Landlords Information
If you currently own or intend to purchase residential
property for rental in YOUR AREA, you should consider
engaging our property management service. You'll find
it both professional and cost-effective. As we are specialists,
we know how to manage property for optimum performance,
whilst ensuring smooth running tenancies, and compliance
with the various landlord/tenant laws. Maximise the
return on your investment - contact
us now. If you own or intend purchasing residential
property for rental in any other area, please go to
our UK Network page.
Our Services include:
- Visiting you at your property, and providing a
rental valuation and any other advice which you may
require about letting your property.
- Advising you on compliance with the various safety
regulations.
- Locating suitable tenants. Your property will be
advertised if necessary, however we have excellent
contacts and usually have tenants waiting.
- Accompanying tenant applicants to view the property.
- Obtaining and evaluating references and credit
checks.
- Preparing a suitable tenancy agreement and arranging
signature by the tenant.
- Collecting and holding as stakeholders a deposit
(bond) from the tenant.
- Preparing an inventory and schedule of condition.
- Checking the tenant into the property and agreeing
the inventory.
- Supervising the transfer of gas, electricity and
council tax accounts into the tenant's name.
- Receiving rental payments monthly in advance, and
paying you promptly, together with a detailed statement
from our computerised management systems.
- If required paying regular outgoings for you from
rental payments.
- Inspecting the property periodically, and reporting
any problems to you.
- Arranging any necessary repairs or maintenance,
first liaising with you in the case of larger works.
- Keeping in touch with the tenant on a routine basis,
and arranging renewals of the agreement as necessary.
- Checking tenants out as required, reletting and
continuing the process with the minimum of vacant
periods to ensure that you receive the optimum return
from your property.
We maintain a flexible attitude, and are generally
able to adapt our service to meet our client's individual
circumstances and needs, for example by providing a
part only service, or alternatively by taking on additional
tasks and duties.
Our Fees
There area no up front charges that
you have to pay until a tenant moves in and starts paying
rent.
Our initial letting and administration charge is just
£100 and this covers the following:
- Initial advertising of the property where
required
- Attended Tenancy Viewings
- Obtaining Tenant Credit Checks and References
- Producing an Inventory of the Property's contents
- Production and signature of the Tenancy Agreement
Our ongoing management commission is only 12.5%
of monthly rental payments and apart from an admin charge
of £35 for renewing an existing agreement, there are
no other standard fees or charges.
There is also NO VAT to pay giving you even
greater RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.
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Guide for Landlords
Before a property can be let, there are several matters
which the owner will need to deal with to ensure that
the tenancy runs smoothly, and also that he/she complies
with the law. For brief details of a subject click on
a blue link below, or scroll down the page. If you require
further advice or assistance with any matter, please
do not hesitate to contact us:
Mortgage
If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your
mortgagee's written consent to the letting. They may
require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement
of which you must inform us.
Leaseholds
If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms
of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent
before letting.
Sub-letting
If you are a tenant yourself, you will require your
landlord's consent.
Insurance
You should ensure that you are suitably covered for
letting under both your buildings and contents insurance.
Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your
policies. We can advise on Landlord's Legal Protection,
and Landlord's Contents insurance if required.
Bills and
regular outgoings
We recommend that you arrange for regular outgoings
e.g. mortgage, service charges, maintenance contracts
etc. to be paid by standing order or direct debit. However,
where we are Managing the property, by prior written
agreement we may make payment of certain bills on your
behalf, provided such bills are received in your name
at our office, and that sufficient funds are held to
your credit.
Council tax
Council tax is the responsibility of the occupier. You
should inform your local collection office that you
are leaving the property. During vacant periods the
charge reverts to the owner. When unoccupied but furnished,
the charge is 50% of the normal rate. When unoccupied
and 'substantially' unfurnished, there is no charge
for the first six months, and thereafter a charge of
50% of the normal rate.
The inventory
It is most important that an inventory of contents and
schedule of condition be prepared, in order to avoid
misunderstanding or dispute at the end of a tenancy.
Without such safeguards, it will be impossible for the
landlord to prove any loss, damage, or significant deterioration
of the property or contents. In order to provide a complete
service to the landlord, we will if requested arrange
for a member of staff to prepare an inventory and schedule
of condition, at a cost to be quoted.
Income tax
When the landlord is resident in the UK, it is entirely
his responsibility to inform the Inland Revenue of rental
income received, and to pay any tax due. However, where
the landlord is resident outside the UK during a tenancy,
under new rules effective from 6 April 1996, unless
an exemption certificate is held, we as landlord's agents
are obliged to retain and forward to the Inland Revenue
on a quarterly basis, an amount equal to the basic rate
of income tax from rental received, less certain expenses.
An application form for exemption from such deductions
is available from this Agency, and further information
may be obtained from the Inland Revenue.
Important
safety regulations
The following safety requirements are the responsibility
of the owner (the landlord), and where we are to manage
the property, they are also ours as agents. Therefore
to protect all interests we ensure full compliance with
the appropriate regulations, at the owner's expense.
Gas Appliances & Equipment
Annual safety check: Under the Gas Safety (Installation
and Use) Regulations 1998 all gas appliances and flues
in rented accommodation must be checked for safety within
12 months of being installed, and thereafter at least
every 12 months by a competent engineer (e.g. a CORGI
registered gas installer).
Maintenance: There is a duty to ensure that all gas
appliances, flues and associated pipework are maintained
in a safe condition at all times.
Records: Full records must be kept for at least 2 years
of the inspections of each appliance and flue, of any
defects found and of any remedial action taken.
Copies to tenants: A copy of the safety certificate
issued by the engineer must be given to each new tenant
before their tenancy commences, or to each existing
tenant within 28 days of the check being carried out.
Electrical Appliances & Equipment
There are several regulations relating to electrical
installations, equipment and appliance safety, and these
affect landlords and their agents in that they are 'supplying
in the course of business'. They include the Electrical
Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs
and Sockets Regulations 1994, the 2005 Building
Regulation - 'Part P, and British Standard BS1363 relating
to plugs and sockets. Although with tenanted property
there is currently no specific legal requirement for
a qualified electrician to carry out an inspection and
issue a safety certificate (as exists in the case of
gas appliances), it is now widely accepted in the letting
industry that the only safe way to ensure safety, and
to avoid the risk of being accused of neglecting your
'duty of care', or even of manslaughter is to arrange
such an inspection and certificate.
Furniture & Furnishings
The Furniture
and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (amended
1989, 1993 & 1996) provide that specified items supplied
in the course of letting property must meet minimum
fire resistant standards. The regulations apply to all
upholstered furniture, and beds, headboards and mattresses,
sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles, nursery furniture,
garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling, scatter
cushions, pillows, and non-original covers for furniture.
They do not apply to antique furniture or furniture
made before 1950, bed clothes including duvets, loose
covers for mattresses, pillowcases, curtains, carpets
or sleeping bags. Therefore all relevant items as above
must be checked for compliance, and non-compliant items
removed from the premises. In practice, most (but not
all) items which comply must have a suitable permanent
label attached. Items purchased since 1.3.90 from a
reputable supplier are also likely to comply.
General Product Safety
The General
Product Safety Regulations 1994 (updated 2005) specify that any
product supplied in the course of a commercial activity
must be safe. In the case of letting, this would include
both the structure of the building and its contents.
Recommended action is to check for obvious danger signs
- leaning walls, broken glass, sharp edges etc., and
also to leave operating manuals or other written instructions
about high risk items, such as hot surfaces, electric
lawnmowers, etc. for the tenant.
Preparing
the property for letting
We have found from experience that a good relationship
with tenants is the key to a smooth-running tenancy.
As Property Managers the relationship part is our job,
but it is important that the tenants should feel comfortable
in their temporary home, and that they are receiving
value for their money. This is your job. Our policy
of offering a service of quality and care therefore
extends to our tenant applicants too, and we are pleased
to recommend properties to rent which conform to certain
minimum standards. Quality properties attract quality
tenants.
General condition
Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating and
hot water systems must be safe, sound and in good working
order. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's
expense unless misuse can be established.
Appliances
Similarly, appliances such as washing machine, fridge
freezer, cooker, dishwasher etc. should be in usable
condition. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's
expense unless misuse can be established.
Decorations
Interior decorations should be in good condition, and
preferably plain, light and neutral.
Furnishings
It is recommended that you leave only minimum furnishings,
and these should be of reasonable quality. It is preferable
that items to be left are in the property during viewings.
If you are letting unfurnished, we recommend that the
property contains carpets, curtains, and a cooker.
Personal items, ornaments
etc
Personal possessions, ornaments, pictures, books etc.
should be removed from the premises, especially those
of real or sentimental value. Some items may be boxed,
sealed and stored in the loft at the owner's risk. All
cupboards and shelf space should be left clear for the
tenant's own use.
Gardens
Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish-free,
with any lawns cut. Tenants are required to maintain
the gardens to a reasonable standard, provided they
are left the necessary tools. However, few tenants are
experienced gardeners, and if you value your garden,
or if it is particularly large, you may wish us to arrange
maintenance visits by our regular gardener.
Cleaning
At the commencement of a tenancy the property must be
in a thoroughly clean condition, and at the end of each
tenancy it is the tenant's responsibility to leave the
property in similar condition. Where they fail to do
so, cleaning should be arranged at their expense.
Mail forwarding
We recommend that you make use of the Post
Office redirection service. Application forms are
available at their counters, and the cost is minimal.
It is not the tenant's responsibility to forward mail.
Information for the tenant
It is helpful if you leave information for the tenant
on operating the central heating and hot water system,
washing machine and alarm system, and the day refuse
is collected etc.
Keys
You should provide one set of keys for each tenant.
Where we are Managing we will arrange to have duplicates
cut as required.
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