Renting a Santien home
Whether you already live in one of our homes or are looking for your next one, this page covers how to report a repair, what you’ll pay, and how to raise a complaint.
Emergencies
If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. If there's a fire or anyone is in danger, call 999.
Then call us straight away. We treat these as emergencies and deal with them the same day: no heating or hot water in cold weather, a serious leak, no electricity, a broken front door or window lock, or a blocked toilet where it's the only one.
Reporting a repair
Email us or call us. Tell us your address and room (if you're in a shared house), what the problem is and when it started, and send a photo or short video if you can. It helps us send the right tradesperson first time.
We acknowledge every repair within 24 hours and tell you what happens next. Please report problems early, especially leaks, damp or mould. Small problems are quicker to fix before they grow.
What you'll pay
We don't charge tenants fees. You pay your rent and a deposit, and nothing else unless one of the specific situations below applies. These are the only payments the law allows.
| Payment | How much |
|---|---|
| Rent | As set out in your tenancy agreement. We won't ask for more than the first month's rent upfront. |
| Holding deposit, to reserve a property | No more than one week's rent. It counts towards your first rent or deposit once the tenancy starts. |
| Tenancy deposit | No more than five weeks' rent (six weeks if the annual rent is £50,000 or more). Protected with the Deposit Protection Service. |
| Changes to your tenancy that you ask for | £50, or our reasonable costs if higher. |
| Lost keys or security devices | The reasonable cost of replacing them. |
| Rent more than 14 days late | Interest at 3% above the Bank of England base rate, from the date the rent was due. |
| Bills you're responsible for under your tenancy | Such as council tax, energy, water, TV licence and broadband, where your agreement says you pay them. |
Your deposit
Every deposit we take is protected with the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) within 30 days, and we'll send you the certificate and prescribed information. At the end of your tenancy, any deductions are agreed with you first. If we can't agree, the DPS offers a free dispute resolution service.
How we're regulated
We're members of The Property Ombudsman (membership no. T11407), so if you're unhappy with how we've handled a complaint you can take it to them for free. Money we hold for you and for landlords is protected by Money Shield client money protection (ref 76863250).
Complaints
If something isn't right, tell us and we'll put it right. Our complaints procedure explains how to raise a complaint and how long we'll take to respond.