FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions
The answers may also be in your tenancy guide which you can access here:
We have a whole page dedicated to answering all questions about renting with We Are Kin.
We ask that you pay a small holding payment to secure your home and take it off the market. This is then deducted from your 1st month’s rent. We do not charge a security deposit. This means you don’t have to fork out a large lump sum and worry about it being kept unfairly at the end of your tenancy.
Yes! We provide all our residents with free contents insurance via Endsleigh. For no extra charge your basic contents (including laptops up to £1k) are insured against theft. If you would like to upgrade your cover please let us know and you will benefit from our discounted rates through Endsleigh.
Yes they are! We include all utilities and complimentary superfast fibre broadband in our homes so you don’t have to worry about splitting bills or setting up joint accounts with your housemates, just one payment covers everything. It is worth noting that council tax is not included however if you are a student then you are entitled to a full council tax exemption.
When you move into a We Are Kin home you will be given instructions on how to download and use our smart maintenance app. This will allow you to report any issues immediately to us and attach photos & descriptions of the issue. We will then send out the appropriate contractor to fix the problem sharpish. If you have an emergency out of hours then please call the emergency number provided when you moved in.
We have put together a super simple handy guide to your state-of-the-art locking system.
At We Are Kin we like to prioritise letting our properties to pre-formed groups. However, we understand that this is not always possible.
If you just want to rent a room individually we will work hard to try to assemble groups of like-minded people to let properties together.
Paying Rent
Your contract will outline the dates on which your rental payments are due. Whilst we will do what we can to remind you of rent payments being due please understand that the responsibility for paying your rent on time rests with you.
If you believe you will have difficulty paying on these dates or would like to align you rental payments with your student loans then please contact us to discuss this.
Please note that all residents will need to pay their first instalment of rent before we can release keys to any residents on joint contracts.
You can still live with us until the end of your contracted period; however you will become liable for council tax during this time. If you no longer want to live with us, we can help you find somebody to take over your tenancy, however this cannot be guaranteed and you will remain liable for the full commitments of your contract until such time that a replacement resident can be found.
Please give us a call and we will work with you to find the best way in which to pay your rent. Alternatively, you can email us at homes@wearekin.co.uk. All rent is due in advance.
Please note, if your payment is more than 21 days late and we have not heard from you, then late payment charges may be applied to your account.
Living in your We Are Kin House
The office opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. The office is closed on weekends and bank holidays.
If you have an emergency out of office hours, you can contact your Kin Keeper below. If you cause any damage beyond fair wear and tear either maliciously or by accident you will be responsible of the cost to the contractor to attend and remedy the situation.
An emergency is a situation where the building is under threat of significant damage or is unsafe. In most cases we will carry out work quickly to prevent further damage or to make safe with the full repair being assessed during normal working hours.
For guidance the following would constitute an emergency;
- Immediate danger or serious damage to the building
- Gas leak/emergency – in first instance contact National Grid on 0800 111999
- A serious water leak that cannot be contained and is causing damage to the property
- Complete failure of electrics (power supplier to be first point of contact). This does not include tripped circuit breakers which just need to be turned back on.
- Breakdown of heating in sub-zero temperatures at the start of a weekend/holiday
- Please note – in most circumstances, loss of heating or hot water is not treated as an emergency and will normally be attended on the next working day.
If a problem that you have reported is due to lack of care or misuse by you or other residents occupying the property, you will be charged for the cost of putting it right.
Our key holders do hold spare keys in case of an emergency maintenance issue. Our contractors may still need to gain access via residents to make the necessary repairs.
It is therefore in your best interest to be available for appointments made with contractors to ensure the repairs are carried out as quickly as possible.
Your Kin Keeper is our person on the ground who is there to help with as many issues as possible as quickly as possible.
They are also the emergency Out of Hours contact
Kin Keepers
Lincoln – Alan: 0204 524 7035
Liverpool, Preston, Lancaster – Neal: 0204 524 7035
Manchester – Gary: 0204 524 7035
The contractors will attend to complete emergency repairs only, further remedial works may be required in working hours following the call out.
Please ensure all non-emergency maintenance is reported through your property portal, or you can call the office during opening hours.
We Are Kin (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm): 0204 524 7035
Out of Hours: Please contact your Kin Keeper.
Lincoln – Alan: 0204 524 7035
Liverpool, Preston, Lancaster – Neal: 0204 524 7035
Manchester – Gary: 0204 524 7035
If you have locked yourself out or if a lock has failed, call 0204 524 7035
Please be advised there will be a minimum charge of £40.00 payable if you have locked yourself out and need to be let back in by your Kin Keeper.
If you are able to wait until the next day we can temporarily allow access to your room and the house to another member of the house until you have your phone back up and running.
If you are unable to get your phone back up and running then we can provide a key-fob for use. This key-fob requires a deposit payment of £85 to be returned once the key fob has been returned at the end of the tenancy.
In case of a fire alarm fault or electrical emergency please contact your Kin Keeper. Please do not contact the Kin Keeper by text as they will not receive your message. If you call and there is no answer, leave a voicemail message and they will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you have no heating please report the issue through your property portal and a plumber will attend as soon as possible during working hours. If the problem has started on a Friday evening or Saturday and you require temporary portable heaters until the office re opens on Monday please call 0204 524 7035.
In the event of fire, leave the building immediately using the nearest exit route. Do this in a calm and orderly manner closing any doors behind you, making your way to a safe space outside and away from the building.
Call 999 and ask for Fire and Rescue and give location/details to the call operator.
Do not stop or return to collect personal belongings. Do not re-enter the building. Only return to the building when told it is safe to do so by the Fire & Rescue, Fire Officer in Charge.
We hope you never have cause to complain but sometimes we can get things wrong. We really value your feedback when we do as this helps us put things right, make improvements and stop it happening again. Keep reading for information on how to make a complaints.
How to make a complaint
If you’re already living with us, the best and quickest way to resolve your issue may be to speak to your Kin Keeper, especially if your issue concerns maintenance. Alternatively you can log an issue by clicking the button below
If you are not yet living with us, or you are a member of the general public, you can also contact us with details of your complaint and we will endeavour to help you.
We really want to help resolve your problem quickly, and if you would like to make a formal complaint please use our simple complaints form at the button below.
What happens next?
We will investigate your issue thoroughly, and try to resolve it as quickly as possible. Depending on the complaint, we may have to speak to more people or teams about it, and we may have more questions for you. We’ll always aim to respond to you within 28 days.
