Cooke Curtis & Co Lettings Pack

Let only service

60% (inc VAT) of first months rent

10% arrangement fee on maintenance

Please see 13.0 Service levels page for full details

Fully managed service Inventory

12% (inc VAT) of each months rent collected

Inventory: £220-£440 depending on size of property

Please see 13.0 Service levels page for full details

For professional condition report.

New tenancy referencing fee

£60 per applicant

To thoroughly reference tenants and carry out Right to Rent checks.

Project Management

Shopping

Project management fee: 10% of project cost

For significant renovations.

Overseas landlord Renewal fees

Shopping fee £40

Where you ask us to buy something for the property that falls outside our usual management scope.

Withdrawal

Overseas Landlord fee: £25 per quarter

Tenancy renewal fee: £60

Property withdrawal fee: £250 if a potential tenant has passed referencing. £150 if withdrawn before referencing

For HMRC quarterly return.

To renew a fixed term tenancy.

When the landlord withdraws the property

This pack contains an overview of who we are and how the market is as well as a guide to the costs involved with the initial let and ongoing tenancy and, of course our advice on price. We very much hope we can help you with the letting of your property.

Local market data

2.0

Cooke Cur tis & Co are one of Cambridge’s leading Estate & Lettings Agencies

3.0

We are locally owned and operated by experienced professional Estate and Letting Agents who call Cambridgeshire home and have a deep understanding of the city and surrounding villages.

We provide a personal, individually tailored lettings services to landlords of good quality properties and to good quality tenants looking for the same.

We believe that, with the right approach, the commercial interest of the landlord can be perfectly balanced with the need of the tenant to have a good quality home. A mutually respectful relationship between landlord, tenant, and agent is the key to a successful let.

We see Estate and Letting Agency as being as much about people as property. Our job is to work for you and to help you achieve the best possible outcome for your personal situation. We listen, we advise, and we care.

We have a fair and transparent fee structure. There are no hidden charges for landlords or tenants. We take no kickbacks or commission payments from any of the contractors we use. We believe we can run a better business by putting the interests of our clients ahead of the financial interests of the company.

We are here for the long run. We care about doing a good job and we want to build long-term relationships with our clients, and not just a short-term profit. We want to have a business we can be proud of for many years to come.

Meet our lettings team 4.0

Our small, perfectly formed team have over 25 years of combined experience in all aspects of lettings from student accommodation, HMOs and property maintenance to luxury apartments and portfolio acquisition and management.

We have worked in the industry long enough to gain the experience and detailed understanding our clients need but are young and fresh as a business and as a team. We’re focused on providing more attention to detail, more enthusiasm, more creative thinking, and better communication.

4.0 Meet the lettings team

Aimée Saxon BA(Hons) Director Head of Lettings

Aimee hails from Derbyshire and first worked in lettings at the tender age of 18 while at University, working her way from Resident Coordinator to Halls of Residence Manager, before moving down to Cambridge in 2011. Working previously as a Property and Lettings Manager for a large portfolio, she has vast experience in managing HMO’s in the City.

As a CC&C Director and Head of Lettings she is responsible for the management and smooth running of the department and deals with everything from finance and accounting to short term lets, large country houses, property development and renovations. Aimee is a fearsome netball player and helps to run CC&C sponsored Hawks Netball Club. She is a passionate amateur gardener and lives Northwest of Cambridge with her other half and Ruby the fox red Labrador.

4.0 Meet the lettings team

4.0 Kirsty Ashton

Kirsty Ashton

Letting Agent

Kirsty grew up in the centre of Cambridge and, though her youthful appearance may cause you not to believe it, has worked in property lettings in the city for more than 15 years. Her knowledge and experience means she is able to support the team and our growing lettings portfolio in all areas. She is always the first to offer to lend a hand and a whirlwind around the office.

When we let her have time off Kirsty and her young daughter are often found at her dance shows and are self-confessed shopping enthusiasts and bargain hunters. She’s also a serial house renovator giving her first-hand understanding of the varied challenges of the property game and excellent mood-board skills.

4.0 Meet the lettings team

4.0 Alithia Elia

Alithia Elia MARLA Letting Agent

Alithia started her career in Lettings in 2020 gaining valuable experience of the Newmarket and North Cambridgeshire markets. She prides herself on being very driven to always offer an exceptional service and quickly gained her Propertymark MARLA Level 3 qualification. A superb achievement for her age and time in the industry.

Alithia loves her food! With a Greek Cypriot heritage, food is simply a way of Life! Kleftiko …lamb, slow cooked, for hours… is a firm favourite. In her spare time, she also loves watching box sets and films so is always on the lookout for recommendations. She could not however be called a couch potato as she is an avid keep fit enthusiast, attending Park Runs weekly, the gym regularly and our second Netball player in the office, playing both competitively and socially.

4.0 Meet the lettings team

Hayley Folbigg

Hayley Folbigg Property Manager

Hayley started her career in property in her hometown of Calgary, Canada, building her own portfolio of popular rental properties on the back of the booming oil and gas sector. After working internationally in Japan and Andorra, Hayley now calls Cambridge her home after falling in love with the city… and her now Husband Mr Folbigg.

Beneath the professional work attire beats the heart of an outdoor enthusiast, a professional ski and snowboard instructor, and fearless mountaineer. Hayley lives in a quaint village just south of Cambridge, and although is currently dogless, hopes to one day have a pack all of her own.

4.0 Meet the lettings team

4.0 Elina Tihomirova

Elina Tihomirova Letting Negotiator

Elina was born in Latvia and moved to Newmarket when she was 8. Having spent most of her life in England she definitely feels at home here, but likes to travel to see family and visit sunny destinations as often as she can. Starting off in Childcare, her ambitions of one day designing and building her own property sparked her career change to lettings.

Elina is the team Sunshine, always full of positivity even first thing in the morning. She is also studying a Psychology Degree in her spare time, often posing deep thought-provoking questions like…”if you were a cocktail, what cocktail would you be?”. When Elina is not in deep thought, making herself laugh, or putting together one of her famous office birthday hampers, you can find her getting her lashes done or cooking up a feast in her air fryer just north of City where she lives with her boyfriend and Princess the Kitten.

4.0 Meet the lettings team

4.0 Andrew Meadows

Andrew Meadows BA(Hons) Junior Property Manager

Andrew has recently finished a BA (Hons) History degree in Leicester and now lives in the centre of Cambridge, close to the hustle and bustle of Romsey and not far from his colleague and friend Alithia. They can often be found cycling to work or doing their food shop together.

Moving to the area at the age of 11, Andrew is the second Northerner on the team, his favourite things are Yorkshire Tea, Yorkshire Cricket... and Rick Stein’s Cornish fish and chips (sorry Whitby). He also pretends to play cricket for a local club but spends most of the time looking at his stumps on the ground. When Andrew is not at the crease you might find him out with his dogs Charlie, Nelson and Hugo or putting the world to rights over an ice cold German lager or a good glass of red.

Before we begin...

5.0

5.0

Part of our duty to our landlords and tenants is to be aware of the fast-changing laws and regulations that surround lettings. We are linked to various national bodies and organisations, and ensure we are always aware of, and prepared for, any upcoming changes. Before we let any property, we work with our landlords to make sure both they and their tenants are safe, protected, and legally compliant.

Before we begin

The Gas Safety Regulations 1998 require properties with gas to have a landlord’s Gas Safety Check carried out and issued annually.

As of the 1st of April 2018 it is required by law that all privately tenanted properties must have a valid EPC of an E or above by the Energy Efficiency Regulations 2015. Listed properties are exempt from this.

As of the 1st of Feb 2016 all private landlords are required to check tenants have the right to reside in the UK before entering a rental contract. We will carry out these checks before move in and if we are instructed to manage your property, will also complete any follow up checks required for time limited documents.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force on 1 October 2022. From that date, all relevant landlords must:

➊ Ensure at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of their homes where there is a room used as living accommodation. This has been a legal requirement in the private rented sector since 2015.

➋ Ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).

➌ Ensure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are repaired or replaced once informed and found that they are faulty.

Electrical testing

The Electrical Equipment Regulations require landlords to ensure that every fixed electrical installation is inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person from 01 July 2020 for all new private tenancies and 01 April 2021 for current tenancies. Although not a legal requirement, it is good practice to have a portable appliance test (PAT) where applicable.

Legionella naturally occurs in water supplies, so every house is potentially a risk. The risk is increased where there is standing water, water tanks for example. As a landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure your tenants risk of exposure is as minimal as possible. A risk assessment can be carried out to highlight any areas of concern.

HMO guidelines

A house of multiple occupancy is classed as any property where there are three or more unrelated households. A large HMO needs a license if there are five or more tenants of three or more households sharing a basic amenity. Different local authorities can have different requirements depending on the size and type of property. We work with HMO officers at Cambridge City Council and South Cambs to ensure all our HMOs meet or exceed their requirements.

Before we begin

Legionella risk assessment

Consent to let

The Furniture and Furnishings Regulations 1988 requires all soft furnishings provided in a privately rented property to comply with fire safety regulations. This includes sofas, chairs, mattresses, cushions, upholstered headboards etc. All furniture purchased after March 1st 1990 should comply and if it does, fire safety labels will be attached.

Where a property has a mortgage, you will need to check you have consent from your mortgage lender to rent out the property. If applicable you will also need to ensure you have permission from any Freeholders/ block management at the property.

Lastly, if the property is jointly owned all co-owners must be named on our landlord agreement and on the Tenancy Agreement.

Before we begin

5.0

As a landlord you are required to pay tax on any rental income earned from renting out a property in the UK. Landlords based overseas for more than 6 months of the year will need to apply to the HMRC to pay tax on their rental income via self-assessment. This is an NRL1 form. The HMRC issue a certificate that allows us, the Agent, to release the whole rent.

Where this certificate is not obtained, we are legally obliged to withhold 20% of the rental income to sent to HMRC quarterly.

For further information please see www.gov.uk/tax-uk-income-live-abroad/rent

We recommend that you have both buildings and contents insurance. This needs to be specifically landlords insurance as standard home owner insurance won’t provide cover when the property has been let out.

Before we begin

Landlord insurance

How we will market your property

6.0

Working with you to ensure the property is presented at its best

The market for rented houses in Cambridge is generally strong, but we don’t let this make us complacent. Carefully considered marketing finds a tenant quickly and at the best possible price. But more critically than that it often gives us a choice of tenants, meaning we are able to choose the right tenant for you, and your property.

The best properties attract the best tenants. Not everything we let is going to be a high-end luxury property, but not every good tenant wants or can afford that. The aim is to find the best tenant possible for your particular property. Sometimes a few minor tweaks can do wonders for the quality of the tenant we can find. Sometimes this is a little bit of decorating, occasionally it’s just reorganising furniture for the photography. The details are enormously important, and we take the time to ensure we work with our landlords to get the best result.

6.0

How we will market your property

Attracting viewings to the property

We list on the busiest property portals including Rightmove and Zoopla, optional advertising in the local press, and have connections to the various relocation agents that work with many of Cambridge’s biggest employers. We have a large database of tenants actively looking for properties and, depending on your property type, work hard to ensure it appears in all the right places, even the less obvious ones. But so do many other agents, so our job is to ensure the properties we market stand out. We take great care in producing accurate, informative, and honest marketing material for all of our properties including detailed floor plans and high-quality photography. We are consistently in the top few agents on Rightmove for ‘views per property’ which is the best guide to how well we are doing at getting your property noticed.

Meeting the potential tenants at the property

We ask a few basic questions before we book a viewing for potential tenants. There’s no point showing 4 sharers your house if you only want to rent to a family, but it’s the viewing itself that is the most critical part of the process. We carry out all viewings ourselves. We don’t employee weekend staff or agencies. This gives us a chance to meet the potential tenant, ask all the pertinent questions, and understand whether we would like to rent to them. It also gives them a chance not just to see the property, but to meet the people who will be looking after them if they live there. Tenants want a conscientious, honest, and helpful managing agent as much as they want the right property so we work hard to impress them.

How we will market your property

Taking informal applications

Once a potential tenant decides they would like to rent your property we ask them to complete an online application detailing who they are, where they work, where they’ve lived previously, who will be moving in, and everything else we need to know to make an informed judgment on whether to trust them with your property.

Discussing the interested tenants with the landlord

If once we’ve carefully considered the information on the form we think they are suitable we will get in touch with you to explain who they are and why we like them. If there is more than one application we talk you through the pros and cons and come to a joint decision as to who we agree will be best to move forward with.

Conducting formal application

At this point we take a commitment from the tenant in the form of a holding fee. This holds the property for them for the time it takes to complete the formal application. It includes credit checks, corresponding with previous landlords, employer checks, and anything else we can to properly check that our opinion of them is right. If there is any concern raised here we will discuss it with you again and if necessary reject the application.

How we will market your property

Moving in 7.0

Once everything has been confirmed and agreed we will then finalise the tenancy and draw up the tenancy agreement.

Whether you opt for fully managed or let only, we will always collect the first month’s rent and the damage deposit.

The paperwork and invoice is sent to the tenant via email for them to read and sign prior to the tenancy. We require the payment to be cleared funds in our bank account before we will release any keys. If you would like to see a copy of our tenancy agreement, please ask.

A professional inventory will be done just before the tenancy is due to start so that the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy is recorded. This will be sent out once keys are collected from our office and the report is finalised.

Where possible we encourage landlords to create a handover pack for the tenants, to help them settle in quickly and start off the relationship on the right foot. The most common questions when a new tenancy starts are about heating and appliances, so manuals and instructions are invaluable to both us and the tenants in the first few weeks.

We use independent, local professional inventory companies for our inventories and checkouts. They are unbiased and accredited with ARLA.

It is mutually beneficial to both the landlord and tenant to have an inventory carried out. Without an inventory, deposit disputes are much more likely and can be impossible to resolve. It is important to protect all parties against unnecessary costs.

The inventory however is more than a list of items provided, it is a condition report of the entire property sometimes up to 100 pages. Details of the flooring, décor, bathroom, kitchen fittings and appliances will all be taken.

The inventory clerk will take photographs of everything to document the exact condition of the property and its contents, as well as a record of the meter readings for the start of the tenancy period. The report is then emailed to the tenant and landlord once the tenancy has started. A window of 7 days is provided for any observations or comments to be added.

The report is then finalised and is saved on the portal along with all the additional tenancy documents for the landlord and tenant to view at any time. The final report is used by the same company when the tenant leaves for the checkout. Again, they will make an impartial report and will note discrepancies rather than liability.

8.0

Deposit Protection 9.0

As you can imagine, taking a damage deposit for a tenancy is very important as it ensures there are funds to be drawn from should the worst happen during the tenancy. We take the equivalent of 5 weeks’ rent as deposit for each tenancy, the maximum allowed by law.

It is a legal requirement that deposits are registered in a protected scheme for the duration of the tenancy. We use the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) custodial scheme. This means the funds are then sent to TDS to hold the deposit securely rather than just insuring it. We have found TDS to be the most efficient of the providers and believe tenants and landlords are better assured that their deposit is safe and the return is dealt with fairly.

Tenants are provided with their deposit certificate and prescribed information along with a scheme leaflet at the start of the tenancy so that they have peace of mind that their deposit is safe.

On departure the checkout will be completed, and we will consult the landlord to discuss wear and tear and potential charges should there be any damages. Checkout reports and repayment requests are emailed out to the tenants and repayments arranged directly from TDS to the recipient.

In the unlikely event of a dispute, you are in safe hands as we have years of experience and specialist advanced training in dispute handling. Most disagreements are easy to resolve if handled professionally, sensitively and transparently.

9.0 Deposit protection

Property Management 10.0

Unlike the majority of letting agents, the team you met and dealt with when letting the property will be the same team you deal with during the management. We know the properties, we know the tenants, and we know our landlords. We believe continuing this relationship is the key to a happy let.

Once under our management we work hard to make sure we balance the requirement to provide our tenants with a good quality home with the financial interests of our landlords.

Our online portal takes tenants through fault-finding processes to troubleshoot issues themselves before calling us or our emergency contractors.

Landlords are alerted to a problem at the house through their portal link. All parties can see when we have acknowledged the issue and monitor any developments.

10.0 Property management

We have a 6 step procedure when dealing with maintenance issues:

➊ The tenant reports a maintenance issue

➋ We investigate and see if there is an immediate solution that can be handled remotely

➌ If the issue is unclear we attend the property to investigate further or ask the tenants to send pictures if the problem is visual

➍ If we do not know ourselves, we have a team of contractors who we can speak to depending on the issue for advice and guidance. They can often give us things to look for to identify a cause or give the tenant guidance on the phone to fix the problem at no charge to the landlord

➎ If the matter still cannot be resolved, we would speak to the landlord to see if they are happy for us to instruct a contractor

➏ If the landlord is happy for us to do so we would then instruct the contractor and arrange a visit to fix or quote for works.

Out of hours procedure

We will book our first routine inspection 3 months after the tenancy has started and through this inspection we will determine how frequently we need to visit going forwards. This could be between 3-12 month intervals depending how well the tenant is looking after the property and if any concerns are raised. After each inspection a report will be emailed to both landlord and tenants with any photographs, comments or suggestions. This report is also saved on the portal.

Out of office hours, tenants will continue to use the portal to report maintenance issues for us to action on our return. In the event of an emergency we recommend a select few contractors that we trust and use regularly. The tenants are given their details when they move in but they are also on our website and the portal should they need them. If contacted outside of office hours our contractors will offer support and guidance over the phone and if emergency works are needed they will come out to the property as soon as possible.

We have a small pool of contractors, all local professionals that we have worked with for a number of years and who know the level of service we expect for our tenants and landlords.

The contractors are happy to collect keys from us and work alongside us to ensure works are carried out in a timely manner and to a high standard.

Rent and statements

If you have a contractor that you particularly want us to use please let us know. Providing they have adequate insurance and qualifications, we are more than happy to instruct and liaise with them accordingly.

We do not charge additional fees for organising work or take a percentage of contractors’ invoices. We minimise our landlords’ expenditure wherever possible.

The rent is due each month on the date the tenancy started (unless otherwise agreed). Where fully managed you will receive the rent, less our management fee, 1-5 working days after we have received it as clear funds. This normally takes 24 hours from being received in our account, but will be delayed where the payment falls on a weekend or bank holiday.

Your monthly statement is processed in house and sent via overnight email. It will show any deductions clearly along with copies of contractor invoices if there has been any maintenance works undertaken for your records.

My Property File 11.0

MyPropertyFile is our landlord and tenant portal. As well as being the system for reporting and monitoring maintenance it gives detailed, transparent 24 hour information on the let to both landlords and tenants including access to the safety certificates, the signed tenancy agreement, the inventory, inspection reports, and deposit information.

As the landlord you are also able to see your monthly statements and any invoices. During marketing you will be able to see how many viewings we have had and the feedback given.

The tenant can view their rental payments and any outstanding charges on their account as well as report maintenance issues including adding photographs for remote diagnosis. The portal can be used on a desktop or as an iOS or Andriod app.

For more information visit:

https://jupix.com/news/jupix-launches-property-file/

11.0 My Property File

Coming to the end of a tenancy

12.0

Approximately two months prior to a tenancy coming to the end of the initial fixed term we will contact you to discuss how you would like to proceed. The options are:

➊ To renew for another fixed term; this would normally be 6 or 12 months. A new agreement will be drawn up to and there is a £60 fee for the administration of this.

➋ To continue the tenancy on a periodic basis; the tenancy will continue a monthly rolling basis until either the landlord of the tenant gives notice. There is no fee for this.

➌ To end the tenancy two months’ notice will be given to the tenant .

Depending on your thoughts and plans for the property we will then approach the tenant accordingly and agree a situation all parties are happy with.

If you or your tenant decide to end the tenancy we will first check whether you want us to start remarketing. Where let only, we would need a copy of the notice from your tenant.

An inventory clerk will be booked and will attend once the tenant has vacated and returned keys. They will complete the checkout using the original inventory as a bench mark and detail any wear and tear, dilapidations and damages, and who is liable for them. Once the report is complete we liaise with you to confirm release of the damage deposit. The deposit is then returned by TDS subject to any deductions agreed by both parties.

For fully managed properties we will be part of negotiations and handle any disputes. For let only arrangements this would be discussed between the landlord and tenant directly and we would only need to be advised about any deductions and the final decision in order to action the TDS repayment.

12.0

Coming to the end of a tenancy

Carry out a valuation

Market the property

Conduct viewings

Relay feedback

Reference a tenant

Complete initial Right to Rent checks

Generate paperwork

Complete an inventory

Register the deposit

Limited access to the portal

Hand over keys to the new tenant

Collect + transfer monthly rent

Provide monthly statements

Full access to the portal

Follow up Right to Rent checks

Chase rental arrears

Liaise with the tenants regarding maintenance

Arrange repairs and maintenance with contractors

Pay contractors for works completed

Carry out routine inspections

Renew safety inspections

Liaise with council for external inspections

24/7 emergency contractors

Renewals

Check out

Return the deposit

Deposit dispute handling and mediation

What to do next

If you have decided that you would like to work with us then the next steps are simple. We will need:

➊ Proof of property ownership

➋ A signed landlord agreement

➌ Copies of all landlords’ IDs

➍ A key or someone to let us in so we can take photographs and a floorplan

➎ Any current safety certificates you have (don’t worry if not, we can arrange these)

➏ We can meet you back at your property or if you’d prefer to come to the office we can book you in to meet the team and discuss access arrangements

➐ If we are taking over the management of the property from another agent we will need their contact details to arrange transfer of management, the deposit, and tenancy records. We will also arrange to meet the current tenant and inspect the property

➑ If it is a new let we will arrange photography, the floor plan and EPC as necessary and email you our proposed marketing material for you to check over. Usually within 2-5 days.

Since starting Cooke Curtis & Co Lettings in the Spring of 2017 we have been and continue to work hard to build a reputation for honesty, excellent customer service, and achieving stellar results for our landlords.

We have ARLA and TPO Membership and Client Money Protection (CMP) giving our landlords and tenants peace of mind that they are being dealt with in a professional and compliant manner.

We are very proud to have become a muti-award winning office. We won our first award after being open just one year taking the Gold Award for the Best Letting Agent in Cambridge at the 2018 – 2019 British Property Awards and winning the same award again in 2021 – 2022 and 2022 - 2023. We also won the Best Estate Agents Guide Award for the Best Letting Agent in both 2020 and 2022 putting us in the top 5% of agents in the whole of the UK. This is quite an achievement for a small independent office going up against some big national, multi office teams.

We aim to continue to build on our successes, while ensuring to maintain the quality of service and integrity that had set us apart from our competitors.