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E guides

At Cooke & Co we like to give our clients free, no obligation advice. Please find below links to our completely free e-guides with helpful advice and checklists.

Cooke & Co Free, No Obligation E Guides

At Cooke & Co we like to give our clients free, no obligation advice.

Please find below links to our completely free e guides with helpful advice and checklists covering sales, lettings, buying and moving.

We know how frustrating it is when you have to hand over all your personal details just to get some basic help. At Cooke & Co we do things differently. You are welcome to use these guides without giving us your email address, phone number or any other information in return.

Important update about these guides

Please note that some of the guides below are currently in the process of being updated.

We have chosen to leave them on the website because they still contain useful background information, practical tips and general guidance. However, property law, landlord responsibilities, tenancy rules, tax reporting and best practice have changed significantly in recent years, especially during 2025 and 2026.

Some guides may therefore contain older references, previous procedures or legislation that has since been amended, replaced or overtaken by newer rules.

These guides should be treated as general guidance only and should not be fully relied upon as the final or most up to date position.

Please contact Cooke & Co before acting on any guide if you want the latest information, current legal position or updated practical advice.

We are always happy to help with the most up to date guidance for your circumstances, whether you are buying, selling, renting, letting or managing property.

We just ask, nicely, that you consider us if you are thinking of buying, selling or renting a home in Thanet.

If there is a particular guide you would like to see updated or written, please contact Damien Cooke and we will do our best to help.

Thank you for choosing Cooke & Co.

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Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Have a read through. You may find the answer quicker than you think.

Do Cooke and Co accept unemployed tenants?
Yes. Although you will need a Guarantor and will need to pay the referencing and holding fees as normal. You are also responsible for the rent and Deposit and Cooke & Co do not accept the council bond scheme as payment for deposits. The agreement is with you and your Guarantor personally for the whole time you reside at the property under the terms of a tenancy and not from whoever provides you with benefit assistance. You and your Guarantor are responsible for the rent, costs and damage caused by breaches of the tenancy until you have vacated.
How long do I have to have been employed to be a tenant?
To be accepted by Cooke & Co as a tenant, you must have been in full time employment with the same company for a period of at least 6 months or more.
I'm just about to start a new job?
Then you will need a Guarantor. This is someone who has been in full time employment for 6 months or more and who knows and trusts you enough to agree to pay your rent for you if you are unable to do so i.e. a parent, friend, relative or an employer.
When is Rent Due?
Rent is usually paid per calendar month in advance. The payments shall be made to Cooke & Co. When calculating your expenses please remember to take into account all utilities you will also have to pay, on top of the rent due. Remember when calculating rent payments you always pay for the month that you will be living at the property before that period starts so you don't get this back at the end of the tenancy.
What about these online / hybrid agents I see on television? They are so much cheaper?
There is always a reason why a service is cheaper. Online agents do have there place, especially in places where prices are over a million pounds for a standard property. That being said you often have to pay upfront fees regardless of selling success ,there can be catches and lots of extra fees you never get back. There may be a credit agreement to sign and you pay for optional extras like accompanied viewings. In addition you have to organise everything yourself and the sale can be difficult to progress which is often where the most skill is needed. Please ask us is you have any concerns or questions.
I feel your price was fair and correct but other agents say I can get more for my property
We remember this is your home/property. We offer you a realistic guide price but are happy to listen and discuss your thoughts and feelings with you. If you want us to try for more then we are happy, within reason, to put the property on the market and really try to get the best price for you. We often find that certain agents will overvalue properties just to get them on the market and 'sign you up up' on a long sole agency agreement. Once locked in you will find they constantly demanding and badger you to make reductions. This wastes your time, is stressful and will often ends up with you achieving less than the original valuation from another agent. At Cooke & Co we prefer to give you an honest and realistic market appraisal to being with so you can base your plans on this. We will always try to get the best price for your property as we act for you.
In their words

What our clients say

★★★★★ 5.0 overall
★★★★★
“I have rented out a property through Cooke & Co for about 10 or more years and I recommend them unreservedly. They are brilliant. I wish the other letting agencies that I rent my properties through were as good as they are. A well...”
Mr John DoeLandlord
★★★★★
“Justin could not have been anymore helpful. Really professional. Can’t recommend him enough.”
sue cutlerSeller
★★★★★
“Cooke & Co were recommended to me by a friend and I am incredibly grateful for that. In a very stressful time, often dealing with some less than helpful people, Cooke & Co (and particularly Vicki) were a shining light! A lot of pe...”
Tanis EveSeller
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