Rent a property from Bonavista Property Management Ltd - Information and online application for Tenants

At Bonavista Property Management Ltd, our aim is to manage your tenancy in line with the Scottish National Core Standards and Good Practice Guidelines for Landlords. These guidelines are primarily for your protection, and designed to ensure that your tenancy is managed fairly. In line with the requirements of these guidelines and the requirements of the Anti-Social Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 we, and the landlords we represent, are registered with the Local Authority as fit and proper landlords.

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Before you rent a property from us, we need a few details. you can send us these details by clicking here and completing the online application form. If you prefer, we can send a paper copy to you, and you can complete it and return by post.

Before you complete the application form, there are a few things you need to know. The following paragraphs explain our procedures for renting a property, and some additional guidance notes about your tenancy. Please read these notes carefully. It is important and it only takes a minute. By completing the online Application Form, you will be confirming that you have read and understood these details.

Referees

If you want to rent a property from us, we will require a reference from two of the following: -

Current or most recent employer
Current or most recent landlord
A professional person whom you have known for at least two years
If you are self employed, a reference from your accountant

If you are a student, you must provide us with proof of your student status, and a letter of guarantee from a UK based property owner.

Referencing and Credit Checks

We may outsource our referencing, and in the event of this, we reserve the right to levy a fee to cover the costs of referencing. We also reserve the right to carry out credit checks as part of the referencing process. If there is a problem with your credit scoring we will tell you, and we will ask for a letter of guarantee from a UK based property owner, before proceeding with a let.

Administration Fees

When you have identified a property, we will ask for a Holding Deposit of £50.00. By accepting this holding deposit, we will commit to removing the property from the rental market, and guarantee not to offer a tenancy on the property to anyone else, pending the result of your application.

When the tenancy agreement is completed, the Holding Deposit will form part payment of your Tenancy Deposit, and you will only be required to pay the balance of the Tenancy Deposit before moving in.

If you withdraw from the let for any reason, or if we are unable to proceed with the let due to unsatisfactory references, then the £50.00 will be NON-REFUNDABLE.

Tenancy Agreement

At the beginning of the let, you will be required to complete a Short Assured Tenancy agreement, which outlines the responsibilities of each party.

Security Deposit

Before the beginning of the let, you will be asked to provide a Security Deposit, which is normally the equivalent of one months rent (we reserve the right to increase the Security Deposit up to a maximum of two months rent in certain circumstances). The Security Deposit is held by us as security against any costs incurred as a result of the tenancy. At the end of the tenancy, the deposit will be returned to you, along with a detailed statement of any costs incurred. No interest is payable on the Security Deposit for the duration of the tenancy.

Moving In

On, or before, your moving in day you will be asked to complete the Tenancy Agreement and pay all monies in advance (Security Deposit/first months rent). We will conduct a "Checking In" inspection with you, where the contents of the Inventory Document will be agreed, service readings will be taken and a key handover recorded.

Inventory

The Inventory Document will be prepared in advance of your moving in day, and forms the basis for subsequent property inspections. You should ensure that you are satisfied with the contents of the Inventory Document before agreeing and you will be given the opportunity to record any observations on the document. A seven day grace period will be granted at the beginning of the tenancy, to raise any issues with the document. After this period, you will be deemed to have accepted the document in its entirety, as a true and accurate record of the condition of the property on your moving in day.

Utilities

It is the responsibility of the Tenant to inform the relevant utility companies and the Local Authority of the commencement of the tenancy. We will provide you with the information that you require to make this change, and we will require written confirmation within 21 days of the start of the tenancy that the change has been made. In the event that you fail to take the appropriate action, we will undertake to advise the relevant parties of the changes, and an administration charge of £50.00 will be incurred by you for this service.

Inspections

As part of our service to the owner of the property, we are obliged to carry out periodic inspections of the property, for the purpose of examining the condition of the property, and identifying any repair work. These inspections will be arranged with you in advance, normally not less than 72 hours in advance, and should preferably be undertaken in conjunction with the tenant or a nominated representative.

Television Licence

It is the responsibility of the Tenant to maintain a valid television licence for the property.

Insurance

The Landlord will effect suitable buildings insurance cover for the property, and may also insure the Landlords fixtures, fittings and effects. The tenancy is granted on the basis that the tenant shall effect insurance both for their own property, and also to cover the landlords fixtures fittings and effects against accidental damage caused by the tenant.

Our Fees

We will not charge tenants to register with Bonavista Property Management Ltd for the purposes of being added to our mailing list.

We will not charge fees to tenants for any administrative activities undertaken in relation to the successful creation of a tenancy agreement.

In the event that we outsource our tenant referencing activities, we reserve the right to charge a fee to cover the costs of this. You will be notified of the cost of this in advance.

A holding deposit of £50.00 is required to secure the tenancy of a property. In the event that you withdraw from the let for any reason, or if we are unable to proceed with the let on the grounds of unsatisfactory references, then this deposit will be non refundable, and will be retained to cover the costs of administrative work undertaken by us.

At any point during the tenancy, if we are required to undertake administrative work as a result of your failure to undertake your responsibilities as laid down in these guidelines and your tenancy agreement, we reserve the right to charge an administration fee of £50.00. This fee can be settled at any time during your tenancy, or can be deducted from your security deposit at the end of the tenancy.