Compare rents for different areas. If asked to sign an agreement, it is likely to be an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement and will normally last for at least six months, after which the tenancy can run on a monthly basis. Providing you with a copy of the electricity report. So only rent a property jointly with people you can trust. Sandwell Council Housing Department/Sandwell Homes (unfunded); Walsall Council (unfunded) West Midlands. Allowing you to "peacefully enjoy" your accommodation (unless there is an emergency). Planning permission has been approved to build a supported housing scheme featuring 93 properties and associated landscaping at a council-owned site in Oxford Road. Apply Today. These rules do not apply to student lettings in halls of residence or in Wales, but these may hold an NICEIC certificate which will prove that the property has been inspected within the last give years. If you are in danger of eviction or suffering from harassment by your agent/landlord then contact the Student Union Advice Centre, Accommodation Department, your local Council's Housing Advice Team, or your Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Team. Localpad will continue to maintain all services during the Covid-19 situation, and remains the best way to find first-rate private accommodation. If your landlord will not allow you to take a copy of the contract away to be checked, you should not sign it. If not, can the agent/landlord fit one? The landlord's and tenant's repair obligations. They involve a much smaller payment by the tenant, or sometimes a regular monthly payment, by the scheme who will then pay up to a certain sum to the landlord if you leave owing rent or having damaged the property or its contents. However, doing so may cut your energy bills and reduce your carbon emissions. Out of hours emergencies phone 0121 368 1166 - option 2. Who do we help? Carpets, curtains and duvets are not covered by the regulations. (Again there are statutory rules regarding this). An inventory can be extremely useful evidence of the condition of the property when you first move in. By law your landlord must keep all gas appliances supplied for you to use in good condition. You could be offered a home owned by your local council or housing association. ID Address Postcode Type More #1042555: 41 Dorrington Green Great Barr Sandwell: View Details > #1042597: 58 Foden Road Great Barr Sandwell: However, an EPC isn’t required when a tenant rents a room from a resident landlord and shares facilities. The ability to speak a Central or Eastern … It is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure that alarms are in good working order on the first day of the tenancy. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council is a local authority in the West Midlands which provides services to residents of the borough. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974 to administer the newly formed Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands county of England.. A landlord or agent may consider releasing you if you have a suitable replacement tenant to take over your room. Insist on thicker ones if they are. Providing you with the agents/landlord’s full name and address. The landlord's and tenants’ names and address of the property being let. When you leave return all the keys to the agent/landlord and make a written request for the return of your deposit. Sandwell is divided into 24 Wards and is represented by 72 ward councillors. If at all possible, the final inventory check should be done on move out day and checked against the original inventory. But there are many other organisations providing valuable services, both locally and nationally. Note that most fees and penalty clauses will now be illegal under the Tenant Fees legislation. Contact: Sandwell Council ASSIST, , PO Box 15825, Oldbury, B69 9EL. Affordability Affordability ratios calculated by dividing house prices by gross annual (resident) earnings, based the lower quartiles (25th Percentile […] More about Citizens Advice Sandwell & Walsall Read the small print of a tenancy agreement. You can use your MySandwell account to view your Sandwell council tax, benefits and business rates or housing balances, make payments, request services, report problems and track any enquiries you put in to the council. If not, ask the landlord to install one in every room which has a gas appliance. It's invisible and odourless, but it can kill. Landlords must comply with relevant legislation on notice to Quit, possession notices and Termination of Tenancies. Most student accommodation contracts are for a fixed period of time. "The regulations provide for all furniture manufactured after 1 January 1950 to be fire retardant and carry the proper labels". This tells you how much rent you should pay and how much Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and tax credit you should expect to get. The government’s new guidelines, which came into effect on 1st October 2018, state that a property must be licenced by their local housing authority if it is let to: The key change is that HMO licensing is no longer only for properties 3 or more storeys high (although this still applies in Wales). How much the rent is and when and how it should be paid (check that the rent adds up and that there are no extra charges). For some schemes there could be other fees. How can we help? Most councils have online application forms for the housing register on their website. If you are unsure about your status with regard to Council Tax then seek advice from your Student Accommodation Department. The tenant should be supplied with the name and address of the landlord, and the address to which notices should be sent (for example, notices requiring repairs to be carried out). Keeping in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences) and for heating rooms and heating water. Lines are open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday. The landlord's/agent's responsibility to repair begins only when they are aware of the problem. Note that you can check to see if your deposit has been protected by looking at all the scheme websites – which are: The scheme websites also have a lot of helpful information for tenants so are worth checking out. Sandwell Council ASSIST Tel: 0845 352 2266 Fax: 0121 569 5789 Email: sandwell_assist@sandwell.gov.uk Address: Sandwell Council ASSIST, PO Box 15825, Oldbury, B69 9EL. Always check the terms of your tenancy agreement for details on responsibility for maintenance and repairs. You will normally be required to pay a tenancy deposit to the agent/landlord as security in case you damage the property or furnishings. A Property At the end of this period the landlord/agent must either return the money to you or tell you why it is being withheld. An EPC is required for the whole dwelling. Who do we help? Take readings of the relevant meters as soon as you can, once the last tenants have left. If you are renting from an agent, they must be part of a letting agent redress scheme and display this on their website. The latest information from your Environmental Health team including Food Safety, Health and Safety and Environmental Protection. The Immigration Act 2014 introduced a requirement for landlords of private rental accommodation to conduct simple checks to establish that new tenants have the right to rent in the UK. Once registered, you can start advertising property(ies) on this website. They must give at least 24 hours’ notice in writing of an inspection. The Agent/Landlord and tenant(s) should both sign the inventory and initial every page to indicate that you agree to the condition of the property contents and condition. View 1 Reviews from the 7 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Care Homes, Adult Day Care Centres and Extra Care Housing. By law, the landlord must fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room that has a coal or wood burning fire or stove. 0300 330 9017 (local rates apply) Sooty stains on or around your appliances. Property Details Reference 4494: Address APSLEY ROAD, Oldbury, West Midlands, B68 0QY There aren't any signs of pests, like slug trails and mouse droppings. It is illegal for any charges to be made other than: Landlords may be able to make other charges with agreement of the tenant – for example if your elect to pay for an alternative deposit scheme rather than pay a traditional deposit. Find more advice on coronavirus, including Sandwell Council updates, look here To find out more click here or contact your local authority. Not damaging the property, if you do then you and your guests are responsible for the repairs. If they are not provided you should ask for them. Your insurance may insist on this. Other Does the property have a carbon monoxide alarm? If one of the tenants moves out without giving the notice or paying rent then the remaining tenants are liable to pay that tenant’s share. This means that: What if my agent/landlord does not protect my deposit? Housing Occupational Therapist in Full time, £30,000 - £39,999, Officer, Health and Social Care with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. It is a joint tenancy if you have all signed the same agreement. If the original label has fallen off the landlord should have it re-tested. Citizens Advice Sandwell. Being reasonable about noise and parties; weekends are better, let your neighbours know in advance and comply with the Law. 0845 352 2266 View details. Landlords have to carry out these checks as if they do not this could result in an unlimited fine or being sent to prison. Telephone: 0121 569 5232, Email: privatesector_housing@sandwell.gov.uk. Housing advice Refugee Homelessness Prevention Brushstrokes is helping to deliver a unique approach for refugees in Sandwell. Put the wheelie bin out and bring it back in again, it's illegal to leave it on the street. If you have gas appliances in your house, Carbon Monoxide is a possible danger. Take reasonable care of the house and furniture during the tenancy. Check the latest advice on Covid-19 including national lockdown restrictions →. You cannot give notice during the period of the contract if there is no clause providing for this (generally known as a ‘break clause’) in your agreement. Most agents/landlords will ask for a sum equivalent to four weeks' or a calendar month's rent but the maximum an agent/landlord can charge by law is a sixth of the annual rent payable in five weeks’ worth of rent in England and Wales.In order to ensure that you get your deposit back: Deposits paid by tenants who have assured shorthold tenancy agreements, are safeguarded by a Government sponsored scheme, which will facilitate the resolution of any disputes that arise in connection with such deposits. Encompass Southwest. If you disagree with the sum claimed by the landlord/agent there may be a fee to pay if the dispute goes to adjudication. 1,123 likes. Citizens Advice provides advice in 2,500 locations across England and Wales with the help of over 21,500 volunteers alongside 7,000 paid staff. Unlike a traditional deposit where you will get all the deposit back if you leave the property in good condition. Check the latest advice on Covid-19 including national lockdown restrictions → Covid-19 warning for Tipton Green residents. EAC sees itself, and this website, as one source of ‘housing options’ information and advice for older people and their families. This is the lowest council tax rise in the West Midlands. University of Wolverhampton. Get advice online from Citizens Advice. Providing you with a copy of the valid current Gas Safety Certificate (see Standards). If the fault is not corrected within a reasonable period of time (dependent upon the nature of the disrepair) then seek advice from the Students Union Advice Centre/ Accommodation Office or Citizen's Advice. The quickest & easiest route to finding a home in Sandwell. if you give incorrect information and fail referencing or decide not to proceed) the money must be returned to you or (if you agree to this) offset against your rent. You will need to check that the landlord and the property are bona fide. If there is a dispute about deductions from the deposit at the end of the tenancy then there is a free adjudication service you can use which is provided by all the tenancy deposit schemes. Otherwise this may not be something the landlord is willing or able to do. This is to provide security to the landlord/agent while they take the property off the market while doing checks. Sandwell Council Environmental Health, West Bromwich. Check there are plenty of sockets. The checks are straightforward and quick for law-abiding landlords and tenants to comply with. Care Homes, Adult Day Care Centres and Extra Care Housing that are owned by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Go to the council's council tax bandings webpage for a detailed breakdown of new charges by band. If you leave before the end of the fixed term then you (or your housemates) remain liable for the remaining rent. Call: 0300 790 6113 for more information. If you sign a joint tenancy then you will all be responsible for each other's debts and damages. That is even if: they’re not named on the tenancy agreement. Agents/Landlords and owners are only required to produce an EPC for a property that is self-contained and the certificate is then valid for 10 years. Check if the furniture is included in the let. If you are paying for an alternative scheme rather than a traditional deposit this should be set out in the agreement. This means that it must meet basic standards for example as regards, repair, with no risk of harm to the health or safety of the occupiers. where the rent is paid weekly. Checks apply to adults which use the property as their own home and you will need to provide original documentation which proves you can live in the UK, such as a passport or work visas. What you are paying is not a deposit but a non-refundable fee. If you’d like to find out more about the Tenancy Deposit Law, visit: Search this site. More about Citizens Advice Sandwell & Walsall Checks are mandatory, there are resources provided such as draft Codes of Practice, guidance and online resources, including an aid to help landlords and tenants identify whether they are affected and, if so, how to conduct a check. It makes sense to put the names of all residents on the bills to ensure shared responsibility. Sandwell Council ASSIST Tel: 0845 352 2266 Fax: 0121 569 5789 Email: sandwell_assist@sandwell.gov.uk Address: Sandwell Council ASSIST, PO Box 15825, Oldbury, B69 9EL. You usually have to pay a deposit if you want to rent somewhere, but as you probably know, it’s not always easy to get it back when you leave. For an assured short-hold tenancy created on or after 28th February 1997, the landlord must provide basic written terms of the agreement within 28 days of the tenant requesting this in writing. You will never get it back. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council is a local authority in the West Midlands which provides services to residents of the borough. If you live in the area covered by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, you can use this application to: see how much Housing Benefit you could get if you rent your home; see how much Council Tax Reduction you could get if you are the person who is responsible for paying the Council Tax for the home you live in; find out if you're entitled to Income Support, Pension Credit or Tax Credits You may be asked to produce a certificate giving evidence of your student status; this certificate will be obtainable from your faculty office after you have registered on your course. Refuse collection! However, there are advantages to viewing it after dark so that you can get an idea of how you will feel when walking home at night. When you have answered all the questions you will see a screen showing 'Your Results'. Please contact your local Student Accommodation Department for further information on this issue. A group of friends rent a property and there is a single contract between the agent/landlord and the group as the contract is for the rental of a whole dwelling. Make sure you check the provisions of the alternative scheme carefully. Manjit Rai, business manager of income and money advice services, Sandwell Council, said, “We decided to implement RentSense because we’re seeing an increase in rent arrears due to the impact of welfare reform,… The Health & Safety Executive has a Gas Safety Advice line on