FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Landlords
Why should I use Meredith & Castle?
Online reviews of competitors' services talk of poor communication, slow contact, lack of accountability, unprofessionalism, and companies that care only about getting your money but not providing a service.
Meredith & Castle was founded around our core values which improve upon this feedback. Simply put, choosing Meredith & Castle means choosing peace of mind.
How do I pay my property management fee?
Because we deal directly with your tenants, your management fee is deducted directly from rent before being transferred to you.
Do you offer discounts for managing multiple properties?
Yes we do! Let us help you grow your portfolio while cutting your costs. At Meredith & Castle, landlords who own 2 or more properties are entitled to a 2% discount per property or room.
If you own 6 or more, there are even more discounts to be had. If this is the case, get in touch with us for a quick consultation to see how much more you can save.
Who pays for repairs and maintenance?
We do! We cover repairs up to £250 in each rolling month (£300 for the Prestige package). Often, this is more than enough to pay for standard repairs. Any repair costs over and above this amount must be funded by the landlord, but to prevent stresses and maintain the level of service, we'll cover costs and take the difference from the next payment due, to ensure that your tenants' service is not impacted. We will always communicate this beforehand, and provide any repair bills or invoices for transparency.
How long am I contracted for?
To cover the time and effort in us setting things up, there is a minimum contract term of 12 months. This is automatically renewed each year unless you decide to cancel.
If for whatever reason you're not happy within the first 14 days, you are welcome to end your contract without penalty.
Any other questions?
Feel free to contact us HERE and we will be happy to help.
TENANTS
Can you hold properties with a deposit?
If you decide you wish to proceed with a property after viewing, we will require a holding deposit equal to 1 weeks' rent. This will enable us to conduct further checks such as reference and vetting checks, and all adverts for the property are removed online.
If we decide not to proceed at this point, you get your deposit back. If you decide not to proceed, we retain the deposit. Fees are covered in law under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
Is my deposit protected?
Once all checks are conducted and you decide to go ahead with a property, you will pay a tenancy deposit which is usually one months' rent. By law this then must be registered with a government approved scheme within 30 days to ensure it is safeguarded, and then returned at the end of the tenancy as long as all obligations have been met.
Are there any additional admin fees?
No. Whilst additional fees used to be permitted, with many agencies choosing to charge them, admin fees are currently unlawful under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
How do you prioritise maintenance queries?
At Meredith & Castle we use a traffic light system to grade maintenance issues:
GREEN - when able. Not urgent, but still needs to be addressed.
AMBER - important. To be addressed within a few days.
RED - urgent. To be addressed within 24 hours.