Tenant Services…
Maintenance & Repairs
If you are a current tenant who is looking to troubleshoot or report a maintenance issue, please visit our repairs page…
Arrange a Viewing
If you are interested in arranging a viewing of any of our properties, please do not hesitate to contact us…
Arden Tenant Info…
Check out useful advice and answers to some of the most common questions raised by Tenants. Please check here before reporting a maintenance issue as you may be able to find a quick solution to the problem in our FAQs!
Each tenant will receive one full set of keys, which must be returned at the end of the tenancy. Under no circumstances should locks be changed or additional locks added without our permission. Failure to comply with this may result in additional costs to you.
All keys should be returned to Arden on the day of Check-out in working order. Failure to return all keys issued will result in the locks being changed and deductions made from your deposit. If you lock yourself out of the property keys are available from the office during normal working hours however £20 must be paid as a refundable deposit.
If you lock yourself out outwith our opening times then the cost of any emergency contractor would have to be met by you and probably will have to be settled on the spot. Our emergency contractors do not have access to our keys. If the lock is changed as a result of you loosing your keys then you will be responsible to ensure all other tenants and Arden are provided with enough copies.
If a lock is changed on a communal stair door, please inform your property manager and provide us with a copy of the key, we will reimburse you the cost as required.
You are not permitted to carry out any alterations or redecoration at the property without the Landlord’s permission. Should you wish to make any changes to the property, you must inform us in writing and wait until permission is given before any work commences. If you do carry out alterations or redecoration without permission you will be charged for any costs associated with returning the property to its original state.
As part of the changes in legislation which came into force in 2017, all housing matters are now heard at The First Tier Tribunal. The Tribunal will deal with complaints, evictions, recovery of rent and all other issues which used to be heard in the Sherriff Court. This service is free to all users and more information can be found at
If the property will be completely unoccupied for more than 14 days at any one time, you must let us know in writing. This may affect the landlord’s house insurance and we may need to take additional steps to protect the property. During winter months (Nov-Mar), your heating should be left on low or on a timer to avoid burst pipes.
The Letting Agent Code of Practice came into force on the 31st of January 2018. All letting agents must register with the Scottish Government and adhere to this code. Our Letting Agent Registration number is LARN1809020. Details of the code can be found at https://www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00530797.pdf or is available upon request from our offices.
Tenants are expected to attend to small maintenance issues themselves for example changing light bulbs or replacing smoke alarm batteries. They are also expected to look after the property and keep it clean and in good order and keep wear and tear to a minimum. This includes keeping drains clear by periodic use of a drain clearing product, ensuring bathroom seals are cleaned regularly with bleach or other anti mould cleaner and ensuring that the property is adequately heated to avoid burst pipes and ventilated to avoid problems with condensation. Tenants are also expected to maintain appliances in the property for example by emptying the vacuum cleaner and cleaning any filters or not overloading the washing machine and cleaning the soap drawer regularly.
For any other maintenance issues please report these by using the online portal. Please ensure you choose your property from the drop down menu for a faster response.
You may only keep a pet in the property with the express written consent of the Landlord. An additional deposit payment will be required prior to the lease beginning. Any damage as a result of keeping a pet will affect your deposit, including the cost of a pest control specialist to treat the property. All carpets, sofas and other soft furnishes will have to be professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy and treated for flees. A receipt confirming the work has been carried out must be provided on the day of the check-out or this cost will be deducted from the deposit.
Short Assured Tenancy
If you wish to end your tenancy after your initial contract period you must do so in writing and give 2 month’s notice. This must be given before the anniversary of your lease end date. For example if a lease ends on the 10th of the month, you must write to us before the 10th May in order to leave the property on the 10th of July.
Private Residential Tenancy (From Dec 2017)
If your lease began after December 2017 and you wish to terminate your agreement you must give 28 days notice.
Notice can be handed into our office, emailed to [email protected] copying in all other tenants or in writing, signed by all tenants.
Please allow an extra two days if you are emailing or posting your notice.
Once you have entered into a tenancy agreement, you are bound by terms and conditions until the last day of the lease. We cannot allow a change of tenancy during the period of the lease as all contracts are joint and severally liable.
Before you report any issues, please ensure your gas is on and the power to the boiler is active. Also check your thermostat is working and set at the correct level/temperature.
The most common issue is low water pressure within your heating system. The normal pressure should be around 1.5 bars, as indicated on the meter to the front of your boiler. If you need instructions on how to top up the pressure please visit www.ardenpm.co.uk/repairs here you will be able to troubleshoot and report any issues.
If the radiators are only warm, then they may need bled which means you have to release the trapped air. Please visit www.ardenpm.co.uk/repairs for further information.
Please note: if an engineer is called out and the issue is user error, then you may be charged for the associated costs.
If you smell gas within the property:
Open the windows – close off the gas meter – Call Scotia Gas Network on 0800 111 999
DO NOT: Use an open flame – use any electrical switches – try to resolve the issue yourself
Please then call our office on 0131 516 8159 and advice our maintenance team or your property manager.
If you have no power:
Pre-Paid Electric Meter
If you have a pre-paid meter in your property, ensure you have credit available and top up if required.
Fuse-Board
Check if your fuse-board has any tripped switches – all the switches should face upwards.
If you have a switch which is down and will not go back up then it may be something on the circuit which is causing the problem – unplug everything and switch off all the isolator switches (boiler, shower etc.). Push the switch back up and plug and switch everything back on, one item at a time. If the switch trips again, then this is what may be causing the problem. If it is something belonging to the property then please report the problem at www.ardenpm.co.uk/repairs.
Still No Power
Call Scottish Power on ‘105’ to check if there is an outage in your area
No Known Issues
If there is no issue with your supply, the fuse-board or in the area then contact our office on 0131 516 8159 or visit ardenpm.co.uk/repairs
It is your repsonability to ensure the utility accounts are set up correctly as we are unable to adminisiter them on your behalf. If you require confiramtion of the opening or closing meter readings, please contact your property manager.
You are free to change the provider to your preferred supplier, however please ensure you email your property manager to confirm who the new supplier is so we can update our records.
If you need to confirm who your current supplier is, please contact:
Electricity
- MPASS: 0845 270 9101
Gas
- Transco: 0870 608 1524
All tenants are responsible for the payment of Council Tax at their rented property. If you are a student you must ensure that you organise an exemption with the Council directly. We will inform the Council of the tenant details after check-in and check-out to ensure you are not charged beyond the period of your tenancy. If you have any queries regarding your Council Tax then please contact your local authority directly.
If you have overpaid your rent you must contact your property manager as quickly as possible so we can arrange a refund.
Please Note: You may be charged up to £25 Inc Vat
Rent must be paid using a Standing Order. The full amount for the rent must reach our account by the 1st day of each month. The standing order must come from one account only and NOT a standing order per tenant. Failure to organise this will incur a £20 administration fee each time a payment is paid by another means.
We have a zero tolerance policy on rent arrears. If for any reason your rent payments are late, administration fees of £30 Inc. VAT will be incurred. This will also apply in the event that a Standing Order is cancelled during the term of the lease without prior agreement with Arden Property Management and thus causing rent to be outstanding or paid late. If further reminders to pay outstanding rent, including letters, texts or emails are required, tenants will be charged further administration fees of £30 Inc. VAT for each reminder sent. If the rent/late fee still remains outstanding, additional charges may apply including debt recovery costs which will be charged at the percentage set by the recovery agent.
Your deposit is refundable only after you have vacated the property and when your lease has come to an end. If you move out before your lease end date you are still liable for the rent and the deposit cannot be returned until the end date. We make every effort to request the deposit return within seven working days where there is no dispute, however if there are deductions for works this can delay the refund as we then need to wait for invoices from contractors to come in. Deposits will not be requested for refund until we have forwarding addresses for all tenants.
Deductions will be made from your deposit to cover rent arrears, breakages, rubbish removal, repairs, cleaning, damage caused to fixtures and fittings, non-returned keys (leading to lock changes) and replacement items from the inventory. We will inform you of these deductions before making a submission to the deposit scheme where your deposit is held. The scheme will then refund the deposit as agreed via a bank transfer, therefore it is very important that you ensure that you have given them up to date details. If there are deductions we must wait until invoices come in from contractors before we can ask for the deposit to be refunded and this can slow the process down.
To make sure you get as much of your deposit back as possible you should
- Ensure your rent is paid up to date as any arrears will be taken from your deposit
- Attend to all cleaning required
- Ensure all items listed on the inventory are present, in good condition and in the original location otherwise you will be charged
You must move out on the agreed date (usually the last day of the lease) and provide us with a forwarding address and return all keys by 12 noon. It is rarely possible to end a tenancy before the end of a lease because it is a legally binding contract. If tenants wish to give notice at the end of tenancy this must be submitted in writing and signed by all tenants or emailed, copying in all tenants, otherwise it will not be accepted.
We have produced this list in response to feedback from tenants for guidance on cleaning. Whilst we have tried to be as thorough as possible we cannot include every single aspect of the cleaning required or the list would be enormous. This document is intended to convey the depth of cleaning required and also to help highlight areas which are often forgotten about and missed. The main thing which we would like to get over is that cleaning takes a long time and you should allow plenty of time to complete the job thoroughly.
If you change your mind and wish to continue renting the property, please contact your property manager as quickly as possible. Please note, if you decide to stay on after we have started advertising the property then there will be a fee of £180 Inc. VAT to cover these costs.
Emergencies & Out-of-hours help…
What is an emergency?
Fire / Burglary
Contact the emergency services on 999
No Power
Call Scottish Power: 0800 092 9290 (from a landline) / 0330 1010 222 (from a Mobile)
Emergency Repair
The following would be considered an emergency situation
- Burst pipe
- Broken windows
- Broken locks
In these circumstances please call the contractors listed below or find another of your own choice. Please note – Boiler breakdowns and roof leaks cannot be attended to out of hours, please report these via our online OpenView portal
If you choose a contractor then you may need to pay them directly. This would then be reimbursed by your Landlord, if applicable and upon receipt of proof of payment.
Bruntsfield Lock Shop
Allied Trade Plumbing and Heating
Southside Glazing & Joinery
Lost Keys
During office hours, keys can be collected from our head office upon payment of a £20 deposit and must be returned within 48 hours.
If you have lost your house keys out of hours, then all costs associated with accessing the property would be yours. Should a lock require replacement then you must supply two maintenance keys to Arden asap. These would also be at your cost.
HMO Tenants
If you are a tenant who resides in an HMO licensed property, you can call us out of hours on 07519468332. You may have to leave a voicemail with your name, address, description of the issue and your contact number. If you prefer you can send an SMS containing the same information. We will then get back to you as soon as possible.
Tenants who do not live in an HMO property will not be responded to on this service.
All Other Repairs
You are able to troubleshoot and report all other repairs online using our OpenView portal