason why you are unable to set up a standing order we will be happy to try and help you, but please discuss this before you take a room.
You should not confuse a standing order with a direct debit. A standing order is an instruction from you to your bank to pay specific amounts on specific dates, and unlike a direct debit it is not an authorisation for us to dip into your account to take whatever money is owed to us whenever we wish. So, even if you are nervous about signing a direct debit there is really no reason why you should not set up a standing order.
Q. Can my parents pay my rent?
A. Anyone can pay your rent on your behalf. Just get your standing order mandate completed and signed by whoever is going to pay the rent. However, please remember that you will be signing the tenancy agreement, not your Mum or Dad, so it is your responsibility to ensure that the rent is paid on time.
A. No. Your favourite colour may never appeal to anyone else. You can decorate your room with pictures and posters but painting is not permitted.
A. Many of our properties have an outhouse where your bike can be securely stored. You will have to provide your own padlock. Bikes cannot be wheeled through the house or stored indoors.
Q. Will I have to pay Council Tax?
A. As long as you remain a full-time student during the whole of your tenancy you are exempt from Council Tax. If one of the other tenants in a student shared house ceases to qualify for Council Tax exemption you will still not have to pay anything. BUT, if you cease to qualify for the student exemption (if you are no longer a full-time student) you will become personally liable for the whole amount of any Council Tax bill. That will be at least £908.70 per year!
Q. What happens if I can't pay my rent?
A. If for some reason you cannot pay your rent on the day it is due (if for example your student loan is delayed) please speak to us before rent day. We will be far more sympathetic if you speak to us before rent day than if we have to chase you for payment afterwards!
Q. How long does it usually take to get my bond back?
A. We endeavour to repay bonds within one month of the end of your tenancy. Your bond will be protected by Tenancy Deposit Solutions, who provide a free dispute resolution service in the unlikely event a problem arises. For further information see http://www.mydeposits.co.uk/tenants/tenant.htm.
Q. I am an international student. Can I rent a room now and move in immediately I arrive in Plymouth?
A. Yes. If you are happy to rent a room without coming to Plymouth to view it, you can do a 'virtual viewing' and we can deal with all of the paperwork before you arrive. However, you can only reserve a room once we have received your deposit. You can pay the deposit by international bank transfer or via PayPal® using your credit or debit card (fees apply). You will need to sign a tenancy agreement before you move in, but we can usually deal with this when you arrive.
Q. Can I rent a room from you for more than one year?
A. Yes. Your initial tenancy will be for one year, usually starting on the 1st of September and ending on 31st August the following year. You will be given first refusal on your room for the following year. However, as the University of Plymouth Accommodation Office produce their list of student accommodation in February each year for the following September, if you want to rent your room again for another 12 months, you will have to sign a new tenancy in January.
Q. Do your student properties have fire detection systems?
A. All of our student properties comply with the standards required by Plymouth City Council and Plymouth University. At the very least every student property has mains powered and interconnected smoke detectors on each floor and a heat detector in the kitchen. Some properties have full fire alarm systems (3-storey properties). All properties also have a fire blanket in the kitchen and fire extinguishers on every floor.
Q. Can I have a friend to stay?
A. As long as your housemates don't mind, you can have a friend to stay from time to time. However, you cannot let someone else move in with you on a permanent basis.
Q. Do you provide off-street parking?
A. Very few of our properties have off-street parking. However, all are in streets where parking is available to residents, subject to purchase of a permit from Plymouth City Council, for which they charge a small fee (currently £25 for 12 months). As the parking restrictions apply only for two hours every day (Monday – Saturday) it is possible to park your car at most times of the day without the risk of a parking ticket.
However, as the minimum fine for parking in the street without a permit is £35 and the annual permit is £25, we strongly urge our tenants to buy a permit. To do so you must have your vehicle registration document (foreign ones are acceptable) and your signed tenancy agreement. We will be happy to advise you further if you are planning to bring your car.
Q. What if I've got a question not answered here?
A. Please contact us and we will be happy to offer as much help as we can.
