FAQs:
I have received my contract which mentions paying council tax, I thought students were exempt?
Full-time students are exempt from Council Tax during term time (phew!). In order to claim your discount you must register online with the City Council. Alternatively you can call Brighton & Hove City Council on 01273 291291 for further advice.
I’m confused about the difference between my weekly and monthly rent?
Ok, here comes the maths. You’re not the first person to ask this question, most tenants assume their monthly rent will be the weekly rent amount multiplied by 4. There aren’t always 4 weeks in every month so the calculation to work out monthly rent is as follows: Weekly rent x 52 (weeks in the year) x number of tenants ÷ 12.
What’s a standing order?
A standing order is an instruction to your bank to make regular, fixed payments to an organisation or person. Trust us, it will make your life a lot easier to set one up. Who needs extra things to remember each month?! You will receive a payment schedule prior to moving in this will confirm which payments are due and when, along with an email containing a standing order form where you will be asked to upload evidence of your standing order. This is then checked over by a member of the team and confirmed. If it is incorrect the link will be resent to you to reupload the correct standing order. If this standing order is not received before your move in date you will not be issued keys so it’s really important to get it done.
My tenancy paperwork deadline has expired and I can no longer access Concurrent, what can I do?
Don’t snooze and lose! It’s important that you meet the tenancy paperwork deadline to avoid losing your holding deposit and new home for the next academic year. However, if you miss the deadline, hop to it and contact our Property Admin team ASAP to discuss whether it’s possible to have an extension.
I’ve uploaded my ID and student ID online, why do I have to complete a separate ‘Right to Rent’ check?
We understand that this can be a pain, but as of 2014 it’s also the law. We need to see original copies of ID’s to comply with the Right to Rent Act, there is government approved technology that means you don’t have to bring your ID to the office. We use TrustID, you’ll have to follow the steps on the app to upload your ID and take a live photo or video to pass the check. If you’re an international student, you’ll also have to upload your visa and share code.
I haven’t received any emails from Coapt but my housemates have?
Not to worry, there may have been a typo in the email provided, or it may have been input wrong (we’re only human!), or it’s in a spam folder in the internet ether somewhere. Drop us a call so we can check your details so we can update the system and get that resent to you.
I don’t have a UK guarantor, what can I do?
There are a couple of options if you do not have a UK Guarantor. A lot of our landlords accept Rent Guarantor in place of a UK guarantor. They are a company who act as a guarantor for tenants who don’t have one and charge a fee, which is roughly a month’s rent. Click here to apply. Some of our landlords also accept six months rent in advance that covers the last six months of the tenancy. Ask us if you have any questions or if you are concerned then please ring the Property Admin team to discuss your options in more detail.
I want to use Rent Guarantor, how can I select them as my guarantor?
You can apply to use Rent Guarantor service through this link. When completing your application process on Concurrent, please enter Rent Guarantor’s contact details under the guarantor section 0207 193 4418 | info@rentguarantor.com.
How do I know you have received my deposit?
Your deposit will be registered with MyDeposits within 30 days of payment, each tenant will be sent their deposit certificate and some prescribed information about the scheme. If you need any further information please contact our Finance team at finance@coapt.co.uk
I don’t have access to a scanner, is there any way around this?
Yes. We can accept a photo of any documents as long as the information is legible, this can be uploaded directly from your phone’s camera roll to our online signing platform.
Our application deadline has passed and we have completed our paperwork, what happens next?
Your tenancy paperwork will be reviewed by your property administrator as quickly as possible. Providing all of the documents uploaded are 👍 and we have received the relevant funds, we’ll sign your contract on behalf of the landlord.
Who’s rent am I guaranteeing?
Each tenant has their own guarantor who is responsible for their share of the rent. We will always pursue the individual tenant’s guarantor if the tenant defaults on rent. This is however a joint and severally liable contract, so each guarantor is guaranteeing the rent for the whole tenancy.
Why do you need so much personal information?
We understand this may feel invasive, but for the protection of all involved, we need to see proof of earnings and identification so we know you meet the requirements to act as a guarantor. This isn’t only to protect the landlord, but also the tenants and you as a guarantor. Every tenant’s guarantor needs to meet the same criteria so we know that they can cover the tenants rent in the event that they default. All of your information is stored securely, in line with GDPR.
How much do I need to earn?
The guarantor’s required earnings are three times the tenants share of the monthly rent after tax e.g. if the tenants share of the rent is £600pcm the guarantor will need to provide proof of net earnings of £1,800pcm.
I don’t meet the required earnings to be a guarantor, is there any way around this?
Firstly, we would ask if you have any proof of savings to ‘top up’ your income. We do ask that guarantors meet this threshold to ensure all parties are protected. If you don’t meet the requirements there are alternatives available to tenants, please speak to our Admin team on 01273 645 797 for more information about this.
I don’t have access to a scanner, is there any way around this?
Yes. We can accept a photo of any documents as long as the information is legible, this can be uploaded directly from your phone’s camera roll to our online signing platform.
I have acted as a guarantor through your company before, why am I having to complete the paperwork again?
Unfortunately we cannot use the same documentation again as this is a new tenancy agreement. We do this because we need to verify that your circumstances have not changed.
Can I submit my paperwork via post rather than online.
We pride ourselves in being a paperless office, we have invested in software to ensure we are efficient and our paperwork is stored in line with GDPR so we are unable to accept printed documents via post. Our tenancy platform is compatible with smartphones, laptops, tablets & PCs (tip: the best browser for our website is Google Chrome).
I have filled in the required details and uploaded the documents but am unable to sign the agreement?
Don’t worry, you are almost there! If you get stuck please call us on 01273 645 797 and one of our friendly admin team will be happy to help.
Will I receive a copy of the contract?
Of course! Once the guarantor agreement has been counter signed by ourselves you will receive a copy via email.
One of our housemates has dropped out of the contract, what do we do?
Don’t panic, we will be as flexible as possible to facilitate a swap over. Please contact the Property Admin team ASAP to let us know so that we can work together to fill the empty room. It is up to the exiting tenant to find a replacement and once you have we’ll help them through the contract part as quickly as possible. The tenant that has withdrawn will lose their holding deposit.
How to complete your paperwork
Check out our easy to follow guide to completing your paperwork here.
