The lease you sign will be an Assured Shorthold, which means that you can stay in the property for the period of the lease (provided you meet all the obligations of the lease). If the landlord wishes to end the tenancy you will be given two months’ notice to quit the premises.

We have an obligation to conduct regular inspections of all tenanted accommodation. This is to ensure the property is not in need of repair, that you are looking after the property and discuss any problems you may be experiencing. You will be given notification when an inspection is due to be conducted.

In the event of maintenance being required please telephone us at the earliest possible time in order to minimise any problem that could subsequently arise. Trades persons will be alerted by the Agent and dependent upon the nature and urgency of the task will respond accordingly. Simple precautionary procedures should then be taken by the tenant to prevent any additional problem arising e.g. turn off water at the stopcock if necessary, isolate electric or gas supplies at the mains where required.

To report a maintenance issue please click here: https://patrickjamesproperty.propertyfile.co.uk/tenant  Such issues will be akcnowleged and responded to normally within 1-2 working days. On Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays we will have a staff member who will check once per day for more urgent issues reported such as leaks and will try and action more quickly as required.  In all cases, if a contractor can attend will depend on their availability, as we do not employ any contractors directly ourselves.

·    If your issue is an emergency, see below:

Please note an emergency is only:

-              Fire

-              Flood

-              Gas or Carbon monoxide leak

-              An issue that without urgent assistance will cause immediate serious damage to the property OR pose an immediate risk to residents

In an emergency, please take this action:

-              FIRE - call 999 or 112 for the fire service.  Then call or email the PJP office on 0117 3706452 or info@patrickjamesproperty.co.ukand report to a team member or leave a voicemail.  

-              GAS OR CARBON MONOXIDE ESCAPE - to report a gas or carbon monoxide emergency, or if a pipeline is struck (even if no gas leak has occurred) call 0800 111 999 (24-hour service). Then call or email the PJP office on 0117 3706452 or info@patrickjamesproperty.co.uk and report to a team member or leave a voicemail.  

-              FLOOD - To report flooding, call 0345 988 1188 (24-hour government service).  Then call or email the PJP office on 0117 3706452 or info@patrickjamesproperty.co.uk and report to a team member or leave a voicemail.  

-              LARGE WATER ESCAPE - not a minor leak and likely to cause immediate damage to the property. Please immediately locate the water stop cock using this guide and turn off the water supply: https://www.affinitywater.co.uk/my-water/how-to-guides/inside-stop-tap

Then report the issue via the portal as a non-emergency matter – it will be picked up by a member of the Patrick James Property team at the earliest opportunity during office hours.

-              OTHER – This is an issue that without urgent attention will cause immediate serious damage to the property, or pose an immediate risk to residents.  Then call or email the PJP office on 0117 3706452 or info@patrickjamesproperty.co.uk and we will respond the next working day at the latest. Outside of office hours you must leave a voicemail and or send an email.  

You may yourself seek an emergency contractor to attend the property and you will be refunded any monies you have to outlay for this by the Landlord, please keep all receipts. However please note, if the issue is later deemed not to have been an emergency, or the issue was as a result of then tenants own action or responsibility, any costs incurred by the tenant will not be refunded.

If your issue does not fit with the above description, it is unlikely to be classed as an emergency. In this case, please report this item on Propertyfile under a different category. Your report will be attended to at the earliest opportunity during office hours.

You cannot have any pets unless we have permission from the landlord/ourselves in writing. You must consult us prior to obtaining a pet and submit a written request to have a pet stating age/type/breed.

YES! You should consider taking out contents insurance to cover accidental damage to the Landlord’s contents, buildings, fixtures and fittings. The landlord is responsible for insuring the building.

As a tenant you are responsible for ensuring the rent is paid in full and on time. We have facilities to enable you to establish a standing order which will mean payments are paid directly from your bank to our designated account.  You will need to cancel the standing order before leaving the property. 

Utility bills, including Council Tax is your responsibility unless stated otherwise in the tenancy agreement. You will need to choose your supplier upon moving in and ensure accounts are closed when you vacate.

Once the Landlord has agreed to accept your application (subject to references and contract) we will ask for a holding deposit equating to one week’s rent. Upon successfully passing the referencing stage of the application, the holding deposit paid will count towards the total balance of rent and deposit owed before the tenancy start date. You risk losing your deposit in the event you provide inaccurate or misleading information on your application, fail a right to rent check, do not all reasonable steps to enter into a tenancy agreement or unilaterally withdraw your application. 

Why did I pay too much rent?

Tenants sometimes overpay rent because they forget to cancel a recurring payment, known as a standing order, after their tenancy ends. Please note that for residential tenancies, Patrick James Property never initiates direct debits from your account.

For more details on standing orders and direct debits, check out this guide: MoneyHelper Standing Orders vs. Direct Debits.

How do I stop further mistaken payments?

Contact your bank and cancel any standing orders that should not be in place if you no longer rent from us. Verify the amount if you're still renting from us. 

How do I get the refund?

Please fill the form below. 

You can also contact us via e-mail, sending the information listed below to info@patrickjamesproperty.co.uk :

Refund Request Form:

• Name of the Tenant:
• Address of the Tenancy:
• Phone number: 
• Have you contacted your bank to cancel or verify the amount of any future standing orders?
• Is this payment related to an ongoing tenancy or one that has ended? 
• Amount Overpaid in £: 
• Name of the person who made the payment (if different from the tenant):
• Bank Name: 
• Account no: 
• Sort code: 

After submitting the form please allow up to 5 working days for processing.

The Deposit normally equates to 5 weeks rent and will be held throughout the tenancy in a government approved deposit scheme and will be returned at the end of the tenancy subject to the property being left in a good condition without any claim for potential damages beyond fair wear and tear.