We are a private landlord who specialise in finding people their ideal homes. It takes time, money and effort to find the right rental home and to move in…but don’t worry, the Open Door team is very happy to help you every step of the way.
To find out more about how to rent a home with Open Door, scroll down.
Finding a home to rent
There are a few different ways to find an Open Door rental home:
You’ll then need to arrange a viewing with one of our Property Managers. You can arrange a viewing with us via the book a viewing tab on a specific property, email or by phone. It’s always useful to have a list of questions to ask, including;
Before starting your search for a new home. make sure you’re financially prepared – create a budget which lists all your current outgoings to see what you can realistically afford to spend on rent. We don’t charge a fee to set up your tenancy (be aware that most other organisations do) but you will need to pay a security deposit and a month’s rent in advance too.
Also, have a think about how long you’re looking for a tenancy for. Our tenancies are a minimum of 6 months, with rolling one-month contract after the initial 6 months.
We also suggest that you start gathering together the documents that you’ll need to start a tenancy – ID, immigration status, credit history and your employment status. If it’s a joint tenancy, you’ll both need to provide documentation.
Always make sure you view the property you’d like to rent, although we provide as much information as we can on our website and social media channels, nothing beats visiting in person.
One of our Property Managers will then ask you to sign a Tenancy Fee Declaration form which will outline the services that we will provide as part of your tenancy with us and will list the fees you’re expected to pay. The referencing process then begins to make sure you’re in a position to be able to rent the home you’re after.
To be able to rent a home from us we need to know that you won’t have any problems paying your monthly rent. It really is nothing to worry about, but you’ll need to share with us:
Remember if it’s a joint tenancy you’ll both need to provide this documentation.
If you’re not fully approved by the referencing process, you may be able to ask someone to act as a guarantor for you. We’ll happily talk you through this if required.
We hold a month’s rent as a deposit, which must be paid before you move in. We insist on a deposit being paid just in case there are any damages, which we can then put right at the end of your tenancy. To give you peace of mind, we’ll provide full details to you on where your deposit is held.
Make sure you read your tenancy agreement carefully (you’ll receive a printed and digital copy) and then make sure you sign it – if you have any worries at all, please speak to us or seek advice before you sign the document.
We’ll need to agree an inventory before you move in and we’ll share photos with you highlighting the property’s condition, fixtures and fittings. We’ll provide meter readings as you move in too.
If you have any problems once you’ve moved into your new home, please let us know as soon as possible and we’ll do everything we can to help.
The easiest and quickest way to get in touch is to complete the contact form or call 0333 0044777.
If you need to report a repair to your home, download the Fixflo app. It’s really simple to use and means you can report the issue at any time of the day or night.
If your repair is an emergency, please call 0333 0044777.
If you decide to move out of your home, you must give notice, which is a month for all our rental homes, after the initial six months fixed contract.
We’ll have to pop out to inspect the house is in the same condition as when you moved in -any damages or cleaning costs will be taken from your deposits. You’ll also have to make sure your rent payment is up to date and all bills have been covered.
Don’t forget to let any suppliers (energy, TV, phone, internet) know that you’re moving out and we’d love it if you could give the place a good clean too!
