FAQs

We know that you may have questions, so we have the answers!

I’ve seen that you do not take deposits – what happens in case of damages?

In place of a deposit, we offer students our Deposit Replacement Scheme (DRS), whereby for a non-refundable payment of £195, you do not have to pay any deposit!*

We do not take deposits as we understand the negative impact that this has on student cashflow. In case of any damages, we will send bills to you to cover the costs and failing that, to your parental guarantor.

What happens if we decide we no longer want to take the house?

As previously mentioned, the Deposit Replacement Scheme payment is non-refundable, so should you decide you no longer want to move into the house after making your payment for the DRS, but before signing the contract, you will be free to find another property but will lose your money.

However, once you have signed the contract, this is a legally binding document which makes you liable for paying rent for the property for the duration of the agreement. You must pay your rent from the start of the contract date until you can find suitable replacement tenants and complete a deed of assignment. If it is one person that wishes to be replaced, the new tenant will be liable to join the DRS and make the £195 payment, and the agency and remaining tenants must all agree to the replacement tenant.

What is a Joint and Several Tenancy?

According to Citizens Advice, if you have a joint tenancy, you and the other tenants have exactly the same rights. You are all jointly and individually responsible for the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement. This is called joint and several liability.

How do I pay my rent? 

Rent is due on the 1st of each month and can be paid either in cash, bank transfer or by standing order.

What happens if I do not pay my rent on time?

We issue a Late/Non-Payment Charge of £25.00 per each communication with regards to this late payment. The charge is issued to cover credit control administration for costs of letters/e-mails or telephone calls made to tenant.

What happens if one of my housemates does not pay their rent?

As you will be on a Joint and Several tenancy, according to Citizens Advice, if you have a joint tenancy, you are liable for the rent both jointly and individually. This means that one or all of you can be held responsible for the whole rent. It’s not possible to argue that each tenant is liable for their particular share.

So, if someone you live with doesn’t pay their share of the rent, the rest of you are responsible for making up the shortfall. If you don’t make up the shortfall, you are all jointly and individually responsible for any rent arrears that build up.

What bills are included in my monthly rent?

All bills are included – Gas, Electricity, Water, TV License and Broadband.

COUNCIL TAX IS THE STUDENTS’ RESPONSIBILITY. Whilst students are exempt from paying council tax, you must notify the council of your student status by obtaining a student exemption certificate from your university and sending this to Birmingham City Council (counciltax@birmingham.gov.uk).

How is the monthly rental figure calculated from the weekly figure?

Your weekly rental figure is multiplied by 52 to work out your yearly rental figure. This is then divided by 12 to give your monthly figure.

If I want to stay on for another year, how much is the renewal fee and what does it pay for?

Our non-refundable renewal fee is £75 for existing tenants.

This fee pays for (including, but not limited to): Drawing up Tenancy Agreements, Guarantor Agreements, Inventory to include Check in and out, Right to Rent Checks, Credit Referencing and Tenant Referencing.

We have confirmed our upcoming tenancy – what happens next?

As the start of your tenancy draws closer, we will e-mail you with your pre-tenancy requirements. This includes proof of right to rent in the UK, a Parental Guarantor form and a Standing Order form to be completed in order for you to collect your keys.

Please see a list of acceptable identification according to UK Governmental standards.

We will require to see and photocopy one or more identification documents from the lists below, one from List A (Group 1) or two from List A (Group 2) or one from List B:-

List A (Group 1) (one from this group). Acceptable single documents which show an unlimited right to rent.

UK Passport	EEA/Swiss national passport/identity card
Registration Certificate or document certifying or document permanent residence of EEA/Swiss National	EEA/Swiss family member Permanent Residence card
Biometric Residence Permit with unlimited leave.	Passport or travel document endorsed with unlimited leave
UK immigration status document endorsed with unlimited leave.	A certificate of naturalisation or registration as a British Citizen.

List A (Group 2) (two from this group). Acceptable document combinations which show an unlimited right to rent.

UK birth or adoption certificate.	Full or provisional UK driving license.
A letter from HM Prison Service.	A letter from a UK Government Department or Local Authority.
A letter from National Offender Management Service.	Evidence of current or previous service in armed forces.
A letter from a police force confirming that certain documents have been reported stolen.	A letter from a private rented sector access scheme.
A letter of testimony from an employer.	A letter from a UK further or high education institution.
A letter of testimony from a UK passport holder	Benefits paperwork.
Criminal Record Check.

List B: Documents which show a time-limited right to rent.

A valid passport endorsed with a time-limited period	Biometric immigration document with permission to stay for time-limited period.
Non-EEA national residence card.	UK immigration status document with a time-limited endorsement from Home Office.

What is my Parental Guarantor liable for?

Your Parental Guarantor is liable for any rent arrears or damages that occur during the tenancy. As the contract denotes a Joint and Several tenancy, each tenant is individually and jointly responsible for fulfilling the contract. Therefore, indirectly, Parental Guarantors are equally individually and jointly responsible for the whole rent/ damages.

I don’t have a UK Parental Guarantor – what are my other options?

If you do not have a UK Parental Guarantor, we offer two different options for you.

Option 1: You can pay a 2 month deposit to us, which is refundable at the end of your tenancy, less any rent arrears or deductions.

Option 2: We recommend using Housing Hands, a company providing a UK Guarantor service – please see www.housinghand.co.uk for more information.

What happens if I lose my keys?

If you lose your key, we will happily get you a new one cut at a fee of £10 per replacement key.

 

What happens if we have need to reach you out of hours?

At the start of your tenancy, we will provide you with a list of emergency contact numbers. If you have a maintenance emergency, you can get in touch and we will send somebody out to you as soon as possible.

However, if you require a call out for non-emergency visits, i.e. lost keys or being locked out of a property, there will be a maintenance call out charge of £25 per visit to cover contractors’ out of hours expenses.

So, why should we live with Premier Student Homes?

Based in the heart of the student area in Edgbaston, we are on hand to offer help and advice through the week. We recognise that things don’t always go 100% to plan, and so our in-house, friendly maintenance team are always around to resolve any issues that might crop up. At Premier Student Homes, we pride ourselves on affordable quality student houses, and as a family-run business, we offer a warm and friendly service to create a ‘home away from home’ environment. Give us a call to book a viewing today – we would love to welcome you to the family!

*The DRS is an alternative to paying 6 weeks’ deposit and a £75 admin fee. Should a house of students wish to pay a deposit and admin fee instead of using the DRS, they are most welcome!