Miles Property Management - Residential Letting Agents in Uckfield, Lewes, Sussex

We have a diverse selection of houses and flats in towns, villages and rural locations. These vary from studio flats to large 6 bedroom country house.

Fully Managed means that MPM will be looking after you and the property throughout your tenancy. Tenants report any repair or tenancy queries to us and will act on behalf of their client, the Landlord. Most of our properties are fully managed and our clients nearly always want a fully managed service.
Tenant means that MPM finds tenants for the property and arranges the initial paperwork, then the Landlord takes over the management and the tenant contacts the Landlord direct. Fewer Landlords want this responsibility or involvement.
It's always a good idea to check with an agent as to who will be looking after your tenancy and who will be holding your deposit.

Properties do come with different levels of furnishings. In an unfurnished property you will normally find carpets, curtains and white goods only. Fully furnished properties includes sitting room furniture, dining table and chairs, beds, etc, and, in some cases will extend to crockery and cutlery and other household equipment. An inventory will be usually taken and this will list all the contents that belong to that property.

A Tenancy Agreement is a legal and binding document. You will be committed to paying rent until the end of the term. Please do not enter into a contract if you think you might wish to break it, as this could result in costly legal action. If your circumstances change then it is a good idea to let us know as soon as possible and we can advise you further.

As of the 1st June 2019 no fees are legally chargeable to prospective tenants:

No. But it is recommended that you take out Tenants contents insurance as the landlord's insurance covers the actual property/goods, but not tenant's possessions. Please ask for further details should require any cover.

Unfortunately, many Landlords are not keen on pets in their properties. Some, however, will give permission. Should a property allow pets then the tenant will be responsible for the proper care and control of said animal and for the reasonable costs or rectification of any damage or de-infestation etc., caused and for any cleaning, fumigation etc., required.

It is in everyone's interests to ensure that you can comfortably afford the rent on your chosen property. We use a separate credit referencing company called MARAS and you will need to fill out an application form. The checks are much as you'd expect, eg verification of employment, past addresses and so on. Sometimes a guarantor may be required.

If your financial reference is weak for any reason, we could ask for a guarantor to support your tenancy. This is a serious commitment, as the guarantor will be as responsible as the tenant for all monies due and obligations agreed for the tenancy. Guarantors need to have strong financial references to show that they will not suffer hardship should they be called upon to pay on your behalf.

This is a sum equal to one and a half month's rent. So a rent of £500pcm will require a deposit of £750. The deposit is held as 'stakeholder' and is returnable provided the property is vacated at the end of the tenancy in a clean condition and free of damage or loss. The Since 6 April 2007, all deposits (for rent up to £25,000 per annum) taken by landlords and agents for assured shorthold tenancies (AST) in England and Wales have had to be protected by an authorised tenancy deposit scheme. With our Full Managed & Rent Collection services we will hold the deposit and register it with The Dispute Service which is an insured Tenancy Deposit Scheme we will then provide you with evidence that your deposit is secure within 14 days of your tenancy start date. In some instances where the landlord has required us just to help find a tenant, they may wish to look after the deposit themselves. If this should happen then they will have 14 days from the start of the tenancy to prove to you that your deposit is either protected in an insured scheme or in a custodial scheme. Applicants have often told us that they now wish to rent through an agent as they previously had problems over the deposit return, when renting directly from an unscrupulous landlord.

The schemes allow tenants to get all or part of their deposit back when they are entitled to it and encourage tenants and landlords to make a clear agreement from the start on the condition of the property.
The schemes:

• allow tenants to get all or part of their deposit back when they are entitled to it
• make any disputes easier to resolve
• encourage tenants and landlords to make a clear agreement from the start on the condition of the property

There are two types of tenancy deposit protection scheme available for landlords and letting agents. All schemes provide a free dispute resolution service.

• the tenant pays the deposit to the landlord
• the landlord retains the deposit and pays a premium to the insurer - the key difference to the custodial scheme

Within 14 days of receiving a deposit
The landlord or agent must give the tenant the details about how their deposit is protected including:

• the contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme selected
• the landlord or agent's contact details
• how to apply for the release of the deposit
• information explaining the purpose of the deposit
• what to do if there is a dispute about the deposit

At the end of the tenancy:

• if an agreement is reached about how the deposit should be divided, the landlord or agent returns all or some of the deposit
• if there is a dispute, the landlord must hand over the disputed amount to the scheme for safekeeping until the dispute is resolved
• if for any reason the landlord fails to comply, the insurance arrangements will ensure the return of the deposit to the tenant if they are entitled to it

• the tenant pays the deposit to the landlord or agent
• the landlord or agent then pays the deposit into the scheme

Within 14 days of receiving a deposit
The landlord or agent must give the tenant the details about how their deposit is protected including:

• the contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme selected
• the landlord or agent's contact details
• how to apply for the release of the deposit
• information explaining the purpose of the deposit
• what to do if there is a dispute about the deposit

At the end of the tenancy:

• if an agreement is reached about how the deposit should be divided, the scheme will return the deposit, divided in the way agreed by both parties
• if there is a dispute, the scheme will hold the deposit until the dispute resolution service or courts decide what is fair

The interest accrued by deposits in the scheme will be used to pay for the running of the scheme and any surplus will be used to offer interest to the tenant, or landlord if the tenant isn't entitled to it.

As members of ARLA and as members of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, MPM are covered by substantial Professional Indemnity insurance. If you wish to inspect the current schedule please contact us.

This really depend on the property and the landlord. Most properties we market are already vacant so the earliest you could move in would probably be a week but try to allow 14 days for the process. This allows time for carrying out references and the preparation of the property. However, it may be that the previous tenant has yet to move out, in which case more time may be required. We will keep you informed all along the way.

Rent is paid monthly by standing order from your bank. This is set up to be withdrawn from your account 3 days before your rent day so that it arrives on the due date. This is a worry-free way of ensuring you never fall behind in your rental payments. Be sure to tell us if your circumstances change, such as your bank or loss of employment, as we can then help you to protect your tenancy. The last thing we want is for you to fall into arrears.

Before your tenancy begins we need to receive your first month's rent and deposit in cleared funds, such as a bankers' draft or building society cheque. Personal cheques can only be used if they are paid seven days in advance, in order to clear. You will be given details in writing before taking up the tenancy.

All utility accounts at the property will have been closed in the Landlord's name. In all fully managed properties we will let the companies know that you are moving in and you will be responsible for opening an account in your name. We will agree the meter readings with you at check in and at check out, so that there is no confusion over liabilities.

Once we have found you a property we believe that it shouldn't just stop there. We value good tenants and this is key to a good tenancy. If a tenant is happy we know that they will look after a property.