Royal Holloway Students' Union HouseSearch Terms And Conditions
In these terms and conditions ‘RHSU’ refers to Royal Holloway Students’ Union, ‘You’ ‘Your’ refers to the user of Royal Holloway Students’ Union’s website and the HouseSearch website, ‘HouseSearch’ refers to the HouseSearch property management system operated by Royal Holloway Students’ Union. ‘Site’ refers to the HouseSearch website: rhul.studentpad.co.uk.
Who are we and how to contact us
1. We are Royal Holloway Students’ Union (charity number 1141998) and our address is The Students’ Union, Royal Holloway University, Egham Hill, Egham, TW20 0EX (referred to as "we" or "us" or "our" or “RHSU”). Our VAT number is 212 458 683. We are not a property sales or lettings agency. We are the providers of the Site. It is our members (which include estate agents, commercial agents, lettings agents, landlords, new home developers and overseas home owners) that display property details for you to view.
2. To contact us, please email housing@su.rhul.ac.uk or by post to our address above.
By Using our site you accept these terms
3. These Terms set out all of the rules and obligations that apply to your use of the Site.
4. By using our Site, you confirm that you accept these Terms and that you agree to comply with them. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use our Site.
5. We recommend that you print and keep a copy of these Terms for future reference. They are a legally binding agreement between you and us.
6. These Terms may also make reference to other terms that apply when using our Site, such as our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. By using our Site, you consent to the processing of your data in accordance with these policies.
We may make changes to our terms
7. We amend these Terms from time to time by updating them on the Site. Every time you wish to use our Site, please check these Terms to ensure you understand the terms that apply at that time.
We may make changes to our site
8. We may from time to time change the content of this Site or suspend or discontinue any aspect of this Site, which may include your access to it. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any major changes.
Purchasing an advert
9. If you wish to advertise a property on HouseSearch you are required to purchase an advert using the HouseSearch website. In the event of a problem with the website or in exceptional cases it is possible to purchase an advert in person at the Students’ Union Helpdesk.
10. All adverts will run for a maximum length of six months from the date they have been approved by an RHSU website administrator.
11. When a property has been successfully let to a tenant the landlord must deactivate the advert. Should RHSU be made aware that a property has been let by you we reserve the right to remove the advert.
12. When uploading an advert you are agreeing that your property complies with The Competition and Markets Authority Guidelines.
13. If it is brought to the attention of RHSU that an advert for a property is dishonest/misleading, your advert may be temporarily removed from the site pending an investigation, which may lead to a suspension from the service.
14. In the event of a suspension all adverts you currently have live will be suspended until the suspension is complete and no refunds with be issued for any losses incurred due to suspension.
15. You will receive confirmation of purchase by email within 24 hours of the purchase to your HouseSearch registered account.
16. All adverts are subject to vetting by RHSU and any that fall below our required standards will be rejected.
Quality standards framework
17. By uploading a property to the HouseSearch website you are agreeing that it reaches and complies with our Bronze quality standard requirements.
18. You will need to upload evidence of the following where applicable:
- Valid HMO Certificate, if applicable
- Valid Gas Safety Certificate
- Valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
19. You may also be required to provide evidence that you are a registered member of a Deposit Protection Scheme (TDS, DPS or My Deposits) and provide a copy of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy or Lodgers Agreement you implement.
Housing, landlord and tenant law
20. By using HouseSearch, you agree to fully comply with all legal requirements outlined in Housing, Landlord and Tenant Law and ensure these practices are implemented throughout the tenure.
Cancellation rights and refunds
21. A refund can be claimed within 14 days of the purchase of your advert(s) but no less than 24 hours before an advert is scheduled to go live.
22. Refunds are not available should you fail to let your property during the six month period of your advert.
23. Refunds will not be issued if you are suspend from the site, or your advert is removed due to breach of our Terms and Conditions of use.
24. When claiming a refund for an advert you need to email marketing@su.rhul.ac.uk and include the date of purchase, your receipt reference number and your full name in your email.
25. Any refund will usually be paid using the same method used to buy the advert within 30 days of the original date of the advert.
Use of images
26. You must ensure that you own the copyright to any images uploaded to the HouseSearch website when advertising your property.
Student website usage
27. The adverts appearing on HouseSearch have not been inspected by RHSU or Royal Holloway University, therefore we cannot guarantee condition, safety or suitability of the properties.
28. It is the responsibility of the student to determine the condition, safety and suitability of the property, therefore, we strongly recommend students undertake a viewing of the property before signing a contract.
29. Visit the ‘Housing Information’ tab to get advice on private renting, including what to look out for when viewing a property and your legal standing as a private tenant.
30. If you wish to check that the property you are viewing has been accredited by Runnymede Borough Council, please visit the Council’s Accreditation webpage. Accredited properties have been inspected by Runnymede Council within the last 5 years. The Council has confirmed that the building met the required standard.
31. Please note that RHSU does not have any business agreements with any letting agencies in the local and surrounding areas as of 1 August 2017.
Force majeure
32. If an advert cannot take place or is delayed because of circumstances beyond our reasonable control, we will not be liable for any direct or indirect losses incurred by you. Examples of such circumstances include (without limitation): war, terrorism, civil commotion, fire, flood, adverse weather, natural disaster, act of God, outbreak of disease, epidemic, pandemic, any strike or labour dispute, interruption or failure of any utility service, any government order, rule regulation, or action by a government or public authority.