Finding a property

When should I look for a property?

The majority of HMO student properties in Cardiff, are released online in November. Therefore most students view  properties in the first semester of the academic year and book properties before they go home for the Christmas break. If you are looking for a room share property these will be released early of the third semester.

Where do most students live in Cardiff?

Cathays, Roath and Heath are the 3 most popular areas for students to live in depending on which of the university campus you will be studying at. Cathays is very popular for Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan students due to the close proximity to Cardiff University campus’ and the brilliant transport links to both Cardiff Metropolitan campus’. Roath is brilliant if you want to live in a slightly quieter area and is brilliant if you are studying at University of South Wales Cardiff campus! If you are studying at University of South Wales Treforest Campus we recommend to be located as close to the train station as possible whilst living in Heath is brilliant for those studying at Cardiff University Heath Campus. 

How much are rental prices in Cardiff?

Depending on the quality, location and size of the property, rental prices can vary from £250 per person per month up to £375 per person per month. Before you start, we would consider having a budget in mind that suits all of your group – you don’t want to fall out over what people can afford!

How do I book a viewing?

You can book a viewing a number of ways:

  1. Book a viewing online click here to book an appointment online
  2. Call one of the angels on 02922331425. We are open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays. 
  3. Email info@lettingsangels.co.uk 

How many properties will you show me?

When you book a viewing we will book an hour slot to show you to the most suitable properties. Depending on the size and type of property we will show you as many of the most appropriate properties. This is normally between 3 and 4.   

Reserving a property

What is an agency fee?

An agency fee is the fee payable to reserve the property that you are interested in renting. Once these fee has been paid we will cancel any future viewings on the property and let any other agents advertising the property know.

Our agency fee costs, depending on the type of property you rent, are:

  • Room Share - £166.80 inc VAT
  • 1-2 Bedroom Property (Under £850 pcm) - £300 inc VAT
  • Executive 1-3 Bedroom (Over £850 pcm) - 35% + VAT 
  • 3+ Bedroom non executive property - £118.80 inc VAT per person

What paperwork will I need to complete?

As a student you will need to complete the following paperwork and provide the following documents:

  • Student Application Form 
  • Proof of ID (copy of passport/drivers license)
  • Proof of Address dated within the last 3 months (e.g. bank statement or university letter. Screenshots of online bank statements can be accepted) 
  • Proof of Student status (a document that states both your start and end dates of your studies. This can be a screenshot of your student portal academic record, council tax exemption letter or a letter from your personal tutor/student services.
  • All documents will need to be sent to application@lettingsangels.co.uk 

What paperwork will my guarantor need to complete?

Your guarantor will need to complete the following paperwork and provide the following documents:

  • Signed Guarantor FAQ and Agreement 
  • Proof of ID (copy of passport/drivers license)
  • Proof of Address dated within the last 3 months (e.g bank statement or utility bill)
  •  Proof of Income over £18,000

We have a number of options for proof of income:

If your Guarantor is employed by a company, please provide ONE of the following:

  • Employers letter showing annual wage
  • Most recent P60
  • Copies of the last 3 consecutive payslips
  • Copies of the last 3 consecutive bank statements

If your Guarantor is self-employed, please provide either of the following:

  • A letter from the company accountant stating income in the last 2 years
  • The last consecutive 6 months’ bank statements

What is a guarantor?

A guarantor is a third party, such as a parent or close relative, who agrees to cover the rent payment for the individual that they are guaranteeing. We will need to reference all guarantors to assess that all guarantors are financially viable to cover any rent payments.

What If I do not have a guarantor?

If you do not have a guarantor we can provide you with a variety of options. These are often decided on a case by case basis but typically the following can be provided:

  • Pay a single deposit and 6 months rent in advance
  • Pay rent for the entire tenancy upfront

These options will also apply if your guarantor does not meet our affordability criteria.

What is a deposit and a deposit protection fee?

A deposit is a sum of money paid to your agent/landlord that is typically equal to 1 or 2 months rent. Your deposit is held for the length of your tenancy and will be returned to you at the end of your tenancy subject to the condition of the property. If there are any dilapidations to the property then your deposit will be subject to deductions.

The deposit protection fee is an administration charge that is payable at the time of your deposit to cover the protection of your deposit. The deposit protection fee is £48 and is split by the number of people in your group. For example, if you are renting as a group of 6 the £48 will be split 6 ways totalling £8 per person.

Where is my deposit protected?

If your living in a property managed by Sales and Lettings Angels, your deposit will be protected with the Deposit Protection Service. You can find more information about them here. 

If you are living in a let only your landlord will be able to advise where your deposit is protected.

How will I sign my tenancy agreement?

Your tenancy agreement will be sent electronically using our EchoSign technology. This will be sent to the first tenant and once it has been signed by the first tenant it will automatically be sent to the next tenant until all tenants have signed the agreement. Once all tenants have signed the tenancy agreement it will be returned to Sales and Lettings Angels for the landlord signature. Once the agreement has been fully signed, each tenant will receive an electronic copy. 

What happens If I change my mind on the property that I have signed for?

Once you have signed your tenancy agreement you have liability for rent for the length of the agreement that you have signed for. Should you wish to leave your tenancy agreement we can offer two options:

1. You can find a replacement tenant yourself
You can try to re-marker the room yourself, encourage your friends to help and advertise on social media channels. If you are a student at Cardiff University, then the tenant find service at the Advice and Representation Centre are all good options.

2. We can re-market the room for you
We can advertise your room for you at a cost of ½ of one months rent to cover our marketing costs. Once the fee has been paid, we will advertise the property on our website and our property portals including Rightmove, Zoopla and On The Market and conduct viewings. This does not guarantee that your room will be filled but may give you a higher chance.

Please note that you will be liable for the rent until a new tenant is found and the tenancy agreement has been signed. 

Living in a property

What are the landlords responsibilities of the property that I am living in?

Landlords has obligations that are contractually and legally required to uphold. 

Landlords are obliged to do the following: 

  • To maintain his obligations regarding repair further to s.11 Landlord & Tenant Act 1985, in so far as to: 
  • Keep in repair the structure and exterior of the property (including drains, gutters and external pipes);
  • Keep in repair and in proper working order the installations in the dwelling house for the supply of water, gas and electricity
  • and sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences but not of the fixtures, appliances for making use of the supply of water, gas or electricity) and;
  • To keep in repair and proper working order installations in the dwelling house for space heating and heating water.
  • To ensure that the Property has an up-to-date gas safety certificate under the Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations Act 1998. All gas appliances, flues and other fittings to be checked annually to ensure they are safe and working properly.
  • To comply with the obligations under the Fire and Safety Regulations 1988. All of the Landlord's furniture and furnishings, including sofas, bed, cushions and pillows, must meet these fire safety standards.
  • To pay and indemnify the Tenant against all charges in respect of the Property except those which by the terms of the agreement the Tenant has expressly agreed to pay.
  • To pay the balance of the Deposit to the Tenant as soon as possible after the conclusion of the tenancy, minus any reasonable costs incurred for the breach of any obligation. Where applicable, the Landlord may retain the Deposit until the Local authority confirms that no Housing Benefit paid to the Landlord is repayable.

The landlord is not obliged to do the following; replace bulbs & maintain garden areas & clean, e.g. generally things that the tenants are responsible for (Tenant like manner).

What is a check in inspection and inventory?

A check in inspection and inventory will be conducted at the start of your tenancy before any tenants move in. This report will include a list of items, their condition and the general condition and state of the property that you will be living in. Once this has been completed, you will have a copy emailed to you and you will have 7 days to review and submit any changes. This report will be used at the end of your tenancy to compare the condition and check for any dilapidations or damages.

What is an interim inspection?

An interim inspection will be a 3 monthly check of the property that you are living in so that we as an agency can check how the property is being kept and identify any maintenance issues so that we can rectify them. You will be informed of an inspection with at least 24 hours notice. 

What is a checkout inspection?

A check out inspection will be conducted when the last tenant has moved out at the end of your tenancy. This report will be used in relation to the check in inspection and inventory and will include a list of items, their updated condition and the general condition and state of the property. This report will be used to determine if any deductions will need to be made from your deposit.

I have received a notification of viewing what does that mean?

You will receive all notifications of a viewing via email. If you are a tenant living in a property and have informed us of your wish to move out of your property at the end of your tenancy we will conduct viewings on your property. We will always provide you with 24 hours notice of this viewing and as we will hold keys to your property, you will not need to be in the property.

If you are a student living in a student room share and have a notification of viewing, this typically means we will be showing the remaining available rooms to applicant tenants. 

I have received a notification of maintenance, what does that mean?

You will receive all notifications of maintenance via email. If you have reported maintenance or we have picked up any maintenance problems in any of our inspections we will aim to get these rectified as soon as possible. We will contact our contractors and arrange a date with them for you to attend your property. Please note that due to contractors busy schedules we cannot provide you with a specific time of when they will be attending your property. We will always provide you with 24 hours notice of maintenance and contractors will always hold keys so that you do not need to be in the property.

Who pays for the bills?

Unless the bills are included in your rental price, you as the tenant will be responsible for paying the bills. You will need to pay all utilities (gas, water and electricity), internet (should it be required) and a TV license (should it be required). As a student you will be exempt from council tax and therefore will not be required to pay council tax. 

How do I set up bills?

As an agency, we will inform all utility companies (gas, water and electric) of your tenure in a property. Once these companies have been informed they will contact you directly regarding the billing process. You are free to change supplier during your tenancy but this would be down to you as the tenant to arrange. You will need to set up all accounts from the agreed start date of your tenancy (not the date that you move into the property) as you will be liable for utility companies standing charges.

You can find the best energy quotes here:

British Gas
EDF
Npower
SSE

How do I know who my suppliers are?

If you wish to find out who your energy supplies are you can call the following numbers:

Electric Supply: 08456015972 (6-51p a minute from mobiles)

Gas Supply: 08706081524 (6-57p a minute from mobiles)

As you will be living in Wales, your water will be provided by Welsh Water. More information can be found here:https://www.dwrcymru.com/ 

Do I need to pay council tax?

As you will be a student, you will be exempt from council tax and not be required to pay. We will inform the council of your exemption from council tax.

How do I get a parking permit?

In order to apply for a parking permit as a student you will need to apply via post, as you will not hold a council tax account number.

Below is Cardiff Council’s requirements to apply for a permit via post that is also accessible here (link to https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Parking-roads-and-travel/Parking-permits/Apply-for-a-new-permit/Pages/default.aspx))

You will need to send all postal applications to:

The City of Cardiff Council Parking Services
P.O. Box 47
Cardiff
CF11 1QB 

You will need to provide the council with the following:

1. Proof of address

This could be:

  • Official Rent Book / Tenancy Agreement (this must signed and dated by the landlord or agency and tenants. It must also include the name of the applicant and cover the period for which the permit is required).
  • Bank or Building Society statement (dated within 3 months of application). 
  • Current Council Tax or Utility Bill which covers the 3 month period prior to application - Gas, Electric, Water or Land-Line Telephone, 
  • Solicitor's letter confirming completion of purchase of property (dated within 3 months of application). 

Please note: Deposit Protection Scheme Deposit Agreements, Mobile phone bills, driving licences or vehicle documents are not accepted as proof of address.

2. Clear notification of your vehicle registration

You must ensure that you write the vehicle registration numbers clearly on any correspondence sent by post. 

3. Payment

For postal applications payment can be made using a cheque or postal order made payable to ‘Cardiff County Council’. The council do accept cash but for security reasons, you will need to obtain proof of posting.

More information on parking permits can be found on the Council Website (link to https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Parking-roads-and-travel/Parking-permits/Pages/Parking%20permits.aspx)

Do I need a TV license?

As a student you will need a TV license if you watch or record programmes when they are being shown live on TV and/or if you watch BBC programmes on BBC Iplayer. You will need a TV license if you watch progammes on a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet or games console.

If you are all on a joint tenancy agreement you will only require 1 TV license for the property, however if you live in a student house share with each room on a separate tenancy agreement you will each need your own license.

More information on TV licenses for students can be found here: (link to http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/students-aud1?x=0)

Reporting Maintenance 

How do I report maintenance?

To report maintenance, you can report maintenance in the following ways:

  1. Email: management@lettingsangels.co.uk
  2. Call: 02922331425 
  3. Use our contact us form

When you contact us through any of the above channels regarding maintenance please provide us with the following:

  • What the problem is?
  • Where the problem is in the property? E.g. boiler located in back bedroom 
  • How long the problem has been happening? E.g. 1 day or 3 weeks 
  • Has a contractor previously attended for the same issue?

Any pictures and/or videos help us to determine the nature of the problem and the possible cause

How do i know who to report maintenance to?

Depending on whether you live in one of our managed or let only properties, this will confirm who will report maintenance too.

If you live in a let only property, you will need to report maintenance to your landlord. Your landlord’s contact details will be found on the front page of your tenancy agreement. If you cannot find these details please call the office on 02922331425 and we will be able to provide you with these details.

If you live in one of our managed properties, you will need to report maintenance to ourselves. You can report maintenance in the following ways:

  1. Email: management@lettingsangels.co.uk
  2. Call: 02922331425 
  3. Use our contact us form

What do I do if my landlord is not responding to my maintenance issue/queries?

If you live in a let only property and your landlord is not responding to your maintenance issues and/or queries, you can call the office and we will try our best to help and contact your landlord on your behalf. This rarely happens but in the chance it does, please do let us know. 

Moving out of a property

What do I do with my keys?

We ask all tenants to leave their keys in the property that they are moving out. This means that all keys need to be in the appropriate door. If you are the last tenant moving out, you can post your keys back through the letterbox of the property. If keys are returned to the office we will not be able to accept these and will ask you to return them to the property.

Do I need to clean my property before I move out?

All properties need to be left in the condition they were in when you moved into your property.  We will provide you with comprehensive move out instructions and a cleaning checklist when your tenancy is coming to an end. 

When will I get my deposit back?

If you live in one of our managed properties, we aim to return all deposits within 14 working days of the check-out inspection being conducted.

I have not received my deposit within 14 working days, why is this the case?

If you have not received your deposit within 14 working days, it will suggest that there are deductions to be made from the deposit for cleaning and/or maintenance repairs. We will have to wait until the end of the month for invoices to be submitted regarding cleaning and/or repairs before we will be able to calculate how much we will need to deduct from your deposit. We follow this procedure to ensure that we do not overcharge you and deduct costs that are in excess of any work carried out. Once these invoices have been received and costs accurately deducted you will then be provided with an updated time frame for deposit return.