FAQs

If you’re fed up with expensive deposits that often overlap between tenancies, *flatfair’s No Deposit* is for you. We’re also a great choice if you want an easy, fair way to pay for – or dispute – charges made by your landlord or letting agent at the end of your tenancy. When accidents happen, you should only have to pay a fair price to set it right. As well as saving you from an expensive deposit, *flatfair* provides a simple and transparent way to pay for – or counter – any charges for damages and unpaid rent made against you. At all times, you’ll be protected through an Independent Dispute Resolution service if you need it.

Talk to your agent for more information on how you can join flatfair.

No, flatfair is not insurance; you’re still accountable for any damage or rent arrears you are responsible for at the end of your tenancy.

With No Deposit, you’ll only pay a small check-in fee worth only one week’s rent or £120 (whichever is the greater), plus VAT, split evenly across the household.

When you move out, you only pay for any slip-ups through our fair and easy check-out process. If a dispute arises, it can be resolved quickly and fairly with independent adjudicators who have extensive experience in handling end-of-tenancy disputes.

*Tenants need to pay a £25 adjudication fee, which you’ll get back if the amount awarded by the adjudicator is less than the proposed charge.

flatfair’s security expires in line with the tenancy end date, or after 24 months (whatever comes first). It can be extended at any time through the flatfair platform, free of charge.

For tenants, we charge a small check-in fee worth only one week’s rent or £120 (whichever is the greater), plus VAT, split evenly across the household.

Instead of an expensive 5-week cash deposit, flatfair tenants pay a one-off check-in fee worth one week’s rent (+VAT) (split evenly between the household). This payment lasts for the duration of your tenancy with no renewal costs, and you'll only need to pay for any potential established end of tenancy charges after you leave the property.

The flatfair check-in fee covers the duration of the tenancy within the property. If you were to move, your letting agent would set up a new agreement with the new landlord and this would require a new flatfair check-in fee.

The fee doesn't cover or insure the tenant, the alternative allows a tenant to a pay a one off check-in at the start of the tenancy instead of a security deposit, in the understanding that the tenant is choosing to move to a pay as you leave model. The flatfair check-in fee enforces any debts generated under the tenancy agreement, usually this is unpaid rent or damages to the property. We work in the same way as a normal deposit, in that all claims must be established against the tenant in a transparent manner.

The flatfair check-in fee costs the equivalent of one week's rent plus VAT, which is split evenly between the members of the household.

We require all tenants to pay for their flatfair check-in fee using a debit card in their own name. Your payment will be unsuccessful if you are using a debit card that’s not in your own name. If you do not have a debit card, we would recommend reaching out to your letting agent directly as you may be required to utilise a traditional deposit if you’re unable to make the payment.

International debit cards:
We recommend that you use a UK debit card to make the payment for your flatfair check-in fee as we can’t guarantee that any international debit cards will be accepted by our payment system.

Your debit card details, including details of the supporting bank account you provided, are held on file for the duration of your flatfair tenancy. In the unlikely event that there are lawful sums owed at the end of the tenancy, we will firstly always attempt to amicably resolve this with all tenants who resided in the property. If this won't be possible, we may deduct any sums owed from the registered debit card details under the liabilities set out in our Terms and Conditions.

No. Instead of a traditional five week security deposit, you'll only pay a small check-in fee worth only one week’s rent or £120 (whichever is the greater), plus VAT, split evenly across the household.

If your flatfair payment is unsuccessful, we recommend reading through our list of common payment issues below. If any funds have left your account but the payment has not been successful, they are usually remitted back by your bank within 24 hours but this will depend on your specific bank provider.

flatfair are unable to guarantee that your payment will be successful as with any payment, issues may arise that are out of our control.

Postcode Verification Issue:
The system is automatically rejecting your payment as the incorrect postcode associated with your card has been entered. If you believe you are entering the correct information, please contact your bank directly to clarify your billing address. Your bank will be able to confirm the correct billing address associated with your debit card.

CVC Verification Issue:
If you receive the following error message with your payment: “CVC verification issue, please check the card details”, your payment has been automatically declined as an incorrect CVC number was entered.

As a reminder, your CVC number is most often the last 3 digits on the signature strip on the back of your card. If this is not working, we encourage you to reach out to your bank to confirm the correct CVC number before attempting to make the payment again.

Card Declined:
If you receive the following error message with your payment: “The card was declined, please make sure you have sufficient funds and not using a prepaid card”, we would recommend reaching out to your bank provider directly as you may unknowingly have insufficient funds or be using a prepaid card. Here at flatfair, we are not able to accept prepaid cards.

Authentication problem with your card:
If you believe to be entering the correct information but you are receiving the following error message with your payment “Authentication problem with your card issuer”, we would recommend reaching out to your bank provider directly as you may be required to provide authorisation for the payment to be successful.

The debit card is not in your own name:
We require all tenants to pay for their flatfair check-in fee using a debit card in their own name. Your payment will be unsuccessful if you are using a debit card that’s not in your own name. If you do not have a debit card, we would recommend reaching out to your letting agent directly as you may be required to utilise a traditional deposit if you’re unable to make the payment.

You can access any documents relating to your flatfair plan on the platform. If you are looking for any documents relating to your tenancy, such as a tenancy agreement please contact your landlord or managing agent.

We recommend that you use a UK debit card to make the payment for your flatfair check-in fee as we can’t guarantee that any international debit cards will be accepted by our payment system.

If you did not move into the property and the tenancy did not begin, please contact the team at support@flatfair.co.uk

Yes, all flatfair members must meet our minimum referencing criteria.

In order to qualify for flatfair membership, each tenant must have an email address in order to sign up to the platform as part of the flatfair terms and conditions.

Unfortunately, tenants can't share an email address as this is required to sign up and pay for their individual check-in fee with a debit card in their own name.

There are a few documents that your agent should provide you with at the beginning of your tenancy and these should include;

- How to rent guide
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Gas Safety Certificate
- Electrical Safety Certificate
- Manual appliances for things such as the boiler
- Signed Tenancy Agreement
- Inventory or check-in report

We would encourage you to take time to read your check-in report/inventory and go around the property checking that the description of the items, condition of the décor and standard of cleaning matches that stated. Usually, it will be a true representation of the property, but this is your opportunity to query any missing items or inconsistencies as you see them.

If you find that, for example, the check-in report states that the oven is cleaned to a professional standard but that the grills are greasy to the touch, make a note on the inventory and report this to the landlord promptly. Often the landlord will ask that you return the inventory within 7 days and report any cleaning issues within 48 hours and it is important that you stick to any timescales given.

While taking photographs is a good idea, it is difficult to establish cleanliness from a photograph, so while they can be great supporting evidence in some cases (for example the inside of an oven), the written description is key. It is impossible to photograph a smell, or something that is sticky to the touch, and taking a photograph of dust on a carpet can be equally tricky, so clear, concise wording describing the item is most useful.

It can also be a good idea to pay special attention to areas which tend to make the most use or require the most cleaning, such as:
- The oven
- The shower/bath
- The fridge/freezer (this should also be defrosted)
- The windows
- The flooring

You’ll be in ‘rent arrears’ if you fall behind with your rent payments to your private landlord or letting agent.

Although dealing with rent arrears can be tough, you should take action as quickly as possible. If you ignore your arrears, the problem will only get worse.

See if you can agree to a repayment plan to pay off your rent arrears.

A repayment plan means you'll make smaller payments to your landlord over a longer period of time. You’ll still have to pay everything back - but it could be easier than paying the full amount in one go. You can also use Resolve by flatfair to negotiate and agree on a solution to rent payment issues quickly and transparently - for free.

Your landlord is generally responsible for keeping in repair:
- the structure and exterior of your home, for example, the walls, roof, foundations, drains, guttering and external pipes, windows and external doors
- basins, sinks, baths, toilets and their pipework
- water and gas pipes, electrical wiring, water tanks, boilers, radiators, gas fires, fitted electric fires or fitted heaters.

Your landlord can only make repairs when they know there’s a problem - so make sure you tell them about any repairs that are needed.

Tenants, have a duty of care to promptly alert landlords to any areas of concern that may need repairing or replacing, such as when mould starts to appear, but who is responsible for the mould during the tenancy?

Typically, the response we usually see is that landlords are responsible when there is a fault with the building that has caused the mould, for example, a leaky pipe. Tenants would have responsibility for housekeeping and if the mould develops during their tenancy i.e. was not present at the beginning of the tenancy and was not as the result of a fault with the property, it may be down to lifestyle.

However, this is not always the case, and every case should be considered based on the evidence provided. flatfairs blogs are written as a guide, not as an absolute. You should seek legal advice if you wish to know the likelihood of a result in your individual case.

We're all animal lovers here at flatfair, and our membership is pet-friendly too. This means if you've got a furry little friend, you don't have to pay a penny more than our standard membership fee. As always, you're expected to treat your rented accommodation with care and to cover the cost of any damages at the end of your tenancy.

Please also remember that pets should only ever be kept in accommodation where they're expressly allowed.

If you have any issues during your tenancy, you should contact your landlord or managing agent as soon as possible to report them.

flatfair are unable to assist with any issues during your tenancy that are related to any repairs or damage to the property that are needed.

Once you have vacated the property at the end of your tenancy, your agent will be required to close your flatfair plan. This is because your agent is responsible for completing the end of tenancy process on the flatfair platform and we are unable to action this on their behalf.

If you have vacated your property and you can see that your flatfair plan is still active, we would recommend that you get in touch with your agent to discuss closing this.

Once your tenancy has ended you should request a copy of the check-out report/inventory ASAP. If the check-out report is inaccurate you should note these issues and submit them to your landlord or agent in writing so they can be added to the report.

If you and your landlord go into a dispute over damages or cleaning, the inventory will be the most significant piece of evidence.

Knowing the standard of the property at the start of your tenancy helps to set clear expectations of the maintenance required of you. Inventories also help safeguard tenants against unfair charges when moving out of a property.

There are no early termination charges to flatfair if your tenancy ends earlier than expected. However, If you need to leave before the end of your tenancy, your landlord or agent can charge an 'early termination' fee to cover any reasonable costs. For example, rent up to the end of your fixed tenancy period or costs to find a new tenant.

It is important that you speak to your agent or landlord to discuss this with them directly.

Your landlord or letting agent can charge you at the end of your tenancy if you have broken the terms of your tenancy agreement. Common reasons for deduction include:

- Cleaning
- Damage
- Redecoration
- Unpaid rent
- Gardening

The landlord can only claim to restore any issues in the property to the position they would have been in had you met the terms of your tenancy agreement. The normal decline in the condition of the property and its contents (known as wear and tear) cannot be charged to the tenant and must be factored into the amount charged for repairs, redecoration or replacements.

It is easy to forget how clean the property was at the start of the tenancy, especially if you have lived there for several years. Therefore, you should refer to the check-in report which was agreed upon at the start of the tenancy. The check-in report should give you a good idea of how clean the property was when you moved in and therefore how clean the landlord expects the property to be when you move out. If the inventory states that the property was cleaned to a professional standard, then you must clean the property to the same standard as it would be had you hired in a cleaning service. If the inventory states that it is clean and tidy, there may be photographs of or additional descriptions next to items such as the oven or hallway carpets, which will give you a better idea of how clean it should be when you move out.

Cleaning is very subjective as one person’s view of cleanliness can often differ from another’s. It is important that tenants are aware that the condition of a property in respect of cleaning is not subject to fair wear and tear. This means that even if something was damaged when you moved in, it should still be clean when you move out.

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There is no ‘one size fits all answer to this as it depends on the state of the property at the start and end of the tenancy, what is detailed in the tenancy agreement and a lot of other factors. For simplicity’s sake, let’s make a few assumptions. First, if the tenancy agreement requires that the property must be cleaned to a professional standard and that the property was noted as ‘cleaned to a professional standard’ in the check-in report. Let’s also assume that while the property is clean on the check-out report, there are areas that weren’t cleaned to a professional standard – e.g. the oven wasn’t cleaned, and the shower had the early signs of mould in the grout.

In this case, the landlord would be able to make a good case for a claim for a compensatory amount to be charged at the end of the tenancy. Therefore, it’s important for tenants to be aware of the cleaning standard of the property at the start of the tenancy and ensure this is noted in the inventory check-in report, a critical record of the property’s condition.

If you believe a charge, or a charge amount, that was raised against you is inaccurate, you can always counter it.

If your landlord or agent submits a charge against you at the end of your tenancy, you will receive an email notification complete with the charge details.

Once a charge has been submitted, tenants must respond within 10 days, otherwise the charge will be deemed as accepted.

If you'd like to counter a charge (for example, because you don't agree with the amount being charged), follow these steps:

- Log in into your flatfair dashboard
- Open your current membership and review the charge(s)
- Select Counter for the charge(s) you'd like to negotiate
- The negotiation stage is now active
- Add documents as evidence for your counter charge (evidence such as receipts for professional cleaning will work strongly in your favour)
- Enter the details of your counter charge
- Suggest an alternative price and click Send.

(Note: an alternative price can be anything from £0 upwards. For example, if you think that you should not be charged anything for a specific charge, simply input the number zero.)

Your landlord or agent will receive the counter charge which they can then either accept, counter (again) or dispute.

If they accept, you'll be notified by email. You will then have five days to complete the payment for the accepted charge(s) using a card of your choice. All tenants in the household must complete payment for their equal share. Once payment has been received and reviewed, the membership will be closed.

If they respond (with their own counter charge), the process will continue until an agreement is reached.

In an instance where no agreement can be reached, you may send the charge to Independent Dispute Resolution by clicking Dispute.

The payment link enables tenants who have opted to use flatfair instead of a traditional deposit, to share their account details so that an end of tenancy payment can be paid for.

The payment link is a secure and reliable way to share payment details to settle end of tenancy charges. The link enables tenants who have opted to use flatfair instead of a traditional deposit to share their account details. The link gives access to our secure payment infrastructure to pay for charges at the end of your tenancy.

Each link is unique and linked to a specific account. The link can be shared by tenants via email, text message or any other way they prefer.

We offer a returning tenant discount on a conditional basis; tenants are eligible for a 20% discount on their new flatfair check-in fee if their previous plan was closed without charges and tenants are eligible for a 10% discount on their new flatfair check-in fee if their previous plan was closed with charges, but these must be settled and not include any rent arrears.