Terms and Conditions

Studio Registration

UNIT3 studios will only let vacant studios long term to arts practitioners who are registered with UNIT3 . At present registering is a one off payment of £15 and requires filling in a registration with a short statement and an equal opportunities form. Payment must be sent by cheque payable to ‘Art Services Grants Limited’. A current CV and examples of work must also be submitted and application forms will not be processed without one.

UNIT3  accommodates a number of different arts disciplines in the studios and welcomes diversity; however UNIT3  does have to exercise discretion over certain studio practices that may be unsuitable for some studios. For example we avoid putting noisy work practice in a studio with thin partitions.

In our experience artists’ studio buildings thrive when there is a good mix of artistic practices.  We try to achieve this mix by balancing the different practices within any given building.

Across all studios we will prioritise artists who will be using their studios frequently, have exhibitions pending and with artworks of a high standard. Our aim is to have thriving artist communities in our studio buildings. All criteria (with priority to length of time registered with UNIT3 ) will be used when there is very high demand for a particular studio. UNIT3  reserves the right to remove tenants who do not use their studios regularly or whose practice becomes too commercial.

As studios are in limited supply and demand is high, we cannot support every artist who applies for a studio and choices have to be made.   The choices are made by UNIT3 members who have a formal arts background themselves and an understanding of arts practice.   We do all we can to make sure that these choices are made fairly and openly.   UNIT3  staff reserve the right – at their sole discretion – to refuse to offer an artists’ studio to any individual who in our opinion falls outside of UNIT3’s core remit for studio provision, or is ineligible for any other reason.   We will aim to be clear on the reasons we have reached this decision.

Tenancy Agreement

The UNIT3  tenancy agreement is not a secure tenancy.  It is excluded from Sections 24-28 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.  You will have no right of renewal should UNIT3  not renew your lease at the end of the term or if UNIT3  has to give notice at the end of a building lease.

Noise

We do not have any soundproofed studios and are not able to let studios to artists working with high volume, audible sound. We expect considerate playing of music in studios, or advise headphones. In some buildings we may not be able to accommodate arts practices requiring heavy use of telephone or visitors as this can be disturbing to other site users and a security risk. The studios are mostly communally based with shared front entrances; toilet and sink facilities and artists must be responsible and considerate to other users. All these factors are taken into account when allocating studios.

Studio Availability

All studios are occupied until an artist gives notice. The notice period is three calendar months. This gives registered artists time to view the studio and if accepted as a tenant they will take over the studio after the notice period.

Once an artist is registered they are advised to check frequently the vacant studios listings on the website.  This is currently the only place studios are advertised.   For further information or to express interest in a particular studio please follow the instructions on the website posting, to info@unit3.org.uk to be put on the viewing list for that studio, or contact UNIT3 on 0757 257 9393. For information on studio allocation please see FAQs in this section.

Studio Requirements and Information

UNIT3  is a registered non-profit making CIC (Community Interest Company). As a community arts organisation UNIT3  is eligible for mandatory rates relief on the premises it occupies and this requires some commitment from tenants to providing public benefit such as participating in Open Studios or school visits. It also prohibits studios being used for purely commercial practices.

Accessible Studios

UNIT3  reserves the right to let accessible studios to those artists who require them over and above any other artist on the waiting list.

Cost of Studios

Rent and services fee include building insurance, rates, maintenance, administration, service charges, water and other related direct costs. Electricity is billed separately according to use. Each studio is fitted with an individual meter which is read and billed to the tenant 3 or 4 times a year.

Each tenant is required to pay a minimum of one month’s rent as a deposit and, where required, a £15 surcharge for a credit searches.

Sharing & Sub-letting and Short-term Hire

With permission UNIT3  tenants can share or sub-let their studios. Although the choice of sharer or sub-lessee is left to the tenant, UNIT3  requires that all artists in studios are registered. Artists are advised that they must be registered before taking up a share or sublet. When sharing or sub-letting the tenant remains responsible for the studio and rent must be paid to the tenant who will pay to UNIT3 .

Artists are strongly advised to sign official sharing and sub-let agreements (which are simple to do) as illegally occupying a studio could lead to an eviction notice for the tenant.  We discourage any passing on of studios or ‘under the radar’ sub-letting and have regular studio inspections to ensure this practice does not go on.

All sub-lets will be for a maximum of 12 months unless exceptional permission is granted. You are advised to keep a note of dates on sub-let agreements. Sharers are normally on license agreements that are ongoing with one week’s notice either side. All such agreements end automatically when the tenancy they are under is terminated.

In the event of short-term shares, sub-lets or hire UNIT3 require a deposit to secure agreed spaces and to avoid double booking of facilities. Payment in full of any agreed sub-let / hire fees will be agreed between studio holder and their clients. We strongly advise artists to put in place signed agreements with any clients, individuals or groups wishing to hire their spaces. Unless stated otherwie within any formal agreement held between artist and client, UNIT3 believe it is appropriate that in the event of cancellation of hire by a client within 7 days of any agreed hire term that any deposit will be retained by UNIT3.

Paying Rent

It is important to be able to pay rent regularly each month as arrears in rent lead to eviction from the studio plus a summons from the small claims court and interest on the sum owing.

All UNIT3 spaces are leased and our landlords can and do increase the rents. Accordingly UNIT3  will make annual and appropriate rent increases to cover costs across all sites.