Sharman Quinney Ramsey
Tenant Fees
We are members of The Property Ombudsman redress scheme 
Deposit Protection
We are covered by the Arla Client Money Protection Scheme 
Trading Standards Institute
We would like to provide clarity of the fees that may become payable during a tenancy you are looking to enter into. We believe you should understand these before you make any decision about a property or before you decide to view a property.
Acceptance of any offer will be subject to contract, referencing and immigration checks. You will need to pay the Rent and Deposit that is due under a Tenancy Deposit, or where the landlord is offering the property with a deposit replacement guarantee product, and you wish to take up this option, you will need to provide proof that you have purchased such a product by providing us with a copy of the insurance certificate before a tenancy can start.
Referencing and Right to Rent Checks - You will be asked to complete an application before referencing can be undertaken, you should also provide an original photographic Identification (e.g. passport, National ID card, VISA, resident permit, driving licence) and Proof of Residence (e.g. original utility bill, council tax bill or bank statement all of which much be less than 3 months old) if you have any queries relating to this please speak to the branch you are dealing with.
You should be aware that the need for a guarantor may not become apparent until your referencing (including references for any joint tenants) has been completed. Where a guarantor is required they will need to complete an application form and provide photographic identification and proof of residence.
Referencing will cover a check against the credit file and public records of the individual, an Anti-Money Laundering check, confirmation of employment and salary details, confirmation of previous tenancy details, right to rent checks, reporting the results of all those checks to your prospective landlord to see if your application is acceptable.
Tenant deposit – from 1 June 2019 landlords in England are limited to the equivalent of 5 weeks rent for new and renewed tenancies (or 6 weeks if the annual rent is £50,000 or more). This is calculated by dividing the annual rent by 52 and multiplying by 5 (or 6 if rent is £50,000 or more) and will be required to be paid at the start of the tenancy. This is subject to referencing.
Tenant Fees Act 2019 permits certain fees / charges to be made under the following circumstances:
Tenant Fees
| Fee Name | Explanation | Cost (inc. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Default fee for late payment of rent | Chargeable from 14 days arrears calculated on the interest at 3% above Bank of England base rate on the late payment of rent for each day that the payment is outstanding. | See Explanation |
| Loss of a key or other security device | Landlords and letting agents can charge a tenant a fee to cover the cost of replacing the lost key or security device (e.g. fob, electronic device for garage doors / security gates). | See Explanation |
| Payment on variation, assignment or novation of a tenancy | When a tenant has requested it, landlords and letting agents can charge to vary, assign or replace a tenancy. Fee charge £50 (including VAT). | £50.00/person |
| Payment on termination of a tenancy | Landlords and letting agents can require a tenant to make a payment for an early termination (surrender) of the tenancy agreement at the tenant's request. | See Explanation |
| Company application fee | £100 including VAT | £100.00/person |
Tenant Fees Act 2019 and Existing Tenancies
Explanation of our tenant fees permitted under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 transitional provisions, where fees are written into existing tenancy agreements. These apply to all tenancy agreements granted or signed and executed before 31st May 2019, and can be charged up until 31st May 2020:
| Fee Name | Explanation | Cost (inc. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Negotiating and Agreeing a renewal / extension to your tenancy (tenant share) | One off charge for each renewal/extension Negotiating and agreeing a tenancy renewal between you and your landlord, including any special clauses or requirements which have been requested, once negotiations are finalised produce final copies for signature. This cost of this is shared between the landlord and tenant, paid for at the time of the renewal. | £114.00/person |
| Rent Arrears Letter | Cost of each rent arrears letter resulting from rent not being paid, remaining unpaid, and requesting payment | £30.00/person |
| Breach of tenancy agreement letter | Cost of breach letter resulting from the tenant breaching the tenancy agreement and requesting that the breach be stopped and remedied | £30.00/person |
| Change of Sharer | Fee to be paid where a landlord agrees to an existing joint tenant’s request to leave the tenancy and be replaced with a new joint tenant, to include cost of referencing new tenant and replacement tenancy agreement. | £240.00/person |
| Payment into non-UK bank account | Fee to be paid to cover the additional cost of making a payment into a non-UK based bank account. | £30.00/person |
For more details, please contact the branch:
Ramsey
Cambridgeshire
PE26 1HG