Slades Letting Agents, local letting specialists across Southbourne, Christchurch, Highcliffe, Bransgore and beyond.
Since opening our doors in 2007, Slades Lettings has helped thousands of tenants find their ideal home, from studio apartments and modern flats to family homes and country properties across the BH postcode areas.
We understand that moving home is about much more than simply finding a property. It is about finding somewhere you can feel comfortable, secure and happy.
That is why we take pride in the quality of the properties we offer and, just as importantly, in the level of service we provide throughout your tenancy.
If you choose a managed property through Slades Lettings, you can be confident that our dedicated management team is here to support you throughout your stay.
Should something go wrong, our experienced team will deal with repairs and maintenance as quickly as possible, working with a network of reputable and trusted contractors to keep any inconvenience to an absolute minimum.
We believe that good communication and a responsive service make all the difference, which is why we work hard to build strong relationships with our tenants from the moment they move in.
Jason Hallowes MNAEA, MARLA – Director of Slades Lettings
“Having been in the property business for over 30 years, I decided to open a dedicated lettings office in Southbourne in 2008.
Having listened carefully to the expectations of both tenants and landlords, we firmly believe that the service we provide is second to none.
We strive for perfection and are genuinely delighted by the positive feedback we continually receive from both landlords and tenants.
It would be easy to simply move a tenant into a property and leave it at that. At Slades Lettings, however, we believe our relationship with our tenants is just as important after move-in as it is before.
We have built strong, long-lasting relationships with our tenants and are continually introducing new procedures and improving our service to enhance your experience with us.
We look forward to welcoming you into one of our properties.”
Whether you are renting your first home, moving locally or looking for your next long-term property, Slades Lettings is here to make renting as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
We look forward to welcoming you to Slades.
You can register for rental property alerts through the Slades website. Once registered, you can receive regular updates when suitable new properties become available.
You can also enquire about Slades properties through Rightmove and OnTheMarket, or speak directly to our dedicated Lettings team on 01202 428555.
Rental properties in Christchurch, Southbourne, Highcliffe, Bransgore and the surrounding areas can attract interest quickly, so registering your requirements with us helps our team understand what you are looking for and allows us to contact you when an appropriate property becomes available.
When registering, it is helpful to tell us your preferred locations, required number of bedrooms, budget, proposed moving date and any other important requirements, such as parking, outside space or permission to keep a pet.
Before renting a property, you will need to provide information that allows us to confirm your identity, complete the required Right to Rent checks and assess your ability to meet the rent.
All prospective adult occupiers must satisfy the relevant Right to Rent requirements before a tenancy begins.
British and Irish citizens can usually prove their Right to Rent using a passport or other accepted documentation. Other applicants may be able to provide a Home Office share code or appropriate immigration documentation, depending on their status.
As part of the referencing process you will also normally be asked to provide information relating to your income and employment. Depending on your circumstances, this may include evidence of earnings, bank statements or verification through Open Banking.
The precise information required can vary according to your circumstances, so our Lettings team will explain what is needed when you apply for a property.
As a guide, Slades’ referencing criteria normally require prospective tenants to demonstrate a combined gross annual income equivalent to at least 2.5 times the annual rent.
For example, if a property is £1,500 per month, the annual rent is £18,000, so a combined annual income of approximately £45,000 would normally be required.
Where two people are renting together, their eligible incomes can usually be combined for the affordability assessment.
Income is only one part of referencing. Other information may also be considered, and individual circumstances can vary, so we recommend discussing any concerns with our Lettings team before applying.
Not every tenant requires a guarantor.
A guarantor may be requested where an applicant does not meet the normal affordability or referencing criteria, or where additional financial reassurance is considered necessary.
Where a guarantor is required, they will also need to complete referencing. Under Slades’ normal referencing criteria, a guarantor will generally need to demonstrate sufficient financial means equivalent to approximately three times the annual rent, subject to the referencing company’s assessment.
If you think you may require a guarantor, we recommend discussing this with us at the beginning of your property search so that the requirements can be explained before you make an application.
The maximum tenancy deposit permitted in England depends on the annual rent.
For properties with an annual rent of less than £50,000, the maximum tenancy deposit is normally equivalent to five weeks’ rent.
Where the annual rent is £50,000 or more, the permitted maximum can be six weeks’ rent, subject to the relevant legislation.
A tenancy deposit is different from a holding deposit. A holding deposit may be requested when you apply to reserve a property while the necessary pre-tenancy checks are completed and is limited to a maximum of one week’s rent.
Your tenancy deposit is protected through an approved tenancy deposit protection scheme.
Slades protects tenancy deposits using the TDS Custodial scheme operated by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), an authorised tenancy deposit protection provider.
Your deposit is held securely by the custodial scheme rather than being treated as money belonging to the landlord or letting agent.
You will be provided with information explaining how your deposit has been protected, including the relevant Deposit Protection Certificate, Prescribed Information and information about the scheme.
At the end of the tenancy, you and your landlord will have the opportunity to agree how the deposit should be returned. If deductions are proposed, these should relate to matters for which the tenant is responsible under the tenancy and should take account of reasonable wear and tear.
If agreement cannot be reached, the Tenancy Deposit Scheme provides an independent dispute resolution process through which the evidence can be considered and a decision made about how the disputed amount should be divided.
As an alternative to a cash tenancy deposit, we offer existing and prospective tenants the option of Reposit https://reposit.co.uk (subject to a landlords agreement). Please ask a member of the team for more information
Most fees previously charged to tenants were prohibited by the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
This means a letting agent or landlord cannot simply charge administration, referencing, inventory or general tenancy set-up fees to a tenant.
There are, however, certain payments that remain permitted. These can include the rent, a refundable tenancy deposit, a refundable holding deposit and, in certain circumstances, charges associated with a tenant-requested change to the tenancy, lost keys or security devices, late payment of rent or ending a tenancy without giving the required notice.
Different rules and limits apply to each type of permitted payment.
Slades will explain any payment required before you commit to a property so that you understand what you are being asked to pay and why.
Yes, potentially.
Under the rules applying to private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026, tenants have the right to ask their landlord for permission to keep a pet. The request should be made in writing and should include details of the pet.
A landlord must consider the request and cannot refuse it without a valid reason. They should normally respond in writing within 28 days.
There may, however, be circumstances where permission cannot reasonably be given. For example, a lease affecting an apartment or other leasehold property may restrict pets, and the property owner may themselves need permission from the freeholder or superior landlord.
If you already have a pet when searching for a property, we strongly recommend telling our Lettings team at the outset so that this can be discussed with the landlord before you proceed.
If you decide that you would like a pet after moving into a property, you should request the landlord’s written permission before bringing the pet into the property.
If your property is fully managed by Slades, maintenance issues should be reported through our online Repair & Maintenance system. This allows us to record the problem properly and arrange the appropriate response.
Providing as much information as possible, including photographs where helpful, can make it easier for us to identify the problem and arrange the appropriate contractor.
For genuine emergencies outside normal office hours, Slades also provides emergency contact information for tenants in managed properties.
If your tenancy is managed directly by your landlord rather than by Slades, you should report maintenance issues to your landlord using the contact details provided to you.
If you are unsure whether your property is managed by Slades, our Lettings team will be able to confirm this for you.
Under the tenancy rules applying in England from 1 May 2026, most private tenants with an assured periodic tenancy can end their tenancy by giving at least two months’ written notice.
The notice must normally end on the day the rent is due or the day before it is due.
Where there is a joint tenancy, notice given to end the tenancy generally brings the tenancy to an end for all joint tenants rather than simply removing the person who gave notice.
A landlord and tenant can agree to a shorter notice period, but any such agreement should be confirmed in writing.
If you are considering leaving your property, we recommend contacting Slades before serving notice so that we can confirm the dates that apply to your particular tenancy and explain the next steps.
Once you have given the appropriate notice, Slades will explain the moving-out process and what needs to happen before you return the property.
You should remove your belongings, return all keys and leave the property in accordance with the terms of your tenancy, allowing for reasonable wear and tear.
For properties managed by Slades, a check-out inspection will be arranged after you leave. The condition of the property can then be compared with the inventory and check-in information prepared at the beginning of the tenancy.
The check-out report is provided to the landlord. If no deductions are proposed, the deposit repayment process can begin. If the landlord believes that a deduction is justified, you will be told what is being proposed and given the opportunity to agree or disagree.
Once landlord and tenant agree how much of the protected deposit should be returned, it should normally be repaid within 10 days.
If an agreement cannot be reached, the disputed amount remains protected and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme’s independent dispute resolution service can be used to determine how it should be allocated.
The rules surrounding rent in advance changed significantly on 1 May 2026.
A landlord or letting agent cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent from you before the tenancy agreement has been signed.
Once the tenancy agreement has been signed and before the tenancy begins, a tenant paying monthly can normally be asked for a maximum of one month’s rent in advance.
This is separate from a tenancy deposit and any permitted holding deposit.
The rules are intended to prevent prospective tenants being required to offer large amounts of rent in advance simply to secure a property.
For most private tenancies in England, the system changed on 1 May 2026.
New assured tenancies are now generally assured periodic tenancies, meaning they continue on a rolling basis — normally monthly where rent is paid monthly, rather than having a fixed end date.
Most existing assured shorthold tenancies also became assured periodic tenancies when the new rules came into effect.
This means that you can remain in the property until either you decide to end the tenancy correctly or the landlord uses one of the legal grounds available to them to seek possession.
For tenants, this provides greater flexibility because you are no longer tied to a traditional six- or twelve-month fixed tenancy term.
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Legislation last reviewed: August 2026
Rental legislation can change. The information above provides general guidance and should not be regarded as legal advice. Where a question relates to your individual tenancy or circumstances, please contact the Slades Lettings team for current advice.
TENANTS PLEASE NOTE:
In the event of any maintenance issues please use our online system to report www.sladeshomes.co.uk
In the event of a GAS EMERGENCY please call TRANSCO on 0800 111 999.
In the event of an out of hours boiler/plumbing emergency, our preferred contractor Allen’s Heating & Plumbing may be called on 07971 668923.
In the event of an out of hours electrical emergency, our preferred contractor 1st Connections may be called on 07772 998046
If you need an emergency locksmith our preferred contractor Picks Locksmith may be called on 07813 574005
Any other genuine emergencies please call 07501 453701
Please be aware, if your call is considered not to be an emergency you will be passed the invoice for payment.