Terms of Business

01 Your Tenant Find instruction

We market the property, prepare photographs and standard particulars, include floor plans and virtual tours in instructed marketing, handle enquiries and arrange viewings, process applications and undertake the agreed identity, reference and Right to Rent steps, and prepare the tenancy documentation and initial check-in administration expressly included in the written instruction summary. We do not guarantee a tenant, rent payment or tenant conduct. The landlord approves the rent, choice of tenant and material tenancy arrangements, subject to law.

02 Your fee

The Tenant Find service costs £450 for a tenancy with one named tenant, or £500 for a joint tenancy with more than one named tenant. This is an agency fee paid by the landlord, not a tenant fee. AML checks and credit checks cost £15 per person for each check and are charged separately to the landlord. Additional joint-landlord work and other agreed services must be quoted in writing in the Alto instruction summary before signature; no undisclosed uplift is authorised. The core fee is due when a suitable applicant is accepted and the tenancy is ready for signature, unless a different lawful trigger is clearly agreed in the pre-signature instruction summary.

03 After the tenant moves in

Tenant Find is not an ongoing property-management appointment. The landlord will collect rent, manage repairs and inspections, protect and administer the deposit if they hold it, serve or manage notices, renew certificates and licensing, maintain registrations and meet all subsequent tenancy duties unless they separately instruct us in writing. Any deposit we handle will be dealt with under the agreed authorised scheme and applicable law.

04 Ending the Tenant Find instruction

This is a sole agency instruction for finding a tenant. Do not instruct another letting agent concurrently; we do not accept joint agency instructions. Either party may end an uncompleted instruction by written notice. No undisclosed withdrawal penalty applies. If we introduce an applicant before termination and the landlord then lets to that applicant, the agreed Tenant Find fee remains payable where the agreed fee trigger and applicable consumer law permit. Any different treatment of a tenant introduced directly by the landlord must be expressly agreed before signature.

05 Your legal duties as landlord

The landlord retains the ultimate legal responsibility to let lawfully and provide a safe, fit home. Before advertising or occupation they must supply current gas-safety, electrical safety and EPC information where required, evidence of alarms and other safety measures, relevant tenancy/deposit records, appropriate insurance and permissions from lenders or freeholders, and information about defects, hazards and works. The landlord must promptly fund authorised safety work and respond to necessary instructions. We may delay advertising, check-in or a proposed instruction while material compliance issues remain. Our assistance does not transfer legal responsibility.

06 Renters’ Rights Act 2025: tenancy obligations

For tenancies to which the new regime applies, assured tenancies became periodic from 1 May 2026; the landlord must comply with the correct written-information requirements, rent-increase process, lawful possession grounds, rental-bidding ban, rules on upfront rent and deposit/holding payments, and protections against discrimination concerning children or benefit receipt. Pet requests require an individual, legally compliant decision and response. A minimum term for our agency service is not a fixed term for the tenant. Tell us of all pre-1 May 2026 notices or ongoing proceedings because transitional rules may apply. The landlord must keep us informed of changes and obtain independent legal advice where needed.

07 National landlord and property registration

The landlord must register each property and relevant landlord details on the national private-rented-sector registration system when the applicable geographical rollout and legal duties take effect. They must pay the statutory charge, keep the entry accurate, supply the registration reference where required, and meet any statutory annual renewal or update requirements. Independently, the landlord agrees to notify Lock & Key promptly of initial registration, every renewal or annual update, changes, expiry, suspension and enforcement correspondence, and to confirm their status to us at least once every twelve months. We can assist with applications, record gathering and renewals only under a separately agreed quotation; official charges are additional. We do not promise a specific rollout date for a property before its area is formally called forward.

08 Selective licensing and other property licences

The landlord must check whether selective, additional or mandatory HMO licensing, planning or other local requirements apply to the property; obtain and maintain the correct licence or lawful exemption before letting where required; comply with licence conditions; and provide copies and changes immediately. A national property registration does not replace a local licence. Lock & Key can help assess requirements, collate records or apply for/renew a licence under a separately quoted fee, plus council charges. The landlord must notify us of all renewal dates, refusals, revocations and enforcement correspondence.

09 Fees and extra work

The service fee stated at the start of this agreement covers only the scope described here. Landlord AML checks, additional joint-landlord or multi-tenant work, certificates, compliance administration, licensing and national registration help, repairs, inventories, specialist legal work and other third-party charges are not included unless expressly listed. An additional fee or expenditure will be explained and agreed in writing before work begins, except for genuine urgent action to protect people or the property where it is reasonable and lawful to act first. We do not pass prohibited payments to tenants. We account for money handled for the landlord in accordance with our instructions and applicable rules.

10 Identification, authority and AML

The client confirms they are entitled to instruct us for the property and have the agreement of every owner whose authority is required. Each landlord or seller, joint owner and relevant beneficial owner must provide identification, address and ownership evidence and cooperate with the identity, anti-money-laundering and sanctions checks we require. We may request additional information, postpone work or decline an instruction where checks are incomplete or legal concerns remain. Other professionals may perform separate checks. Any additional landlord-side checking fee must be clearly quoted and agreed before it is incurred.

11 Information and third-party sharing

We use the contact, identity, property and transaction information needed to deliver this instruction and meet our legal duties. Where lawful and relevant, we may share necessary information with solicitors and conveyancers, buyers or tenants and their advisers, iamsold where relevant, ID/AML screening providers, local councils and council-tax or licensing teams, government registration services, energy and water suppliers (including United Utilities), surveyors, valuers, EPC/gas/electrical contractors, insurers, maintenance contractors, deposit protection providers, Zoopla and other marketing portals, and Alto/PropertyFile and other secure systems. We share only appropriate information for the purpose; this clause is not a blanket consent for unrelated marketing or an override of data-protection rights. Our separate privacy notice explains lawful bases, retention and rights. We will disclose any referral payment or benefit before a referral is accepted; the client is free to choose their own solicitor or contractor.

12 Our service, communications and complaints

We use reasonable care and skill, communicate material developments and arrange evening or weekend appointments when possible. Our phone lines are open 8am-10pm, seven days a week; this does not guarantee that all staff, contractors or third parties are available throughout those hours. PropertyFile access and document categories depend on the service and features enabled. Our complaints process is published on our website and complaints about Lock & Key may be referred to the Property Redress Scheme after our process. Nothing in these terms excludes statutory or consumer rights.

13 How the individual instruction is agreed

These are our standard service terms for information before you instruct us. Your individual written quotation and instruction summary will identify the client, property, instruction date, any property-specific agreed fee and material exception before signature. The final agreement is supplied to you on a durable medium before you sign it. A later material change to fees or scope must be agreed in writing; no optional service is accepted by silence.

14 Cancellation and start of service

Where the client is a consumer and this agreement is made at a distance or away from our premises, a statutory 14-day cancellation right may apply, beginning the day after the contract is made. To cancel, tell us clearly through the contact form at lockandkeyestateagents.co.uk/contact-us-2/ or in writing to 7 Hope Street, Blackburn BB2 1DY; no cancellation form is required. Signing the terms alone is not a separate express request to start work within that period. Unless a legally valid separate early-start request is received, we will wait until the cancellation period expires before starting chargeable work. If an express early-start request is separately made, any lawful proportionate payment and any loss of cancellation rights must meet the applicable regulations and the information given beforehand. Statutory rights are unaffected.

01 What Fully Managed includes

We provide the letting and marketing work described for Tenant Find (including floor plans and virtual tours), tenancy preparation, routine tenant liaison, rent collection and landlord statements, coordination of repairs and safety appointments, and such inspections and document sharing as are set out in the accompanying instruction summary. We keep the landlord informed of material rent or property issues. We do not insure rent, guarantee uninterrupted occupation, prevent every defect, or act as the landlord’s solicitor.

02 Fees and minimum agency term

The landlord pays £150 tenancy preparation plus a management fee of 10% of gross rent received through us, deducted or invoiced monthly. AML and credit checks are each £15 per person and are charged separately to the landlord. The exact commencement and any bespoke rate must be in the pre-signature instruction summary. Lock & Key is the sole agent for letting and managing this property while this instruction is in force; the landlord must not instruct another agent concurrently for those services. We do not accept joint agency instructions. The minimum agency term is twelve months from commencement; this is not a fixed term for the tenant. After that, either party may give thirty days’ written notice. If the landlord ends the instruction within the minimum other than for our material breach, only lawful, transparent and reasonably evidenced loss may be sought, not all unearned future fees.

03 Repairs, contractor payments and client money

The landlord funds necessary repairs, insurance, taxes, certificates and licensing. We seek approval for non-urgent expenditure and may arrange reasonable urgent work to protect life or property where prior approval is not practicable. The landlord remains responsible for the property and for professional advice on disputes and court action. We issue statements, account for deductions and handle deposits as agreed under a lawful scheme. Relevant client money is subject to our Client Money Protect arrangements.

04 Landlord cooperation and management transfer

The landlord must supply keys, existing tenancy agreements, deposit records, ledgers, prescribed information, certificates, relevant notices and licence/registration details promptly. Where taking over from another agent or from self-management, the transfer service begins only on the confirmed date and starts from £150; any transfer fee must be separately quoted and approved in writing before work. We do not assume liability for a previous agent’s actions or missing documents.

05 Your legal duties as landlord

The landlord retains the ultimate legal responsibility to let lawfully and provide a safe, fit home. Before advertising or occupation they must supply current gas-safety, electrical safety and EPC information where required, evidence of alarms and other safety measures, relevant tenancy/deposit records, appropriate insurance and permissions from lenders or freeholders, and information about defects, hazards and works. The landlord must promptly fund authorised safety work and respond to necessary instructions. We may delay advertising, check-in or a proposed instruction while material compliance issues remain. Our assistance does not transfer legal responsibility.

06 Renters’ Rights Act 2025: tenancy obligations

For tenancies to which the new regime applies, assured tenancies became periodic from 1 May 2026; the landlord must comply with the correct written-information requirements, rent-increase process, lawful possession grounds, rental-bidding ban, rules on upfront rent and deposit/holding payments, and protections against discrimination concerning children or benefit receipt. Pet requests require an individual, legally compliant decision and response. A minimum term for our agency service is not a fixed term for the tenant. Tell us of all pre-1 May 2026 notices or ongoing proceedings because transitional rules may apply. The landlord must keep us informed of changes and obtain independent legal advice where needed.

07 National landlord and property registration

The landlord must register each property and relevant landlord details on the national private-rented-sector registration system when the applicable geographical rollout and legal duties take effect. They must pay the statutory charge, keep the entry accurate, supply the registration reference where required, and meet any statutory annual renewal or update requirements. Independently, the landlord agrees to notify Lock & Key promptly of initial registration, every renewal or annual update, changes, expiry, suspension and enforcement correspondence, and to confirm their status to us at least once every twelve months. We can assist with applications, record gathering and renewals only under a separately agreed quotation; official charges are additional. We do not promise a specific rollout date for a property before its area is formally called forward.

08 Selective licensing and other property licences

The landlord must check whether selective, additional or mandatory HMO licensing, planning or other local requirements apply to the property; obtain and maintain the correct licence or lawful exemption before letting where required; comply with licence conditions; and provide copies and changes immediately. A national property registration does not replace a local licence. Lock & Key can help assess requirements, collate records or apply for/renew a licence under a separately quoted fee, plus council charges. The landlord must notify us of all renewal dates, refusals, revocations and enforcement correspondence.

09 Fees and extra work

The service fee stated at the start of this agreement covers only the scope described here. Landlord AML checks, additional joint-landlord or multi-tenant work, certificates, compliance administration, licensing and national registration help, repairs, inventories, specialist legal work and other third-party charges are not included unless expressly listed. An additional fee or expenditure will be explained and agreed in writing before work begins, except for genuine urgent action to protect people or the property where it is reasonable and lawful to act first. We do not pass prohibited payments to tenants. We account for money handled for the landlord in accordance with our instructions and applicable rules.

10 Identification, authority and AML

The client confirms they are entitled to instruct us for the property and have the agreement of every owner whose authority is required. Each landlord or seller, joint owner and relevant beneficial owner must provide identification, address and ownership evidence and cooperate with the identity, anti-money-laundering and sanctions checks we require. We may request additional information, postpone work or decline an instruction where checks are incomplete or legal concerns remain. Other professionals may perform separate checks. Any additional landlord-side checking fee must be clearly quoted and agreed before it is incurred.

11 Information and third-party sharing

We use the contact, identity, property and transaction information needed to deliver this instruction and meet our legal duties. Where lawful and relevant, we may share necessary information with solicitors and conveyancers, buyers or tenants and their advisers, iamsold where relevant, ID/AML screening providers, local councils and council-tax or licensing teams, government registration services, energy and water suppliers (including United Utilities), surveyors, valuers, EPC/gas/electrical contractors, insurers, maintenance contractors, deposit protection providers, Zoopla and other marketing portals, and Alto/PropertyFile and other secure systems. We share only appropriate information for the purpose; this clause is not a blanket consent for unrelated marketing or an override of data-protection rights. Our separate privacy notice explains lawful bases, retention and rights. We will disclose any referral payment or benefit before a referral is accepted; the client is free to choose their own solicitor or contractor.

12 Our service, communications and complaints

We use reasonable care and skill, communicate material developments and arrange evening or weekend appointments when possible. Our phone lines are open 8am-10pm, seven days a week; this does not guarantee that all staff, contractors or third parties are available throughout those hours. PropertyFile access and document categories depend on the service and features enabled. Our complaints process is published on our website and complaints about Lock & Key may be referred to the Property Redress Scheme after our process. Nothing in these terms excludes statutory or consumer rights.

13 How the individual instruction is agreed

These are our standard service terms for information before you instruct us. Your individual written quotation and instruction summary will identify the client, property, instruction date, any property-specific agreed fee and material exception before signature. The final agreement is supplied to you on a durable medium before you sign it. A later material change to fees or scope must be agreed in writing; no optional service is accepted by silence.

14 Cancellation and start of service

Where the client is a consumer and this agreement is made at a distance or away from our premises, a statutory 14-day cancellation right may apply, beginning the day after the contract is made. To cancel, tell us clearly through the contact form at lockandkeyestateagents.co.uk/contact-us-2/ or in writing to 7 Hope Street, Blackburn BB2 1DY; no cancellation form is required. Signing the terms alone is not a separate express request to start work within that period. Unless a legally valid separate early-start request is received, we will wait until the cancellation period expires before starting chargeable work. If an express early-start request is separately made, any lawful proportionate payment and any loss of cancellation rights must meet the applicable regulations and the information given beforehand. Statutory rights are unaffected.

01 Auction instruction and separate iamsold terms

Lock & Key is the sole estate agent for marketing this property during this auction instruction. The seller must not instruct a competing agent at the same time; iamsold is our appointed auction partner, not a joint agency instruction. We market locally and online, include floor plans and virtual tours, arrange viewings and pass enquiries to iamsold. iamsold conducts the auction under separate seller and bidder documents covering the method, guide and reserve, legal pack and reservation arrangements. Those terms must be supplied and accepted before launch; this agreement does not replace them. We cannot guarantee a bid, price, exchange or completion.

02 Seller’s costs and buyer Reservation Fee

For Lock & Key’s buyer-paid Reservation Fee auction instruction, we charge the seller no agency selling commission and no auction selling fee. The seller pays their normal conveyancing and legal costs. If a provider legal-pack or other third-party cost is proposed, it must be specifically disclosed and agreed in writing before it is incurred; nothing here authorises an undisclosed seller charge. The successful buyer may pay a separate Reservation Fee under iamsold’s then-current terms in addition to the purchase price. The amount, VAT treatment, refund position and consequences of default must be made clear in the specific auction information and provider contract; the seller does not receive the buyer’s Reservation Fee.

03 Timescales and seller commitment

Modern Method of Auction commonly targets exchange and completion within approximately 56 days from receipt of draft contracts for a standard property; Traditional Auction commonly targets around 28 days under its own contract. Neither is a promise of completion by a particular date. Reserve, guide price, bid acceptance, exclusivity, exchange, legal pack and withdrawal consequences depend on the auction method and provider documentation, which the seller should review with their solicitor before accepting.

04 Seller’s duties and ending an instruction

The seller confirms authority to sell, discloses title and property details accurately and supplies requested legal-pack information promptly. If the property is tenanted, relevant tenancy, deposit, arrears, licensing and compliance records must be disclosed. Withdrawal after the seller has accepted separate auction-provider terms or after a binding auction commitment may carry obligations under those terms; we do not add a separate Lock & Key seller withdrawal charge in this agreement. A fee or referral benefit not already disclosed must be separately agreed in writing.

05 Identification, authority and AML

The client confirms they are entitled to instruct us for the property and have the agreement of every owner whose authority is required. Each landlord or seller, joint owner and relevant beneficial owner must provide identification, address and ownership evidence and cooperate with the identity, anti-money-laundering and sanctions checks we require. We may request additional information, postpone work or decline an instruction where checks are incomplete or legal concerns remain. Other professionals may perform separate checks. Any additional landlord-side checking fee must be clearly quoted and agreed before it is incurred.

06 Information and third-party sharing

We use the contact, identity, property and transaction information needed to deliver this instruction and meet our legal duties. Where lawful and relevant, we may share necessary information with solicitors and conveyancers, buyers or tenants and their advisers, iamsold where relevant, ID/AML screening providers, local councils and council-tax or licensing teams, government registration services, energy and water suppliers (including United Utilities), surveyors, valuers, EPC/gas/electrical contractors, insurers, maintenance contractors, deposit protection providers, Zoopla and other marketing portals, and Alto/PropertyFile and other secure systems. We share only appropriate information for the purpose; this clause is not a blanket consent for unrelated marketing or an override of data-protection rights. Our separate privacy notice explains lawful bases, retention and rights. We will disclose any referral payment or benefit before a referral is accepted; the client is free to choose their own solicitor or contractor.

07 Our service, communications and complaints

We use reasonable care and skill, communicate material developments and arrange evening or weekend appointments when possible. Our phone lines are open 8am-10pm, seven days a week; this does not guarantee that all staff, contractors or third parties are available throughout those hours. PropertyFile access and document categories depend on the service and features enabled. Our complaints process is published on our website and complaints about Lock & Key may be referred to the Property Redress Scheme after our process. Nothing in these terms excludes statutory or consumer rights.

08 How the individual instruction is agreed

These are our standard service terms for information before you instruct us. Your individual written quotation and instruction summary will identify the client, property, instruction date, any property-specific agreed fee and material exception before signature. The final agreement is supplied to you on a durable medium before you sign it. A later material change to fees or scope must be agreed in writing; no optional service is accepted by silence.

09 Cancellation and start of service

Where the client is a consumer and this agreement is made at a distance or away from our premises, a statutory 14-day cancellation right may apply, beginning the day after the contract is made. To cancel, tell us clearly through the contact form at lockandkeyestateagents.co.uk/contact-us-2/ or in writing to 7 Hope Street, Blackburn BB2 1DY; no cancellation form is required. Signing the terms alone is not a separate express request to start work within that period. Unless a legally valid separate early-start request is received, we will wait until the cancellation period expires before starting chargeable work. If an express early-start request is separately made, any lawful proportionate payment and any loss of cancellation rights must meet the applicable regulations and the information given beforehand. Statutory rights are unaffected.

01 Our normal board-sale appointment

We market the property by normal private treaty sale, including agreed professional photographs, floor plans and virtual tours within instructed marketing, a For Sale board where appropriate, Zoopla and other agreed channels, buyer enquiries and viewings, offers and sales progression to completion. We pass on offers in accordance with the law, including offers received before exchange, and communicate relevant buyer feedback. We do not guarantee a sale price, buyer finance or completion date.

02 Sales fee and when it is due

Our standard sales fee is £795 for a final sale price up to £100,000 inclusive; £995 for a price over £100,000 and up to £200,000 inclusive; and a fixed fee agreed in the pre-signature Alto summary above £200,000. A different fixed fee expressly quoted in that summary replaces the standard fee. No VAT is added. The fee normally becomes due on legal completion where the sole agency fee trigger in section 03 applies. The separate ready, willing and able purchaser provision in section 03A explains when the agreed agency fee may instead become payable following seller withdrawal without completion. The written instruction summary must state the exact total agency fee applicable to that provision before signature; it is not an additional fee. Seller conveyancing and separately approved services are excluded. A separate written valuation letter costs £75 only if specifically commissioned; it is not automatically added.

03 Agency type, other agents and termination

SOLE AGENCY, not sole selling rights. You appoint Lock & Key as your only estate agent for this property and must not instruct another agent concurrently; we do not accept joint agency. Our fee is payable on legal completion if contracts are exchanged with a buyer introduced by us during our sole agency period, with a buyer with whom we negotiated during that period, or with a buyer introduced by another agent during that period. A buyer you found independently does not trigger our fee merely because we are sole agent. Tell us about any earlier agent and their buyers before signing. The minimum term is two calendar months from the date in the Alto summary. Either party may give at least 28 days’ written notice during the term, but it cannot end before two months. Send notice to our stated contact address; we will confirm the end date. If you withdraw, the marketing-cost provision in section 03C may apply. The separate agency-fee provision in section 03A and statutory cancellation provisions in section 09 also apply where their requirements are met. Statutory cancellation rights are unaffected.

03A Ready, willing and able purchaser — seller withdrawal

A purchaser is a “ready, willing and able” purchaser if they are prepared and able to exchange unconditional contracts for the purchase of your property. You will be liable to pay remuneration to us, in addition to any other costs or charges agreed, if such a purchaser is introduced by us in accordance with your instructions, and this must be paid even if you subsequently withdraw and unconditional contracts for sale are not exchanged, irrespective of your reasons.

This provision is subject to your statutory cancellation rights and all applicable consumer rights and remedies. A viewing, expression of interest, mortgage agreement in principle or offer at the asking price does not, by itself, establish that a purchaser meets this requirement. We must provide evidence supporting any claim that the purchaser was prepared and able to exchange in accordance with your written instructions. The fee is the exact agency fee expressly agreed in your written instruction summary before signature. Where this provision lawfully applies following your withdrawal, payment is due within 28 days of our written invoice and supporting explanation. We do not charge the agency fee twice for the same transaction.

03B Agreed asking price and changes to instructions

The written instruction summary records the initial agreed asking price and any material conditions of sale. Changes to the asking price or sale instructions must be confirmed in writing. An asking-price offer does not authorise us to accept a sale on your behalf. Raising your required price after a ready, willing and able purchaser has been introduced does not, by itself, remove a fee liability already lawfully arising under section 03A. If we cannot agree a revised marketing strategy, either party may give notice under section 03. You remain free to decide whether to sell, subject to any binding sale contract and any agency fee lawfully payable under these terms.

03C Marketing package and seller withdrawal — maximum £350

The agreed marketing package comprises property photography, a For Sale board, a 360° virtual tour and floor plans. The total package cost is £350, with no VAT added. It is included in the agency fee if the sale completes; it is not an extra £350 on top of that fee.

If you withdraw the property from sale or terminate the instruction before completion, we may recover the reasonable, evidenced amount attributable to marketing services actually provided before your withdrawal, up to a maximum of £350. The full £350 is not automatically payable merely because you sign, permit a board or receive an offer. Where only part of the package has been provided, the amount will be reduced proportionately. We will give you an itemised explanation of the work provided and calculation with our invoice, payable within 28 days. We will not charge for unperformed work or use this provision as a penalty.

If an agency fee is also lawfully payable under section 03A, any marketing payment is credited against it; there is no double recovery. This provision does not restrict your rights or remedies arising from our breach. It must be disclosed in your written quotation and final agreement before signature. During any statutory cancellation period, payment is recoverable only where all applicable information and early-start request requirements are met, and only in the amount permitted by law under section 09.

03D Withdrawal after accepting an offer or during sales progression

If you withdraw after accepting an offer, including while the sale is progressing subject to contract, the marketing-cost provision in section 03C applies, subject to its conditions. If the purchaser also meets the ready, willing and able requirements in section 03A, the agreed agency fee may instead become payable. Any marketing payment is credited against that fee, with no double recovery. An accepted offer, a Sold Subject to Contract status or ongoing conveyancing does not, by itself, establish that a purchaser is prepared and able to exchange unconditional contracts. Statutory rights remain unaffected.

04 Seller’s information and legal conveyancing

The seller must provide accurate title, ownership, leasehold, service-charge, tenancy, planning, building-work, dispute, boundary, access, safety and other material information promptly and correct errors as soon as known. The seller chooses and instructs their own conveyancer and pays normal legal fees. We may pause advertising until necessary verification or information is received and do not provide legal or tax advice.

05 Identification, authority and AML

The client confirms they are entitled to instruct us for the property and have the agreement of every owner whose authority is required. Each landlord or seller, joint owner and relevant beneficial owner must provide identification, address and ownership evidence and cooperate with the identity, anti-money-laundering and sanctions checks we require. We may request additional information, postpone work or decline an instruction where checks are incomplete or legal concerns remain. Other professionals may perform separate checks. Any additional landlord-side checking fee must be clearly quoted and agreed before it is incurred.

06 Information and third-party sharing

We use the contact, identity, property and transaction information needed to deliver this instruction and meet our legal duties. Where lawful and relevant, we may share necessary information with solicitors and conveyancers, buyers or tenants and their advisers, iamsold where relevant, ID/AML screening providers, local councils and council-tax or licensing teams, government registration services, energy and water suppliers (including United Utilities), surveyors, valuers, EPC/gas/electrical contractors, insurers, maintenance contractors, deposit protection providers, Zoopla and other marketing portals, and Alto/PropertyFile and other secure systems. We share only appropriate information for the purpose; this clause is not a blanket consent for unrelated marketing or an override of data-protection rights. Our separate privacy notice explains lawful bases, retention and rights. We will disclose any referral payment or benefit before a referral is accepted; the client is free to choose their own solicitor or contractor.

07 Our service, communications and complaints

We use reasonable care and skill, communicate material developments and arrange evening or weekend appointments when possible. Our phone lines are open 8am-10pm, seven days a week; this does not guarantee that all staff, contractors or third parties are available throughout those hours. PropertyFile access and document categories depend on the service and features enabled. Our complaints process is published on our website and complaints about Lock & Key may be referred to the Property Redress Scheme after our process. Nothing in these terms excludes statutory or consumer rights.

08 How the individual instruction is agreed

These are our standard service terms for information before you instruct us. Your individual written quotation and instruction summary will identify the client, property, instruction date, the agreed asking price, the exact total agency fee (including the amount applicable under section 03A and the £350 maximum marketing-cost provision in section 03C), any material conditions of sale and any agreed exception before signature. The final agreement is supplied to you on a durable medium before you sign it. A later material change to fees or scope must be agreed in writing; no optional service is accepted by silence.

09 Your 14-day cooling-off period and starting work early

Your right to cancel

If you are a consumer and your sales-agency agreement is made at a distance or away from our business premises, you normally have the right to cancel without giving a reason. You may cancel as soon as the contract is made. The normal deadline is the end of 14 days after the day the contract is made. We will confirm the contract date and cancellation deadline in your individual instruction documents. If the required cancellation information is not supplied, the period may be extended as required by law.

This statutory right takes priority over the two-month minimum term and 28-day notice requirement in section 03. You do not have to give 28 days’ notice to exercise a statutory cancellation right within its applicable period.

How to cancel

Tell Lock & Key Estate Agents Ltd clearly that you wish to cancel, by email to info@lockandkeyestateagents.co.uk, by letter to 7 Hope Street, Blackburn, BB2 1DY, or through our contact form. Include your name and the property address so we can identify your instruction. You may use the model form below, but it is not compulsory; any clear statement of your decision is sufficient. Send your cancellation before the applicable deadline. Keep a copy or evidence of sending. We will acknowledge receipt, but your cancellation does not depend on our approval.

If you want marketing to start immediately

You can choose to wait until the cancellation period ends or expressly request an early start. Before early work begins, we will supply your agreement, cancellation instructions and model form, and the explanation of any proportionate payment. We will obtain a separate express request identifying the agreed services you want to start. For an off-premises agreement, that request must be on a durable medium, such as an email or a recorded signed document you can retain.

Signing the agency agreement, approving a For Sale board, accepting an offer or allowing photographs, a tour or floor plans does not by itself waive your cancellation right. We may collect an express early-start request at the same time as board approval, but it must clearly request the identified services to start during the cooling-off period. Without a valid request, we will wait before beginning those services.

Payment if you cancel after requesting an early start

If you cancel after a valid express early-start request, a lawful proportionate amount may be payable for services actually supplied up to the time you tell us you are cancelling. The calculation is assessed against the full coverage of the agreed contract and its total agreed price, or the market value of the services where that price is excessive. Any such charge is subject to the £350 maximum in section 03C; the cap is not an automatic charge. We will provide an itemised explanation and evidence. We will not charge for services supplied during the cancellation period if the required cancellation/payment information or valid early-start request is missing. There is no double recovery of marketing costs and the agency fee.

Completing the board, photographs, tour or floor plans does not by itself fully perform the whole sales-agency agreement. Starting work does not itself end your right to cancel. That right can end early only when the contracted service has been fully performed following your express request and your prior acknowledgement that full performance would end the right, as required by law.

Refunds following statutory cancellation

We will reimburse payments you have made under the cancelled agreement without undue delay and no later than 14 days after being informed of your decision, subject only to any lawful proportionate payment explained above. We will use the same payment method unless you expressly agree otherwise, and will not charge a reimbursement fee. Your other statutory rights and remedies remain unaffected.

09A Model cancellation form

Complete and return this form only if you wish to cancel your sales-agency agreement. You can copy it into an email or send it by post.

To: Lock & Key Estate Agents Ltd, 7 Hope Street, Blackburn, BB2 1DY; email: info@lockandkeyestateagents.co.uk.

I/We hereby give notice that I/We cancel my/our contract for the supply of the following service: estate agency and marketing services for the property below.

• Property address: ____________________
• Contract ordered/agreed on: ____________________
• Name of consumer(s): ____________________
• Address of consumer(s): ____________________
• Signature of consumer(s), only if sent on paper: ____________________
• Date: ____________________

Delete “I” or “We”, and “my” or “our”, as appropriate.

09B Separate request to start marketing immediately

After receiving and reading your individual agreement and cancellation/payment information, you may send the following separate request to info@lockandkeyestateagents.co.uk with your name, property address and date, or complete the equivalent separate request supplied with your instruction:

I expressly request Lock & Key Estate Agents Ltd to begin the agreed estate agency and marketing services for my property immediately, including during any applicable statutory cancellation period. This includes the agreed photography, For Sale board, 360° tour, floor plans, advertising and viewings. I have received the cancellation information and proportionate-payment explanation. I understand that if I cancel, a lawful proportionate charge may apply for services actually supplied, subject to the £350 maximum, and that this request does not automatically remove my cancellation right.

You may instead tell us: “I prefer to wait until my statutory cancellation period ends before the agreed services begin.” We will retain your request and supply a confirmation copy. Marketing begins only once your agency agreement and the other required owner and compliance checks are complete. This wording is a request to start services; viewing this page does not make or submit a request.