FAQs

Useful contact numbers in case of an emergency:

Regent Security: 0845 371 0101 and quote 70870

Emergency Services: 999

Police- Non Emergency: 0116 222 2222 OR 101

Transco - Gas Emergency: 0800 111 999

Severn Trent Water: 0800 783 4444

To avoid the cost of unnecessary call outs, please see the below for list of what is and what is not considered an emergency call out.

Our offices are open Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm, if you have an emergency that can not be dealt with during these hours please contact Regent Security on 0845 371 0101 and quote 70870 as your reference number.

Please remember to use this as an EMERGENCY only. Any calls not deemed an emergency will be charged at £50.00 per call out and £35 per additional hour spent on site which is payable by the tenant.

To avoid the cost of a call out being charged to you - see below for what is and isn't classed as an emergency.

WHAT IS CLASSED AS AN EMERGENCY?

FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION/TAMPERING

In the event of the fire alarms activating, if there is a fire call 999 and evacuate the building - LEAVE YOUR POSSESSIONS BEHIND. If there is no sign of a fire, please call regent security who will come out and reset the panel. NOTE: The panel will record which detector set the panel off - the tenant responsible will be charged for the call out. IMPORTANT: Do not remove detectors, this risks lives - there will be £125 charge plus cost of damage to the fire circuit ​

PLUMBING

Water leaks (leaks caused by pins or nails in pipes will be charged to tenants)

Failure of heating system on a Friday or Saturday

​ELECTRICAL 

Loss of power or lights - You must check the trip switch on consumer unit before requesting assistance. Also please ensure there is not a power cut in your area - if there is, DO NOT contact Regent security as this is an issue which National Grid will be aware of and work to resolve.

If the problem is found to be one of your faulty appliances i.e Hair dryer, chargers, kettles etc. We reserve the right to charge you for any call outs.

LOCK OUTS

If you have locked yourself out or lost your key, please call regent security - The cost of the call out will be charged to the tenant plus the cost of new keys.

PLEASE NOTE: Replacement keys will not be issued by Regent security - a request to order new keys will need to be made during our office hours.

DOOR LOCK

Failure of external door locks - If the fault is found to be that of the tenant, We reserve the right to charge for a callout and the cost of repair

BREAK INS

Although occurrences of theft in our properties is rare, if you are unfortunate, please contact the police on 999 if the theft is in progress otherwise call 101 to summon the police 

WHAT IS NOT CLASSED AS AN EMERGENCY?

​PLUMBING

Dripping tap

Running overflow pipe

Low water pressure

A few radiators not getting warm

Noisy central heating system

​ELECTRICAL

Replacing light bulbs

Fridge/Freezer has broken down - This needs to be reported as maintenance so that a specialist can be called out - Note we do not accept liability for loss suffered as a result of fridges/freezers breaking down.

​NOISE

Nuisance noise from neighbours needs to be address directly with your neighbour or we would be more than happy to have a word - please contact us during office hours, we will be more than happy to assist you.

- Do not leave cooking unattended. Cooker fires are the most common cause of fires.

- The use of chip pans is strictly prohibited.

- Please make sure all cooking appliances are turned off after use.

- DO NOT Turn the electrical switches on or off

- DO NOT Smoke

- DO NOT Use naked flames

- DO Turn the gas supply off at the meter

- DO Open all doors and windows

- DO Call Transco Gas immediately (0800 111 999)

It is an offence to tamper with any fire equipment including the fire alarm system and fire extinguishers. An automatic fine of £125 will be charged for any incident involving the misuse of fire equipment plus the cost of putting the damage right

- Ensure that all electrical equipment is turned off, especially heating and cooking appliances which may become dangerous when the supply is restored.

- Use a torch in preference to candles.

- Check that all of the trip switches are still on. If one has tripped, try resetting it, if it trips again or fails to reset, contact our office

- Where all power is out in the neighbourhood, call Western Power Distribution on 0800 056 8090.

You can arrange a viewing by either contacting us using the details on the “Contact Us” page or by giving our student friendly team a shout on bookings@thestudenthive.co.uk

To reserve a property, first contact us to see if your chosen property is still available. You will then be required to complete a reservation form and pay £99 booking fee which is then deducted off your first rent instalment.

Once we've had conducted a credit check on you and your guarantor, We will then prepare a tenancy agreement for you to sign, detailing the instalment dates going forward.

Once the payments have been made and the tenancy agreement is signed, your property will be secure.

Please note - a UK guarantor is required - if you can't secure a UK guarantor you will have to pay your rent either upfront or in 2 installements (every 6 months), this is strictly at the landlords discretion. If you do not agree to these terms, you will lose any monies paid - so please, ensure you have a UK guarantor before paying any monies and making a reservation with us.

A UK guarantor is a resident in the UK that would sign a form stating that they would pay the rent if you cannot make payment or fall behind with payments for any reason. (This cannot be another student)

Please note - a UK guarantor is required - if you can't secure a UK guarantor you will have to pay your rent upfront. If you do not agree to these terms, you will lose any monies paid - so please, ensure you have a UK guarantor before paying any monies and making a reservation with us.

You can contact housing hand who provide guarantees for tenants who do not have a suitable guarantor. You can contact them using this link http://www.housinghand.co.uk.

Please note that a non refundable booking fee of £99 is payable to take the property off of the market - should you wish to read a sample tenancy agreement prior to paying any money, we would be more than happy to provide you with a sample tenancy agreement.

Other costs which you may incur are as follows:

- Exceeding 'utility contribution' fair use policy, if tis applies to your property, further charges will be on an invoice value basis. Where applicable, please see your tenancy agreement for further details.

- Late Rent Fee - Interest at the bank of England Base Rate.

- Bounced/Cancelled Direct Debit payments- £35

- Call Out (Outside Office Hours) - £50 + cost of keys if necessary

- Call Out (During Office Hours) - £0 + cost of keys if necessary

- Missed Contractor Appointment - cost of call out invoice

- Malicious Damage by you or your guests - cost of invoice

- Fire Tampering - £125 plus cost of repair/replacement

- Parking - Please enquire for more details

This depends on the property that you have taken. Most of our tenancies start on 1st July until the following June but with only 48 paying weeks as your rent is discounted by 50% for the summer for non-occupancy.

As long as you have a tenancy that starts in the summer with a half rent period then you can leave your belongings in the property.

However, If belongings are left over the summer we will be unable to carry out any maintenance work or cleaning that needs doing. It will be your responsibilty to clean the room when you arrive (and when you move out). Maintenance will be carried out on a priority basis when you do finally move in

You will need to collect the keys from our office during our opening hours (provided that you have handed in all relevant documents- see below) and return them the same day no later than 3pm.

If you decide not to take the property and have not yet signed a tenancy agreement then you would lose your adminstration fee and the holding deposit that you have already paid (click here for more information on your holding deposit). If you have signed a tenancy agreement then you would have to find a suitable replacement for your flat/room and you would be responsible for any rent payments until a replacement is found.

YOU MUST NOTIFY US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Tenant re-assignement fee's can be found on the 'our fees' page

If you decide not to take the property and have not yet signed a tenancy agreement then you would lose your adminstration fee and the holding deposit that you have already paid (click here for more information on your holding deposit). If you have signed a tenancy agreement then you would have to find a suitable replacement for your flat/room and you would be responsible for any rent payments until a replacement is found.

YOU MUST NOTIFY US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

As long as you have a tenancy that starts in the summer with a half rent period then you can leave your belongings in the property.

However, If belongings are left over the summer we will be unable to carry out any maintenance work or cleaning that needs doing. It will be your responsibilty to clean the room when you arrive (and when you move out). Maintenance will be carried out on a priority basis when you do finally move in

You will need to collect the keys from our office during our opening hours (provided that you have handed in all relevant documents- see below) and return them the same day no later than 3pm.

This will be detailed on your tenancy agreement. You can move in from when you start paying full rent for the property. Please contact us if you are unsure.

When collecting your keys, you will need to bring photographic I.D. with you. You also need to ensure that you have returned all of the relevant documents. Keys cannot be issued and you will not be able to move into your accommodation or move belongings in during the summer if:

YOU HAVE NOT PAID YOUR FULL DEPOSIT

YOU OR YOUR GUARANTOR DO NOT PASS YOUR CREDIT CHECKS

YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED AND RETURNED YOUR TENANCY AGREEMENT

YOU HAVE NOT PROVIDED A SIGNED PRESCRIBED INFORMATION

YOU HAVE NOT SET UP YOUR GO CARDLESS (DIRECT DEBIT) PAYMENT METHOD

YOU HAVE NOT PROVIDED A VALID COUNCIL TAX FORM OR CERTIFICATE TO US

YOU HAVE NOT PROVIDED A COMPLETE GUARANTOR MANDATE

YOU HAVE NOT PROVIDED AN ACCEPTABLE ID FOR YOU AND YOUR GUARANTOR

ANY RENT PAYMENTS ARE OUTSTANDING

WHERE APPLICABLE ENERGY PAYMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN PAID

If you are unsure about any of these items, please contact us immediately

You will need to collect your keys from our office. This will need to be during our office opening hours. You will need to book yourself in for a key collection atleast 7 days before ollecting your keys - Just so we can make sure we have recieved all documentation to allow us to give you your keys.

If you can't collect your keys during our office hours - It is possible for somebody to collect the keys on your behalf. You must ensure that you send us an email giving your permission for the person to collect the keys and provide the name. The person will need to bring photo identification with them.

Yes, you will recieve an inventory for your flat/room and, if you are the first tenant to move in, you will also be given an inventory for communal areas of your accommodation. Please check both carefully and return to tour office within 24 hours of moving in. (NB Late inventories cannot be used as a valid statement of the condition of your accommodation)

If you are provided with a TV or you bring your own and you want to watch TV channels then you will need to purchase a license. If you are simply using it for gaming, streaming or watching DVDs then a license is not required.

You should always insure your belongings, especially expensive items like laptops, tablets and phones.

click here to report your maintenance. Please ensure you have read our maintenance guide to avoid any charges being passed over to you.

We or someone working on our behalf has the right to view the property to assess its condition and to carry out necessary repairs, maintenance or viewings at reasonable times of the day.

The law says that a landlord or agent must give the tenant at least 24 hours prior notice of any visits in writing.

The Tenant may allow us to enter the property sooner to carry out work or an inspection, however we will only do this if agreed verbally with a Tenant that gaining access is acceptable to them.

We or your landlord may gain access to the property in an emergency with no warning.

Shortly before your tenancy is due to end, you will receive a letter by email and in some instances to your property, explaining what you need to do before you move out. Included in there will be a sheet titled ‘End of tenancy responsibilities’ and this details how the property must be left. To view a copy now click here

My flatmate didn’t help to clean the kitchen. What do I do?

Discuss the cleaning with your flatmates and work out an agreed time for cleaning before you all check out so that the work is divided fairly between you. If the flat hasn’t been cleaned to a certain standard when we complete the check-out inspection then we will make appropriate charges which will apply to everyone in the flat.

This includes emptying cupboards and the fridge/freezer. Anything that is left in the fridge/freezer and cupboards once the whole flat has checked out will be removed and a charge may apply.

We do charge for damages, so be sure to look after the property when you're living in it!

If you live in a studio or apartment the person named on the tenancy will be charged for damages.

If you live in a cluster flat (or dual occupancy studio/apartment) and the person responsible for causing the damage is willing to take full responsibility then we will only charge that person. If no one accepts the responsibility for damages in a communal area then the charge will be split between everyone in the flat. If this happens, you can discuss this further with a member of our team.

Yes, however only if you have a valid tenancy and are paying your summer rent.

You must return your keys to us by the end of your previous tenancy and collect your keys back off of us once your summer rent period is over.

IMPORTANT: You cannot keep the keys over the summer period unless you are paying full rent over the summer.

we will accept no liabilty for any items which have been left in the property ans we wont carry out any maintenance or cleaning during the summer period.

This depends on whether someone has signed a contract the room/flat for the next academic year. You need to contact us as early as possible if you wish to extend your stay, otherwise you are expected to vacate at 12 noon on the last day of your contract.

Late vacate charges will apply.

If you are leaving during office hours, then you will need to return the keys to our office. If you plan to return your keys at a time when our office is closed then you will need to ensure you that they are posted in our letter box. This is located to the rear of our office.

The keys will need to be put in an envelope which clearly states your full name, building name, flat and room number (Not labelling your keys correctly can result in charges if they are not allocated to you).

If you cannot return your keys on time then please contact us to discuss as we will try to help in any way that we can. If no contact is made and they are not returned on time, then you will be liable to pay a fine for each day they are not returned. In some cases you may be charged for a new lock to be fitted to the property.

Unfortunately no, we need to get rooms ready for our next tenants, we cannot allow things to be left in your room after your tenancy end date. You must clear all your belongings from your room, and from any common areas, before 12pm on your check out day. If you don't do this then we will dispose of your belongings without any liability, so please ensure you take everything with you.

After you move out, we will carry out an inspection in your property.

You will then recieve an email from the DPS outlining if we are deducting anything from your deposit. You can request a copy of the inspection if you wish.

We aim to do with within 6 weeks after the end date of your tenancy.

If you agree with charges you just follow the link in the email to get your deposit back from the DPS.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE IS ONLY APPLICABLE IF YOU PAID A DEPOSIT

It is fine to leave the property before the end of the tenancy however you are liable to pay the rent until the end date. If you are in a cluster flat, you may wish to leave the accommodation before your flat/house mates. Where this occurs, you must still ensure that the property is left in a clean and tidy condition even if this means returning to Leicester to check for yourself. Please return your keys as per the instructions above.