This site uses cookies to provide functionality like user accounts, shopping carts and content personalisation. For more information see our cookie policy.
So you’ve found a property online and you are interested. This guide will help you understand how the process works and factor in all costs involved in the move.
Firstly, we recommend you arrange a viewing using our online booking system. You will need to register your account and once verified you can request an appointment form the property viewing diary. You will need to confirm the household details and also employment status and income details before you will be able to request an appointment.
Viewing Questions
Why do I need to register?
Before a viewing can be offered we need to have all the correct details, this is for your safety and the safety of those that will be showing you around. We also need to verify as much as possible that you will be in a position to pass our reference checks before you will be offered a viewing, this is why we ask you to provide details on the household and income along with information about yours and other tenants credit history.
What costs should I be aware of and will I pay any fees?
You will need to pay a holding deposit which is equivalent to one weeks rent. After this you will need to pay the remaining deposit and first months rent.
You should check the advert for full details but most rents will exclude bills and you will need to consider costs for utilities, council tax and media services.
Private individuals will not be asked to pay any fees to view property or apply for property.
I want to rent a property through my company, are there any fees?
Application fees apply to company tenancies for company checks, this is £240 including VAT.
I have requested an appointment, now what happens?
The appointment will be sent to the landlord for review to check if they can accommodate it. Sometimes it takes some time to get a confirmation as there will be other people involved such as nominated viewing agents or existing tenants.
Who will show me around?
The majority of viewings are managed by the landlord themselves, sometimes they will have a third party contact or a viewing agent to show you around and sometimes it is the tenant.
When you arrive please knock on the door, ring the address buzzer or bell. A contact number will be provided to you for the viewing, if you have any issues related to the viewing please contact the person on the number with the details sent to you by text.
I don't have a UK mobile number, can I still register and book a viewing?
We need a UK mobile number to send you the text messages, please contact us by email to letting@makeurmove.co.uk if you are unable to provide a UK mobile number for contact and the support team will assist you.
Should I check my credit history before booking?
Yes you should. You can use free services to check your scores and also see if there are any issues on your credit file. We ask you to do this when you register and before a viewing so we can provide all the information to the landlord for them to decide if they would be willing to progress applications in light of credit history issues. This also allows us to request additional details from you such as a guarantor or rent in advance.
Why do you ask me about household income?
References will be required for all applications and for all adults to be named as a tenant. We need to know before the viewing whether your household income would meet the minimum requirement that would be needed to pass reference checks.
How much do I need to have as an annual household income?
The minimum income requirement is at least 2.5 times the annual rent.
When you calculate your income as an employed person please use your basic salary gross figure (before deductions for tax, national insurance and pension).
If you are self employed please include the income amount from your last tax return, which will be your profits.
If you receive benefits please include all elements paid except for any amount awarded as housing elements. This is because housing element is not guaranteed and is subject to change based on entitlement.
Substantial savings can be considered along with income from pensions. Income from investments will be subject to additional checks and may not be included.
I don't earn enough, can I still make an application?
This will depend on your individual circumstances. We are able to still send your requests in some situations and the landlord will make the final decision.
If you do not earn enough as a household to meet the minimum requirement then you would be better to consider property in a lower bracket or an alternative area. Income thresholds use a general rule around affordability and those earning below the minimum level may face difficulties paying the level of rent required each month which can lead to further issues. You should consider your affordability carefully before progressing.I have a poor credit history, can I still apply?
This will depend on your individual circumstances and you will need to confirm the issues that have led to the poor score.
In some circumstances a guarantor would be required or rent paid in advance. Provide as much detail as you can on your report history and the landlord will make the decision on whether they wish to proceed.
I am not able to get to a viewing, can I apply anyway?
Yes, please email our team - letting@makeurmove.co.uk with the property reference number and your details and they will contact you during office hours to review the details and then help you submit an application.
Can I leave feedback following a viewing?
Yes, please do so as this helps the landlord and can be useful to us with helping you find property. From your Tenant Hub you can choose 'Submit Feedback' from the viewing record in your dashboard and then follow the instructions.
Do I need a guarantor?
You may need to provide a guarantor if the landlord requires it or if your circumstances suggest it will be needed. Please check the advertising details or your Tenant Hub to confirm. If no information is available then you can ask the Landlord at the viewing. The requirement for a guarantor may not become apparent until after we complete checks and so this could change based on the results.
Offer and Application Questions
How do I make an offer?
From your tenant hub account you will be able to apply for property that you have viewed.
The viewing record will display in your dashboard, you can then choose 'Apply'. You will need the following details before you do this as you cannot save and return to the form later;
For guarantors;
Please make sure you check with the guarantor that they would be willing to act for you before submitting. They need to agree to be reference checked and also to sign the contract for tenancy. Do not provide their details without their authorisation.
The form will allow you to offer your rent amount, deposit (whether you wish to use a deposit alternative scheme), the length of tenancy you prefer and the date on which you wish to move in.
Choose 'Add Tenant' to add each new tenant, you do not need to include any occupiers under 18yrs old but please provide details of any occupiers over the age of 18yrs which will not be named as a tenant on the agreement.
What are the guarantor requirements?
Guarantors must be based in the UK and have a good credit history with a verifiable income which is at least 3 times the annual rent.
What happens when my offer is submitted?
If there are multiple offers then this may take a little longer. Only one application will be progressed at a time and the Landlord will make a decision based on the details you have provided. Remember that all the information will be verified and you need to be honest with everything, if you are unsure on any question then please check before submitting.
We know it is difficult to wait for a reply but please be assured that you will be updated as soon as a decision is made. You may wish to call or message the landlord or contact our support team but this will not speed up the process. If you need to update the offer details or make any changes then our support team can assist with this and you should only contact us in these circumstances.
I received a negotiation email, what is this?
If the landlord has sent you a negotiation then they wish to make a counter offer or check if you will change your offer details. Please review this in the Tenant Hub and follow the instructions to respond.
My offer was accepted, what happens now?
As soon as your offer is accepted subject to checks and contract, the property will be removed from the market pending checks and all viewings will be suspended. You will be provided a minimum of three working days to complete all checks, after this time the property may be relisted and your application declined.
Check your email and Tenant Hub for full details. If we are instructed to carry out reference checks you will be asked to make a payment for the holding deposit. This is the equivalent of one weeks rent and will be held for a maximum of 15 days.
If the Landlord has chosen to complete their own checks then you will need to contact them for details on the next steps.
My offer was declined, why?We do not always get a reason for offers being declined and there are many. Sometimes a tenancy cannot be offered because the minimum requirements have not been met and others it is because the circumstances have changed and the property is no longer available. Often it is because there were multiple applications and a decision is made based on individual circumstances.
We know it is disheartening but your details will be saved as interested and should the property become available again in the near future then we will contact you.
Reference Questions
What happens once I pay my Holding Deposit?
The property is secured for you pending checks, these must be completed within three working days of the offer being accepted.
We will invite you to complete a full application and provide details of any referees, you should submit this as soon as you can so that we can carry out our validation and verifications.
Will I get my Holding Deposit back?
Your Holding Deposit is held in a secure Client Account and benefits from Client Money Protection provided to us by Propertymark. You will be provided with a Holding Deposit Agreement in your Tenant Hub and by email when we request the payment, please read this carefully before paying.
Your Holding Deposit will be retained in full in the following circumstances, in line with the Tenant Fee Act 2019;
Your Holding Deposit will be retained in part to cover costs of completing checks and losses incurred by the landlord in the following circumstances;
Your Holding Deposit will be returned to you or used as part of your deposit/rent once a tenancy is accepted. All fund retentions or releases will be issued in writing.
What do you check?
We will verify the following details for each tenant;The credit check is ran as a read of your credit file for tenant verification and will not leave a trace or affect your score.
Income and AffordabilityIncome and affordability verification is easiest to complete when you link your bank account through open banking. If you prefer we will complete this manually and we will contact your employer or accountant to verify.
Additional documents listed below may be required;
Manual reference will require we obtain a copy of your tenancy agreement along with 6 months bank statements and a written reference from your landlord or current agent.
Identity
Photographic identity documents and proof of address are required for all tenants and occupiers over 18yrs of age.
Additional right to rent documentation may be required following identity checks. Below is a list of documents accepted.
Proof of address
Identity Documents
How do you complete checks?
We have external partners to complete checks for us and an in house system called Tenure.
The quickest way to complete your checks is through open banking, this is a quick and easy link that you can set up from your smart phone which is completed after credit checks have been done. You will be provided a link with our open banking partner to allow open banking access and then we will receive the banking data to verify your income, rental payments and affordability in minutes or hours rather then days and weeks.
If you prefer you can opt to choose a manual service. This will require that you provide a series of documents as evidence and contact information for referees. This can take 3 to 5 working days to complete.
Credit checks are completed through a credit reference agency.
What is Tenure?
Tenure is a dedicated tool for tenants to help them manage their financial goals and earn rewards linked to rental payments and saving practices. For more details contact our support team on letting@makeurmove.co.uk.
We use Tenure as our in house tenant reference tool which speeds up the process. You can use Tenure to create your own tenant profile and we can match you to available property helping you find suitable property quicker, Tenure will allow you to complete most of your reference check before you apply too which speeds up the entire letting process.
What happens when referencing is complete?
We will inform the Landlord of the outcome of checks and ask them if they wish to proceed to a tenancy.
Once a tenancy is agreed you will be issued with the relevant documentation and will need to make the payments for rent and deposit as outlined on the property adverts and particulars of the offer. Your Holding Deposit will usually be used as your deposit.
All adults that will be living at the property will need to attend at the Check In appointment and bring with them a copy of their photo ID and visa documentation (if relevant) for the completion of the Right to Rent check.
What is the How to Rent guide?
The How to Rent guide is a useful checklist for tenants and landlords. It offers advice and guidance on the steps of renting property. The document will be available to you in your Tenant Hub under Tenancy Documents.
What other documents will I be provided with?
Additional Documents may include;
You should check your online Tenant Hub for documents or links and information related to your tenancy. Some documents will be emailed to you for safe keeping and some will be provided as physical documents by the landlord or kept at the property.
What do I do if I have a problem once I move in?
You should raise any issues with your property manager or landlord direct depending on who is looking after the property and tenancy. Check your Tenant Hub to confirm this.
If Make Ur Move Property Agents look after your tenancy then you will have a welcome email from them and a link in your Tenant Hub to report any maintenance issues so please follow those instructions.
If you do not have confirmation that we look after your property then refer to your landlord, their contact details will be in your Tenant Hub on your Dashboard.
Additional information and features
Here at Make Ur Move we recognising that tenants are a key part of the renting process. Our focus in on helping landlords and tenants maintain positive relationships throughout their tenancy and avoid the many pitfalls. We achieve this by providing a mixture of easy to use tools and support from experienced agents whee needed. This is not just for our landlords but for you too.
Every tenant will have their own Tenant Hub and access to information and resources.
If your landlord has an active subscription with us then you will also benefit from the following;
We hope this answers all the questions you may have. If you still need assistance please use our online chat support or email us and we'll help wherever we can.
