M A S O N S

The proposed tenancy is subject to the following:

• A. Satisfactory referencing and credit assessment, including verification of income and employment or self-employment.
• B. The property remaining available and suitable for the Landlord to let, for example where it has not become uninhabitable due to fire, flood or another unforeseen event.
• C. The property becoming available for occupation by the proposed tenancy commencement date, including any existing tenancy or occupation ending and vacant possession being provided.
• D. All prospective adult occupiers successfully completing the Right to Rent checks required under the Immigration Act 2014 and applicable Home Office requirements.
• E. Verification of the identity and information provided by all applicants.
• F. Satisfactory landlord or previous tenancy references where required.
• G. Final approval of the application by the Landlord.

REFERENCING CRITERIA

Before paying a Holding Deposit, all applicants must ensure they meet the referencing criteria below and disclose any circumstances which may affect their application.

Applicants will normally be required to demonstrate combined gross annual income equivalent to at least 30 times the monthly rent. For example, where the rent is £1,000 per calendar month, applicants will normally need to demonstrate combined gross annual income of at least £30,000.

All income must be capable of being independently verified and acceptance remains subject to satisfactory referencing and the Landlord's approval.

Employed Applicants

Employed applicants will normally be required to provide evidence of their current employment, salary and employment status which can be independently verified.

Applicants must accurately disclose their employment circumstances, including where they are within a probationary period, have recently commenced employment, are working under a temporary or fixed term contract, or are currently serving or have given notice to their employer.

Self Employed Applicants

Self employed applicants must disclose how long they have been self employed and must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their income.

Applicants who have been self employed for less than 12 months, do not have completed accounts, or are unable to provide the accounts, tax calculations, tax year overviews or other evidence required by our referencing provider must disclose this before paying the Holding Deposit.

Where an applicant cannot satisfy the standard self employment referencing requirements, alternative arrangements such as a suitable guarantor may be required. Any alternative arrangement will be subject to the Landlord's approval.

Credit History

All applicants will be subject to a credit and referencing assessment.

Applicants must disclose when requested any County Court Judgments, bankruptcy, Individual Voluntary Arrangements, insolvency arrangements or other material adverse credit history.

Adverse credit history may result in an application being declined or alternative arrangements being required, such as a suitable guarantor, subject to the Landlord's approval.

Important

Before paying the Holding Deposit, applicants must disclose any known circumstances which may adversely affect their application, including:

• Inability to evidence the income stated within the application
• Self employment for less than 12 months or insufficient self employed accounts or records
• Adverse credit history
• Previous County Court Judgments, bankruptcy or insolvency
• Employment which has not yet commenced
• Employment which is subject to a probationary period
• Notice having been given or received in relation to current employment
• Temporary, fixed term or other employment circumstances which may affect referencing
• Any material difference between the information provided within the application and the evidence which will subsequently be supplied
• Any other material circumstances specifically requested as part of the application which may affect the applicant's ability to satisfy the stated referencing criteria

Applicants who are unsure whether their circumstances may affect referencing should raise this with Masons BTL Ltd before paying a Holding Deposit.

HOLDING DEPOSIT

In consideration of the Landlord agreeing to process the application and remove or suspend the property from further marketing, the Prospective Tenant agrees to pay a Holding Deposit equivalent to one week's rent.

If the tenancy proceeds, the Holding Deposit may, with the applicant's agreement, be applied towards the Tenancy Deposit or first month's rent.

The Holding Deposit will normally be refunded where the tenancy does not proceed unless Masons BTL Ltd or the Landlord is entitled to retain it in accordance with Schedule 2 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

The Holding Deposit may be retained where permitted by law, including where an applicant:

• Withdraws from the proposed tenancy
• Fails a Right to Rent check
• Fails to take all reasonable steps to enter into the tenancy by the Deadline for Agreement
• Provides false or misleading information which materially affects their suitability to rent the property
• Fails to disclose material information specifically requested as part of the application which materially affects their suitability to rent the property

This may include false or misleading information concerning employment, self employment, income, credit history, previous tenancies, identity or any other information relevant to the application.

Simply failing referencing will not automatically result in the Holding Deposit being retained. The circumstances surrounding the failed application will be considered in accordance with the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Where the Holding Deposit is retained, the applicant will be provided with written reasons in accordance with the requirements of the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Where there is more than one applicant, repayment of the Holding Deposit to the person who originally paid it, or to another applicant with the agreement of the applicants, will constitute repayment of the Holding Deposit.

WITHDRAWAL BY THE LANDLORD

If the Landlord decides not to proceed with the tenancy, the Holding Deposit will be refunded to the applicant unless there is a lawful reason for retaining it under Schedule 2 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

The Holding Deposit will also be refunded where the tenancy is unable to proceed because the property is no longer available for reasons outside of the applicant's control.

DEADLINE FOR AGREEMENT

It is agreed that the Deadline for Agreement for the proposed tenancy will be the tenancy commencement date stated within the application.

The Deadline for Agreement is the date by which the tenancy agreement is expected to have been entered into.

The parties may agree in writing to change or extend the Deadline for Agreement where additional time is required to complete referencing, Right to Rent checks or other pre tenancy requirements.

TENANT FEES

In addition to the rent, Tenancy Deposit and Holding Deposit, tenants may be required to make other payments where permitted under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Changes to the Tenancy

Where a tenant requests a variation, assignment or novation of the tenancy, a charge of £50 inclusive of VAT may be made.

Where the reasonable costs incurred are higher than £50, the actual reasonable costs may be charged where permitted by the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and evidence of those costs can be provided.

This may include tenant requested changes such as a change of sharer, permission to keep a pet, permission to sublet or other requested amendments to the tenancy.

Lost Keys and Security Devices

Where a tenant loses a key, fob or other security device giving access to the property, the tenant will be responsible for the reasonable replacement costs actually incurred by the Landlord or Agent where permitted by the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

Evidence of the costs incurred will be provided in writing.

For security reasons, Masons BTL Ltd cannot loan management keys to tenants.

UTILITIES AND COUNCIL TAX

Masons BTL Ltd works with One Utility Bill to assist with notifying relevant utility providers and local authorities of a change of occupier.

You agree that Masons BTL Ltd may provide your name, telephone number, email address, tenancy commencement date and property address to One Utility Bill and relevant utility providers where necessary for the purposes of:

• Registering the change of occupier with the existing gas and electricity supplier
• Registering the change of occupier with the relevant water supplier
• Notifying the relevant local authority of the commencement of the tenancy for Council Tax purposes
• Providing you with information regarding the existing utility suppliers at the property

You are not required to purchase any additional utility service or bundle offered by One Utility Bill and, subject to any applicable terms relating to the supply at the property, you remain free to choose your own energy, broadband and other utility providers.

Any personal information provided will be processed in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation and the relevant privacy notices of Masons BTL Ltd, One Utility Bill and the relevant utility providers.

Further information regarding how One Utility Bill processes personal information can be found within its Privacy Notice.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

As part of the letting process, Masons BTL Ltd and the Landlord may be required to provide you with documents, information and notices.

You agree that documents and information relating to your application and tenancy may be provided electronically to the email address supplied within your application, where electronic service is permitted.

You are responsible for ensuring that the email address provided is accurate and for notifying Masons BTL Ltd if your email address changes.

APPLICANT DECLARATION

By submitting this application and paying the Holding Deposit, I confirm that:

• I have read and understood the referencing criteria set out above.
• The information I have provided within my application is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
• I have accurately disclosed my employment status, income and length of employment or self employment.
• Where I am self employed, I have accurately disclosed the length of time I have been trading and the evidence of income and accounts available to me.
• I have disclosed any material circumstances specifically requested which I know may affect my ability to satisfy the stated referencing criteria.
• I understand that information supplied as part of my application may be independently verified with employers, accountants, previous landlords, credit reference agencies, referencing providers and other relevant third parties, subject to applicable data protection requirements.
• I understand that providing false or misleading information, or failing to disclose material information specifically requested as part of my application, may result in my application being declined and may result in my Holding Deposit being retained where permitted by Schedule 2 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
• I understand that paying a Holding Deposit does not guarantee that a tenancy will be granted and that the application remains subject to the conditions and referencing requirements set out above.
• I confirm that before paying the Holding Deposit I have raised with Masons BTL Ltd any circumstances which I believe may prevent me from satisfying the stated referencing criteria.
• If the tenancy proceeds, I agree that the Holding Deposit may be applied towards the Tenancy Deposit.