Property Step Terms and Conditions

Property Step is a registered Trademark, owned and operated by James Scollard registered in England and Wales.

If you wish to contact us by post, correspondence should be sent to:

Property Step
3a Lansdowne Crescent,
Bournemouth,
Dorset, BH1 1RX

By using this website, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use, which fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of English courts in the case of any dispute.

Use of the website

Any information you provide on this website is accurate and reliable to the best of your knowledge (this includes all personal information, contact details and information related to property listings).

You will not use Property Step to distribute any illegal, obscene or otherwise harmful material.

You will not do anything to interfere with other users’ access to the website.

You will not impersonate others or create false accounts on the website.

You will not use software or any other means to harvest information from the website.

You will not attempt to send spam or other forms of unsolicited information to other users.

You will not copy material from the Property Step website without our permission.

You must keep your password secure and will be responsible for any actions of any person logging into the website using your username and password.

Legal and residency obligations of landlords

You have the legal right to offer a property for sale or to rent, and will not breach any law, agreement or contract by doing so, this includes (but is not limited to) the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Housing Act 1988, Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1988, Housing Act 2004, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, Tenant Fees Act 2019, Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, EPC requirements, the terms of any mortgage on the property, or insurance cover for the property.

If you require consent from any third party (such as a mortgage supplier or freeholder) to market for sale or let the property, you have obtained the necessary consents.

If you are required to possess a license to rent or sell any property in a particular region and/or to let or sell, manage particular types of property (such as Houses in Multiple Occupation), that you will comply with all such licensing requirements at all times.

You will only use photographs, video, and / or other information for which you have lawful authority. The property and any of the landlord’s contents therein is appropriately insured where applicable. The property will meet all legal requirements including (but not limited to) a valid Gas Safety Certificate, smoke and carbon alarms and Electrical Installation Condition Report for the duration of any tenancy arranged or facilitated using Property Step, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements for landlords. The property will meet all other legally required safety obligations. The properties windows and doors all lock properly & securely. Everything you provide within the property is safe and in working order. You are fully responsible for ensuring the property meets the legal requirements for landlords and properties under any relevant legislation, including but not limited to the requirements outlined in this section.

By using Property Step services, landlords declare that they meet all applicable residency requirements (including those under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 where applicable). Landlords that use Property Step must be residents of the United Kingdom. If not, they must declare non-residency in writing to Property Step and will be required to provide a Non-Resident Landlord number via HMRC.

Risk and Information Quality

The information supplied on this website is done so in good faith and we maintain a high standard of quality, however, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information supplied on this website. You should satisfy yourself of the accuracy of any and all of the information before entering into any contract or agreement. Material supplied on this website, including content on our blog and social media accounts, does not constitute legal advice and is supplied for information purposes only.

We do not accept any responsibility or liability for, any problems that arise from the information supplied on these platforms and any interested parties should always seek legal advice before entering a transaction.

Using Property Step

The information provided on this website and any other content is for information purposes only and legal advice should be sought before entering any legal contract.

By using Property Step, you agree to indemnify Property Step against any loss, claims, actions or proceedings that may be brought against Property Step, as a result of a breach within these terms and conditions.

You further agree that Property Step may take legal action or any other measures we may deem necessary at our sole discretion if you breach these clauses, and that you will be liable for any legal or enforcement costs reasonably incurred by Property Step in relation to such a breach.

If content is provided by a user and would infringe the Intellectual Property Rights of another party, then the users agree that they will indemnify and compensate Property Step for any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense suffered by us as a result of content.

Part of our marketing strategy is to erect a For Sale or To Let Board at the property. We will do this for selected properties at our sole discretion and make no guarantee to provide this service for any particular property or at any particular time. Referencing and tenant checks. Our referencing service is designed to make a more informed decision, but we cannot provide any guarantee regarding the integrity of the information supplied or the users being referenced. Property Step offer a range of third party services from which we may receive a commission, profit or other financial incentives.

To ensure properties meet the legal requirements of landlords, and to protect users of our website, we reserve the right to suspend or discontinue listings and request further documentation to prove legal ownership of a property and/or that the property holds legally necessary documentation. You agree not to hold Property Step responsible for any loss you may incur as a result of Property Step taking any of the actions described in this section.

Our Complaints Procedure

The procedure for the initial compliant would be done so by emailing Property Step, outlining the complaint, with as much information as possible.

All written complaints will be acknowledged in writing within 3 working days and a proper investigation will be promptly undertaken by a senior member of staff.

A formal written outcome of our investigation will be sent within 15 working days of receipt of the original complaint, except in exceptional circumstances where reasonable extensions to this time-frame are required in order to investigate the complaint fully.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint satisfactorily, you can request an independent review from The Property Ombudsman (TPO). Their contact details are: Milford House, 43-55 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2BP; 01722 333 306; admin@tpos.co.uk.

The TPO requires that all complaints are addressed through an in-house complaints procedure, before being submitted for an independent review.

Referral to TPO must take place within 12 months of our final viewpoint letter.

Where a user is dissatisfied in relation to OpenRent's provision of a regulated financial product and expresses this dissatisfaction to OpenRent, the following shall apply.

Treatment of Personal Data

Property Step is the controller of the personal data of users which is in our possession. In facilitating our services, Property Step may transfer personal data to mortgage brokers or other service providers.

Legal Disclaimer on Use of Property Step

We are not liable for any consequences, or loss, from your use of this website, and you expressly understand and agree that Property Step shall not be liable to you or any third party for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data or other intangible losses

Except where provided elsewhere in these Terms and Conditions, to the maximum extent permitted by law, we (including our affiliates, officers, directors, agents, subcontractors and employees) will not be liable to you in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise for any liabilities, damages or losses (whether direct, indirect, consequential, special or otherwise) incurred or suffered by you or any third party in connection with this website or any services ordered or delivered, or in connection with the use, inability to use, or results of the use of this website, or any servcies offered If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable by a court, regulator or other relevant authority, then, where required, that provision or part-provision shall be deleted and the remaining parts of the Terms will continue to be enforceable.

Licensing and redress schemes

OpenRent is a Member of The Property Ombudsman scheme, and subscribes to this scheme's Code of Practice for Letting Agents. Further details of the scheme can be found at www.tpos.co.uk.

OpenRent holds Professional Indemnity Insurance and Client Money Protection through accredited providers under the relevant schemes and legislation for letting agents. Further details are available on request.

Any Client funds held by Property Step or afflicate companies, will not receive any interest from these funds.