INFORMATION
DOs & DON'Ts
- Check the property thoroughly before signing the tenancy agreement - remember you are signing a legal document for a minimum of a six month period. If you leave your tenancy before this period ends, the landlord can pursue you for any outstanding rent. In other words, if you leave after two months, your landlord can legally go to Court to get you to pay the outstanding four months rent.
- If you feel any repairs need doing speak to the landlord at once about them - before you sign the tenancy agreement. If the landlord will not carry out the repairs before you sign the agreement, look for another property - there are plenty of properties available to rent and you should not settle for second best. Shop around and choose the best property which suits all your needs.
- You are entitled to a good clean standard of property with adequate heating - if the property you are viewing does not have this, look at another one.
- Do inform your landlord of any repairs that need doing. Make a note of the date your told him and what repairs you have asked him to carry out.
- Do not stop your rent for any reason - you could be evicted and running up rent arrears will be held against you in the future - even if you feel you had a valid reason for doing so. Seek legal advice before stopping any payments.
- Respect your neighbours - causing anti-social behaviour could result in you being evicted from your home.
- If your landlord will still not carry out repairs, contact the Housing Renewal Team on (0191) 433 3000. An Environmental Health Officer from the Housing Section will visit your property and depending on the repairs which need doing, will speak to your landlord and, in some instances, serve a legal notice on him to carry out the work.
- If you wish to claim Housing Benefit, complete your claim form and hand it in straightaway. Do this on the day you move in or not later than following day otherwise benefit will not be paid for the first week which will result immediately in your being in rent arrears. Make sure you hand in all the forms you need to with your claim form. If you do not, this could result in your benefit claim being delayed.
- If you have any rubbish that needs removing, do not throw it out into your yard or back lane - contact Environmental Services on (0191) 433 7200 - they normally take it away free. If there is rubbish in the yard when you view the property, make sure the landlord removes it before you sign the tenancy agreement. Once you have signed the agreement you may become responsible for the rubbish removal and any costs involved.
- If you are leaving a tenancy, you have a legal requirement to inform your current Landlord and the Housing Benefit department immediately. If you just leave without giving him notice, he will pursue you for the rent money.
- Most importantly, landlords now share a lot of information with each other. Therefore, if you run up rent arrears or cause any trouble, you may find it very difficult to rent further properties and this could stay with you for a very long time and would result in you being very limited in choice to what properties you could choose to live in. In some instances it may stop you being allowed to rent a property at all.