Viewings

To book a viewing, simply submit an enquiry through the property listing you’re interested in. A member of our Contracts Team will reach out to you from there and ask you to complete a short Note of Interest form with details for yourself and any other prospective tenants. A viewing can then be arranged from there. 

Viewings are held in person, Monday to Friday between 9am and 4:45pm. Virtual viewings are available upon request, depending on the property. 

Applications

If you would like to proceed with a property following a viewing, you just need to confirm this by responding to your viewing confirmation email. Your Note of Interest will then be put forward to the Landlord to review. If you are a successful, an offer subject to references will be made and we will ask you to complete an application form and submit a £250.00 deposit per tenant within two working days. The initial deposit is part of the total deposit due for the property and is refundable up until the tenancy begins. 

Once the initial application stage is complete, you will need to submit further information to our referencing company so they can complete the following checks; ID, Credit, Residential and Income. Sanction and First-Tier Tribunal checks will also be carried out. 

Guarantors

If you are a student or a professional who cannot pass the required reference checks alone, you will be asked to provide a guarantor. 

Guarantors must be a UK resident,able to pass a full reference check and able to prove a minimum income of three times the tenant's annual rent share. 

Guarantors are required to sign the tenancy agreement and will be held jointly and severally liable for all aspects of the tenancy and property along with the tenants and any other guarantors. 

If you require a guarantor but cannot provide one, you can pay 6 months advance rent as an alternative guarantee. 

Moving In

You will be invited to arrange key collection from our office at 30 Rutland Square following receipt of all move-in funds and the completion of the tenancy agreement. Tenants can collect keys on their tenancy start date or any working day thereafter. 

You will receive an email to access your inventory on the first day of your tenancy and will have 7 days to review and complete this. The inventory will automatically finalise at the end of the seventh day. If you require a copy of your inventory at any point during your tenancy, please contact your Property Manager directly. 

Once you have moved into the property, tenants can request a welcome meeting with their Property Manager to assist with any questions you may have about the property, the operation of appliances or any general maintenance queries.

Payments

New tenants will be asked to make payment via BACS for the full move-in balance, including deposit and initial rent, prior to their tenancy start date. During a tenancy, your monthly rent will be collected via Direct Debit on the first working day of each month (i.e. not including weekends and bank holidays).

For any current tenants with specific rent queries, please contact our Accounts Team directly.

Utilities & Services

Our Accounts Team will advise the utility provider once you have moved into the property. You will then receive a letter to the property from the provider with instructions on setting up your account and payment with them. Tenants are welcome to swap to any preferred provider but we do ask that you update us of any changes. 

We’ll notify the Council once you’ve moved into your property but it is a tenant’s responsibility to apply directly for any exemptions they believe they’re eligible for. More information on council tax exemptions can be found here. 

While landlords are required to insure the building and the property’s contents, they cannot insure your possessions. Every year we unfortunately deal with properties that have been affected by theft, flood or fire so strongly recommend having a tenants contents insurance policy in place. 

Tenants are responsible for the upkeep of shared gardens and communal areas. Costs may apply for properties that have communal garden maintenance or stair cleaning contracts in place. 

Repairs & Emergencies

Any repair or maintenance requests should be submitted through our online Report a Repair system. Many everyday property issues can be resolved by tenants directly with the guidance provided by through this system but if you still need further help, our experienced team of Property Managers will take it from there. 

In the event of an emergency during office hours, please call us immediately on 0131 221 1818. 

When our office is closed, please contact our emergency out‑of‑hours contractors directly. 

An emergency is defined as a complete loss of heating and/or hot water during winter or any issue that could cause damage to property or persons both within and in the immediate vicinity of your home. 

Tenancy Agreement

We offer Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) agreements which are open-ended by nature with no fixed terms. More information on PRTs can be found here.

If you are living with one or more flatmates then your tenancy will be jointly and severally liable. This means you are all equally and jointly responsible for all aspects of the tenancy and property. 

If you and your flatmates wish to end your tenancy, you must serve a joint notice to leave with a minimum of 30 days' notice (28 days plus 48 hours for receipt). Your notice must state your property address, your tenancy end date and all tenants must be included to show joint agreement. 

Under a PRT, there is no option for an individual tenant to serve a notice to leave. If you wish to move out of a property but your flatmates want to stay, then you can request permission to carry out a Change of Tenancy (CofT). A CofT requires joint agreement between all tenants and permission from your landlord. In the absence of a joint notice to leave from all tenants, a CofT is the only way for an individual tenant to be released from their tenancy.

During the Tenancy

Every property is periodically inspected throughout a tenancy. The first inspection usually takes place around three months after a tenancy begins and then every six months after that. You’ll always receive advance notice before an inspection. These visits give your Property Manager an opportunity to assess the condition of the property and assist with any queries you may have. 

Tenants must always show consideration for their neighbours, particularly those who are elderly, shift workers or have young children. Everyone is entitled to quiet enjoyment of their home and tenants are expected to be respectful and avoid causing disruptions. 

Moving Out

Tenants are expected to return the property in a condition matching that of the original inventory, allowing for reasonable wear and tear. The Property Manager will carry out a check-out inspection following the end of your tenancy and will send you a copy of their report within five working days. They will advise you at that time of any potential deductions from your deposit. 

We know it’s important that your deposit return is processed as quickly as possible. To ensure we can do this, please consider having your property and it's windows professionally cleaned before you vacate.

All deposits are held in a deposit protection scheme. All returns and deductions are processed through this scheme in line with their guidelines. 

Further Resources

Edinburgh City Council
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/
For information on council tax, parking permits and bins and recycling.

Safe Deposit Scotland (SDS)
https://www.safedepositsscotland.com/
For information regarding the protection of your deposit.

Letting Agent Code of Practice
https://www.gov.scot/publications/letting-agent-code-practice/
For information on the standard expectations of letting agents.

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