FEES TO TENANTS

BEFORE YOU MOVE IN:

DURING YOUR TENANCY (Payable to Agent):

OTHER FEES:

FEES TO LANDLORDS

OFFICE OPENING HOURS:

Our office operates by appointment only. The quickest way to get in touch is by emailing info@ridleyproperties.co.uk, we aim to respond promptly and several employees monitor emails for urgent matters.

WHAT IS ON MY ARTHUR ONLINE ACCONT?

An online account has been made for every tenant. Here you can access details about your property and the following important documents.

• Signed Tenancy Agreement\
• Payment Schedule including bank details for paying rent
• The Property Handbook
• The Property’s Inventory
• Safety Certificates relating to the property - Gas, Electricity, Fire

HOW DO I LOG INTO MY ONLINE ACCOUNT?

You should have received an invitation to join Arthur Online. Please download the Arthur for Occupants app on your phone and log into your account. If you are have trouble please email info@ridleyproperties.co.uk and we can help. 

WHAT WILL I NEED IN ORDER TO SIGN UP FOR A PROPERTY?

To secure a property you'll need to provide: 

• Payment of 1 weeks rent as a holding deposit (this will go towards payment of your first month's rent once you complete sign-up); 
• Payment of the damage deposit for the whole property (by bank transfer from one person's account) upon signing the Tenancy Agreement
• Your student ID/student number (not applicable for professionals)
• A passport or proof of right to rent in the UK (if you are an overseas student, you will need to provide your Share Code issued by UK Government); 
• A completed guarantor form. Your guarantor - usually a parent or guardian - must be UK resident or you can use a commercial Guarantor service such as Housing Hand or Rent Guarantor

WHAT IS THE GUARANTOR FORM FOR?

This is signed by the tenant, the letting agency and the tenant’s guarantor. The guarantor, usually the parent or guardian, must be resident in the UK and signs to agree that in the eventuality of the tenant being unable to pay rent or any outstanding amounts on their account the tenant’s guarantor will pay on their behalf. We cannot give out any keys until we receive all of these forms completed. If you cannot provide a UK based guarantor you would be required to use a commercial Guarantor service such as Housing Hand or Rent Guarantor.

WHAT IS THE DEPOSIT FOR?

The deposit you pay is used to cover the cost of repairs for any damages done to the property whilst you are living there. This is a standard practice undertaken by all letting agents; it is sometimes referred to as a bond.

Much like the rental payments, the deposit also needs to come from one person's bank account. It is then registered with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and is refundable at the end of your Tenancy provided there is no damage. Please note it will also be refunded into one person's bank account.

HOW MUCH IS THE DEPOSIT?

Depending on the property this varies from between £200 to the equivalent of one month's rent. This needs to be transferred to us from one person's bank account. 

WHERE IS THE DEPOSIT HELD?

Your deposit is protected with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) at tenancydepositscheme.com. You'll receive confirmation of this with your deposit protection certificate within 30 days of paying your deposit.

HOW LONG IS THE CONTRACT?

From 1 May 2026, all tenancies under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 are rolling periodic agreements with no fixed end date. Tenants can give two months' written notice to end the tenancy at any time, expiring at the end of a rent period. Your tenancy agreement and start date will be confirmed in your Arthur Online account at www.arthuronline.co.uk (or via the Arthur Tenant App).

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT WANT TO STAY FOR THE FULL CONTRACT PERIOD?

From 1 May 2026, all tenancies are rolling periodic agreements with no fixed end date. Any tenant in a joint tenancy may serve written notice to end the tenancy. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, if one tenant in a joint tenancy serves a valid notice to quit, this ends the tenancy for all tenants. A minimum of two months' written notice is required, expiring at the end of a rent period. If all remaining tenants wish to stay, a new tenancy agreement would need to be negotiated with the landlord.

PAYING YOUR RENT

Payment is due monthly in advance and must be transferred to us from one person's bank account. The first month’s rent is payable upon signing the contract. All students are provided with a payment schedule as part of their signed Tenancy Agreement which contains the details of payments due and bank details to make the payments. All rental payments for the entire Tenancy must come from one person's bank account.

WHAT REFERENCE SHOULD I PUT ON MY RENT PAYMENTS?

You will find a unique reference on your payment schedule. Please check and ensure you use this reference otherwise we may not be able to process the payment correctly. 

WHAT IS A STANDING ORDER?

A standing order is different to a direct debit. We ask the tenants to set up a standing order (as a group) with their bank; this asks the bank to send Ridley Properties the agreed amount of rent on the same date of every month. Ridley Properties cannot set up standing orders; this is the tenant’s responsibility.

Please ensure you and your flatmates remember to cancel your standing order at the end of your Tenancy otherwise payments will continue. We have no control over your standing order, we cannot take money from your account, you need to liaise with your bank directly to cancel the payments at the end of your Tenancy. 

WHERE CAN I FIND RIDLEY PROPERTY’S BANK DETAILS?

There is a document called a Payment Schedule on your Arthur online account which gives the sort code and account number of Ridley Properties. This is the account you and your flatmates should pay all payments into.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY RENT IS LATE?

If your rent is more than 14 days overdue, we may charge interest at 3% above the Bank of England base rate for each day the payment remains outstanding. If you're struggling to pay, please contact us as soon as possible — we'll always try to find a solution.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM UNABLE TO PAY MY RENT?

Please contact us as soon as possible to explain why you cannot pay the rent; we shall discuss the matter with you and agree on an alternative date that the rent will be paid. 

WHEN CAN I COLLECT MY KEYS?

As long as we have received the damage deposit for the whole property and every tenant has completed their guarantor forms you are able to collect your keys from the first day of your tenancy. Please email us to arrange an appointment. Please note – you cannot pick up keys at the weekend or bank holidays as we will be closed. A member of our team will meet you at the property and ALL keys will be handed out to one tenant. It is then up to you as a group to distribute keys between yourselves. 

FILLING IN THE INVENTORY

You will be sent an email once your inventory has been uploaded to your Arthur online account. We hire an outside company to carry this out. It is a detailed report of the contents and state of the house when you move in. It is your responsibility to check that it is a correct representation of the property; we shall use this as a reference when calculating your deposit returns.

CAN I PUT UP SHELVES, POSTERS OR PUT NAILS IN THE WALLS?

You must not put up anything on your walls that will alter the paintwork or plaster in any way. Any damage or alterations to the walls will be charged for at the end of the tenancy

I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO UNIVERSITY WITH ME, DO I NEED A PARKING PERMIT?

Please refer to the local Council website regarding parking and permits for your particular street.

WHEN DO I HAVE TO MOVE OUT?

The last day of the tenancy this is stated clearly on your Tenancy Agreement (this can be found on your Arthur account under Tenancy Documents).  Please check with us if you are unsure of your contract end date. You must vacate the accommodation by 10am on the last day of your Tenancy. Please leave all sets of keys in the property, take a photo and email us.

HOW DO I RETURN MY KEYS?

• Keys must be returned to us by 10am on the last day of the contract. You should leave all sets of keys inside the property and let us know where they are.
• Any keys received after this time will be deemed late and charged £35 per key. 
• If you need to return your keys by post please include ONLY your name with the key DO NOT include the property address.
• If you believe you have lost your keys and will not be able to return them on the last day of the tenancy please let us know as soon as possible so we organise keys for the next tenants. You will be charged £35 per kay for replacing these.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I LEAVE PERSONAL BELONGINGS BEHIND AT THE END OF TENANCY?

This is not the responsibility of Ridley Properties.  Any items left behind at the end of the tenancy will be discarded; you will be charged for removal and disposal if we have to do this. Please ensure you take all of your belongings with you at the end of your tenancy as you will not be granted access to the property after the last day of your tenancy

WHEN WILL I GET MY DEPOSIT BACK AT THE END OF THE TENANCY?

Once all tenants have vacated the property we will conduct final inspection, making notes on condition of property in terms of decoration, damages and cleanliness comparing these to your initial inventory that you completed. (Please refer to your property handbook and previous emails regarding cleaning your property)

If any maintenance work, decoration or cleaning is required we will instruct for these to be done and await final invoices to obtain the cost of these works.

We will email you within 10 days of receiving all keys (subject to receiving all final invoices for works), with a report of proposed deductions (if any) based on our final inspection.

• Once the report has been sent all tenants must email us confirming agreement or disagreement to the report of proposed deductions.
• You must also send evidence that final bills have been settled. Tenants can provide proof via a final bill showing £0 balance in the form of a paper bill scanned in, or a screen shot of online account. Or via final bill showing the amount to be paid, and a satisfactory receipt showing it has been paid, i.e. screen shot of account or a scanned receipt from post office.
• If tenants agree with the proposed deductions please send an email confirming both your agreement and your bank details; you will then receive your deposit within 5 - 20 working days. We must receive agreement from all tenants before we can return any deposits. If the deposit came from one person's bank account, it will again go back into one person's bank account - please let us know the bank details. 

WHAT IF I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE PROPOSED DEDUCTIONS

If you do not agree to these deductions, please send an email that states your reasons for any disagreement and the amount you deem to be fair. We shall forward all disagreements on to the landlord for their consideration. We will then try to seek an amicable agreement between tenant and landlord.

If an agreement cannot be made or you have further disputations, either the tenant or the landlord can raise a dispute with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme where we register all deposits (https://www.tds.gb.com/) The Tenancy Deposit Scheme will ask for evidence from the tenants and the landlord in order to make an independent judgement on who should receive what. They will instruct us accordingly and we will make the appropriate refund via bank transfer.  

Please note: if there are disputations the deposit return process could take up to a month. 

GAS, ELECTRICITY AND WATER CHARGES

If you do not have a bills inclusive package with us, we would like to remind you that these charges are not included in your rent and as joint tenants of a property you are required to pay the relevant charges. These are usually on a quarterly basis.  Once you have moved in, it is important that at least one tenant in the household registers their full name with the appropriate utility companies so you can begin paying for your utilities. However we would recommend that all tenants living in the property should register their names with the appropriate companies (where possible) to avoid any problems later in the tenancy. 

METER READINGS

You will find detailed instructions of how to read gas and electric meters in your Property Handbook that you will find on your Arthur online account.

It is important to take a gas and electricity meter reading as soon as you have moved in and submit the reading to the relevant companies to avoid paying any extra charges.  This also must be done when you move out of the property so you can settle your final bill. 

WHO IS MY GAS AND/OR ELECTRIC SUPPLIER?

If you are not sure who is currently supplying gas and/or electricity to your property then you should:

• Review any recent bills that may have been sent to the property
• Contact Northern Powergrid on 105 or find them online.
• Your water is supplied by Northumbrian Water, we try to inform them when you have moved in so you should receive a bill, but if you have any queries contact them online or give them a call: 0345 733 5566    

WE HAVE RECEIVED BILLS FOR THE PREVIOUS TENANTS - WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Ridley Properties are not responsible for any utility bills in our properties. You are also not responsible for any utility charges made before your tenancy start date. We suggest you contact the utility company as soon as possible to inform them of your new tenancy. You should supply them with the dates your tenancy started and will finish and the meter readings you took when you arrived at the house. You can also use the meter readings on your inventory that were taken before you moved in. It is the utility company’s responsibility to charge the appropriate tenants for their utility use.

COUNCIL TAX

Yes, full-time students are exempt from council tax. Once you've moved in, all tenants should notify Newcastle City Council of their student status. You'll need proof of enrolment from your university. If you receive a bill, you can apply for an exemption at gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount. Note: if a non-student moves into your property, the exemption no longer applies and the property becomes liable.

TELEVISION LICENSES

Students and Professionals are reminded that it is your responsibility to obtain a TV licence even if the property is supplied with a TV.  Only 1 licence is required per household as long as everybody is on the same lease/contract.  

REFUSE COLLECTION

All residences are required to dispose of rubbish regularly in the wheelie bins that are located at the front or back of the property. It is essential that rear yards are kept free of litter.

WHEN IS THE RUBBISH COLLECTED?

There may be a sticker on your wheelie bin indicating the day your rubbish is collected. If you're in any doubt you should check on the council website for your bin collection day.

WHAT IF I HAVE LARGER ITEMS TO DISPOSE OF?

You will need to take them to a Council run tip or arrange for the Council to come and pick the items up from your home - there will be charges applied depending on what needs collecting. Please check on the Council website for these services. 

WHAT DO I DO IF SOMETHING BREAKS OR NEEDS REPAIRING IN MY PROPERTY?

All maintenance issues/repairs must be reported to us via our online maintenance system. This is the most efficient way of ensuring your problem will be dealt with. It can be accessed easily in 3 ways:

1) Direct link: https://ridley-properties.fixflo.com,

2) On our home page in the top right hand corner click on the orange button 'report maintenance'.

3) When you are logged in to your online account, under your tenancy agreement and document downloads click on the big orange button 'report maintenance'

Our online maintenance system allows for easy and precise communication of any repairs required and goes directly to our maintenance team to ensure the quickest possible response time. Where possible please always include photos which will help our team to understand the problem. We endeavour to have non-urgent maintenance problems rectified within five working days under normal circumstances

WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY?

Emergencies include major flooding, gas leaks, and complete loss of power. In an emergency, please still report it using the usual maintenance portal at https://ridley-properties.fixflo.com so that we receive the full detail of the problem and can provide a solution quickly.

If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 first.

If there is a gas leak it would be advised to call National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999

WHAT IF I HAVE AN URGENT PROBLEM?

Urgent issues include broken cookers, fridges or freezers; doors that won't open or lock; minor flooding; heating failure; or anything that poses a health and safety risk. Report these using our FIXFLO maintenance portal: https://ridley-properties.fixflo.com/

Issues reported at weekends or during holidays will be addressed the next working day.

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS?

All other repairs will be classified as routine and will be addressed again according to their urgency.

WHAT IS THE COST OF DAMAGE?

All tenants are jointly responsible for communal areas. Individual tenants are responsible for their own rooms. Any damage, including to paintwork from posters or fixings, will be charged to the relevant tenant and deducted from the damage deposit, but it's important to remember the deposit is treated as one whole payment for the whole property.

HOW DO I KEEP MY STUDENT/PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY SECURE?

All students or professionals in our properties are required to keep the accommodation safe and secure; this includes:

• Using the bottom lock on front doors if you have one
• Keeping windows and doors locked at all possible times to minimise theft
• Not inviting anyone into a residence unless you know them well and are able to take responsibility for their actions

HOW DO I REPORT A BURGLARY?

Report any burglaries to the police as soon as possible. Call 101 to get in contact with Northumbria Police. Only use these numbers in a non emergency. If there is an emergency always ring 999. We would strongly advise you to take out personal belongings/contents insurance

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I LOSE MY KEY?

 If you lose your key you must inform us as soon as possible and we will arrange for a replacement key. Please note that replacement of lost keys will cost £35 per key. 

MY BEDROOM DOESN'T HAVE A LOCK, CAN I GET ONE?

Not all bedrooms have locks and the landlord is not required to provide them.  If you require a lock on your bedroom door there is a charge for buying and fitting the lock.  You are not allowed to fit your own lock as the lock has to be of a certain type in order to comply with H.M.O Licensing and Accreditation Legislation. 

PETS AND ANIMALS

You have the right to request to keep a pet in your home. Your request must be made in writing and include a description of the pet. We will respond within 28 days with a Pet Request information form for you to complete so we can make a reasonable assessment, we cannot unreasonably refuse. Requests may be declined where the pet is unsuitable for the property, for example a large dog in a small flat, or where restrictions in a superior lease apply. Each request is considered on its own merits.

FIRE SAFETY

We undertake regular fire inspections of your property on a quarterly basis. This is in keeping with fire regulations and ensures all smoke alarms and fire equipment are in full working order. You will be notified 24hrs before these inspections take place

SMOKING POLICY

Smoking or vaping is not permitted anywhere inside any of our properties. Any evidence of smoking or vaping during a tenancy may result in redecorating costs being deducted from your damage deposit.

SMOKE ALARMS

There are smoke alarms located in all communal areas of the properties and in all bedrooms, which will be triggered to alert you if there is a fire. You should never tamper with the smoke alarms.

THE SMOKE ALARM KEEPS BEEPING, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If the battery is low the smoke alarms will usually sound a beep every so often to alert you.  If you suspect the battery is low then please inform us and we will replace them for you, do not attempt to do this yourself as you may damage the alarm.

CAN I REMOVE MY DOOR CLOSER?

Door closers are not to be removed from the doors.  These are there for a reason and required by law in keeping with fire regulations.  There will be a charge if they are found to have been removed by any tenants. 

COOKING IN YOUR PROPERTY

Cooking in any form is not permitted in bedrooms Please ensure that, when cooking, you close the kitchen door and open the window to avoid setting off the smoke alarms that are located in the property.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE?

Make sure you always follow the Fire Safety advice specific to your building, especially if you are in a communcal block with several apartments.

If a fire breaks out general advice is:

• Dial 999 immediately
• Evacuate everyone from the property, leaving all your personal belongings
• Do no re-enter the property under any circumstance until told it is safe to do so

CLEANLINESS

We would advise tenants to keep the property in a clean and tidy condition - communal areas are the responsibility of all tenants. We would like to remind tenants that when the tenancy is over, the property must be left in exactly the same clean and tidy condition in which it was in when you moved in, failure to do so may result in deductions from your damage deposit.

REDRESS SCHEME

As part of the legal requirements to be a member of a redress scheme we are registered with The Property Redress Scheme linked to our membership of UKALA: https://www.theprs.co.uk/

CLIENT MONEY PROTECTION

We are part of UKALA who provide us with total loss Client Money Protection. 

You can find more details about this on their website: https://www.ukala.org.uk/client-money-protection-cmp/

If you require a copy of our certificate please email us.

INTERNET NOT WORKING

If your property has a bills-inclusive package and you have a Virgin Media router follow these instructions: 
1. Try a hard reset of the router (hold a pin in the reset point at the back for 30 seconds). 
2. If the problem persists, contact Virgin Media Technical Support directly on 0800 052 5761 — you'll need to give them the account name (Ridley Properties) and your address. 

Unfortunately we cannot troubleshoot Virgin Media internet issues on your behalf.

If you have a bills inclusive package but do not have a Virgin Media router, please report the fault in the usual way through the FIXFLO maintenance portal: https://ridley-properties.fixflo.com/

If you are living in one of our properties where you have opted for a bills inclusive package your internet is most likely provided by Virgin Media Business.

IN-HOUSE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

We are committed to providing a professional service to all our clients and customers.  When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it.  This will help us to improve our standards.

If you have a complaint, please put it in writing, including as much detail as possible.  We will then respond in line with the timeframes set out below (if you feel we have not sought to address your complaints within eight weeks, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Property Ombudsman to consider without our final viewpoint on the matter).

What will happen next?

• We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of you complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
• We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally be dealt with by the office manager who will review your file and speak to the member of staff who dealt with you.  A formal written outcome of our investigation will be sent to you within 8 weeks of sending the acknowledgement letter.
• If, at this stage, you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a separate review to take place by a senior member of staff.
• We will write to you within 15 working days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final viewpoint on the matter.

If you remain dissatisfied, you can then contact The Property Redress Scheme to request an independent review:

https://www.theprs.co.uk/Complain

Please note the following:

You will need to submit your complaint to The Property Redress Scheme within 12 months of receiving our final viewpoint letter, including any evidence to support your case.

The Property Redress Scheme requires that all complaints are addressed through this in-house complaints procedure, before being submitted for an independent review.