How we may help you?
We’re here to help you to find your dream home in Brighton & Hove or its surrounding areas. We attract the best properties available and we make sure that we know the properties inside out, and why the area is right for you specifically. We take the time to build a good working relationship with your landlord, which helps if any issues arise whilst our practical experience, legal background and no nonsense, hands on approach to problem solving make sure things go smoothly.
When properties in the place you want to live are priced to sell beyond your current means, or if you want to explore a certain area before putting down roots, then renting is a sensible choice. The rental market in the southeast is fast paced, particularly in vibrant coastal city of Brighton & Hove, surrounded by the National Park. A great place to live with direct trains to Gatwick and London from Brighton, Hove or Preston Park Stations, major local employers also offer great career opportunities.
We also have a great selection of flats, spacious apartments and stylish houses for you to choose from along the coast from east to west, including the go-to destinations of Patcham, Hangleton, Worthing, Seaford, Hassocks, Lewes and Arundel – all with great transport links and friendly amenities. So, if you’re looking for a 6 month assured shorthold tenancy or a longer term commitment, please get in touch.
Good to know
- You will need to give us photographic ID and we do references and credit checks.
- We take you to see your properties of choice, and tell you everything you need to know
- We offer out-of-hours “virtual” viewings if you live overseas, or work unsocial hours
- All tenancies are Assured Shorthold Tenancies for a minimum of six months, so notice periods are usually one month by you or two months if it’s the landlord, subject to your tenancy agreement.
- You can ask for a discretionary break in your tenancy, where the property can be re-marketed for a fixed fee.
- We ask for a non-refundable “holding” deposit, equivalent of one week’s rent to take the property off the market, but if the landlord withdraws you’ll get it back.
- Our deposit scheme is My Deposits, which has information at http://www.mydeposits.co.uk/
- The deposit is 5 weeks’ rent, and generally, the first month’s rent will need to be paid in advance. We make sure your deposit is protected by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
We have plenty of experience and are here to help, so contact us if you have any other questions!
How quickly will you evict my tenants if they don’t pay the rent?
This is the most commonly asked question, so we’ll address it upfront in our FAQs list:
Firstly, Aston Vaughan Lettings works strictly to current housing legislation, as well as to ARLA’s codes of conduct.
Should your tenants breach their agreement and we’re unable to restore the landlord-tenant relationship (for whatever reason), you may choose to serve notice to end the agreement. However, this can be a complicated process if:
- Your tenants don’t agree with your reasons, or
- They’re unable to leave
In this instance, you may need to consult a solicitor to handle an eviction.
NB: In our experience, tenant evictions are very rare. Due to our robust scrutiny and referencing prior to moving forward to contract, the risk is very low. For further reassurance, you may wish to speak to your Property Manager regarding the number of evictions currently in process; we’re glad to report that the answer is usually “zero”.
How much does Aston Vaughan Lettings charge?
This will depend on the package you select from us, for example:
- Tenant find service
- Full property management service
- A bespoke package (for example, some or all of the above)
In brief, our fees range from a one-off fixed introduction charge of approximately 2 weeks rent, to 10% for a full management service, plus VAT. We tailor our packages to suit you, fair fees not inflated fees Read more details in our Terms of Business. Why not ask us for a quote?
When do I get paid?
Aston Vaughan Lettings will pay you when your tenants’ rent falls due, as per your tenancy agreement. We would ask that you allow 7 working days for the rent to clear from this date. In the case of rental arrears, we process transactions every working day and will report any issues in real time. With late payments, we’ll alert you after 7 days, together with details of any action already taken, as well as our suggestions on how best to proceed
Regarding marketing my property, what sites are you on?
We will advertise your property on all the major portals, such as Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location as standard. If you have an HMO suitable for students, Aston Vaughan Lettings will also market the property on specialist sites such as www.unihomes.co.uk, www.sturents.com and, by invitation only, on the private university website forums. All properties are marketed to elicit the maximum and most effective responses to attract the best applicants – at no extra charge.
What credit checks to you do on tenants? Do I get a copy of the checks?
To answer your second question first: yes, you will get a copy of the credit checks we carry out on your would-be tenants. Referencing and credit checking are a major factor in ensuring that the people to whom you rent your property will be reliable and respectful tenants. As such, we take this part of the process very seriously, not least with the following processes:
- Credit check
- Linked address, identify and fraud information
- CCJs, Decrees and other court information
- Right to Rent check and advice
- Affordability Rating
- Previous landlord reference
- Income and employment check
We also offer the above checking procedures for guarantors.
How do my tenants get help if there’s a problem out of hours?
If something happens that we’d consider an emergency, or that could worsen or incur costs if left unattended (for example a leak or a flood), Aston Vaughan Lettings offers your tenants a 24/7 call service. They will be able to contact an on-call agent via our office number who will ensure that swift, appropriate action is taken to:
- Ensure the occupants’ safety, and/or
- Limit further damage until a decision on a longer-term solution can be made within working hours.
General, Non-Urgent Issues Your tenants can log these via the same number, with appropriate action taken during office hours. Contact Agreements You can specify out-of-hours action in your Terms of Business. Although Aston Vaughan Lettings will not contact you outside office hours, you are welcome to provide your tenants with additional or alternative contact arrangements. Allowing for this, do rest assured that there are very few instances when you will be disturbed out-of-hours.
Regarding repairs, can I use my own tradespeople or suppliers to keep costs down? Also, my I check out what needs doing myself?
Aston Vaughan Lettings will be happy to work with your existing contractors; these are established partnerships and of course, worth hanging onto! You can confirm this arrangement in your Terms of Business; however, we would insist that they’re fully qualified and that they have the relevant insurance. You’re welcome to inspect any work that needs doing at the property, although in most cases we’ll do this on your behalf. Should the repairs require specialist remedial work we may insist on a qualified contractor. Do feel free to discuss these issues with your Property Manager. Aston Vaughan Lettings maintains excellent working relationships with trusted, qualified tradespeople. Not only are they fully insured, they offer a courteous, competitive and reliable service. We will always ensure that you see a copy of all quotes for your approval, as well as copies of invoices on completion.
