Landlord Information

Tenants

Landlords Information

As soon as you let a property you become a landlord. And if you’re a landlord you’re running a business.  If you’re running a business, you have certain legal obligations.

There’s no getting away from it, so here’s what you MUST do:

  • Get your gas appliances (boiler, cooker, fires) tested and issued with a Gas Safety Record. This must be issued by a registered Gas Safe (formerly Corgi) engineer and renewed at least every 12 months. This is a legal obligation.
  • Get an Energy Performance Certificate – EPC – which shows how energy efficient your property is and estimated energy bills. If you have one already but unable to find it, download it from the EPC Register on line. and you must have the EPC before we can market your property, (we can obtain this for you) As of Jan 2013, all adverts must include the first page of the EPC. Expect to pay up to £70.
  • You must obtain from a qualified electrician an electric safety certificate. This certificate is valid for 5 years. You are not permitted to rent your property without a valid certificate. We can can arrange a check to be carried out on your behalf, costs will vary due to size of property and testing.
  • Ensure all soft and upholstered furnishings, including mattresses and sofas, are fire retardant. They should have fire safety labels attached, but if they don’t contact the manufacturers to find out if they comply with fire safety regulations.
  • If you let your property to several tenants who aren’t related, it might be considered a House in Multiple Occupation and you might need a licence. Contact your local council to find out if this is the case as rules vary from borough to borough. If your property has at least 3 floors and you have 5 tenants or more, you will definitely need a licence.
  • Let your mortgage lender know you’re planning to let the property – not all lenders permit lettings, some charge a higher interest rate and some place restrictions on the type of letting and tenant.
  • If your property is leasehold, check with the freeholder that lettings are permitted.
  • Finally, check the property for any obvious or hidden hazards – if the tenant has an accident on your property, say they trip on a loose bit of carpet and fall down the stairs, you could be held responsible.
  • Co2 + Smoke Detectors, it is now a mandatory requirement to fit Co2 detectors in every room that has solid fuel and gas appliances fitted. Smoke detectors must be fitted on each level.

Here’s some tips you SHOULD also do to protect yourself and your tenants:

  • Purchase a good landlord’s insurance; normal house insurance may not be valid and it won’t include public liability insurance which provides cover in the event of a tenant having an accident on your property for which you might be held liable. Landlord’s insurance isn’t expensive, so be safe and protect yourself and your tenants.
  • Prepare an inventory of the property to include photo evidence. Supply a copy to your tenants to approve and sign. You can do it yourself or hire a professional but don’t leave it until the last minute as it’s a lengthy process. We offer an in depth inventory service should you wish separate to our management.

Fees

We offer three levels of service to prospective landlords. For a breakdown of each service and the fees, see below.

Full Management Service

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  • Marketing & Advertising Services
  • Arranging Safety Certificates
  • Accompanied Viewings
  • Processing Application Forms
  • Arranging Tenant Credit Checks
  • Lodging Deposits
  • Collection of Rents
  • Inspections
  • Maintenance Arrangements
  • Emergency Call Outs

Marketing Service

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  • Sourcing tenants
  • Accompanied Viewings
  • Processing Application Forms
  • Administration Costs

Advertising Service

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  • Taking all enquiries from prospective tenants
  • Passing details of prospective tenants to Landlord/ Landlady
  • Erection and retrieval of “To Let” board
  • Advertising on our website and many other portals including Face Book property pages,