Full Guide

We have compiled the following guide to assist you with this process and we are here to provide you with as much or as little practical assistance to ensure that your property is presented to the best of its ability in what is now an extremely competitive rental market.

Mortgage
If you have a mortgage, you will be required to obtain your mortgagee's written consent prior to letting the property. They may stipulate additional clauses to be added to the Tenancy Agreement and we will need to be informed of these.

Leaseholds
If you are a leaseholder, you will be required to check the terms of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent before letting. We will need to be informed of any restrictions in the head lease to ensure that additional clauses are added to the Tenancy Agreement as required.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
From October 1st 2008, you must have an EPC carried out before you can advertise a property to let. Once the EPC is completed, it will be valid for ten years. The purpose this is to provide prospective Tenants with information on a building's efficiency (presented in a cost graph and also a CO2 emission chart) to highlight environmental impact.

*NB. If you have a property that is let currently and the Tenancy began before October 1st 2008, you only need to get an EPC when the property is re-let.

We will be more than happy to arrange for an EPC to be carried out on your behalf and details of the cost of this can be obtained from calling our office.

Insurance
You must be suitably covered for letting your property under both your buildings and contents insurance. Failure to inform your insurers that the property is tenanted may invalidate your policies. We can provide information on Landlord's Legal Protection, and Landlord's Contents Insurance if required.

Income tax
When a Landlord is resident in the UK, it is entirely their responsibility to inform the Inland Revenue of rental income received, and to pay any tax due. However, where a Landlord is resident outside the UK during a Tenancy, under rules effective from 6 April 1996, we as Agents of the Landlord 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 unless an exemption certificate is held,

An application form for exemption is available from us and further information may be obtained from the Inland Revenue.

Council tax
Responsibility for payment of council tax resides with the occupier. However, during vacant periods the charge reverts to the owner (the Landlord). It is your responsibility to inform the Council Tax office when you vacate the premises.

Important safety regulations

The following safety requirements are the responsibility of the owner (the Landlord), and where we manage the property, they are also ours as Agents. Therefore to protect all interests, we must insist that our Landlords fully comply with the appropriate regulations which are detailed as follows.

Gas Appliances & Equipment - Gas Safe Register; Gas Safety Regulations 1998
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, all gas appliances in tenanted premises must be checked for safety at intervals of not more than 12 months, by a GAS SAFE registered gas engineer, and a safety certificate issued. Records must be kept of the dates of inspections, of defects identified, and of any remedial action taken. Any appliances must also be accompanied by written instructions in English.

Electrical Appliances & Equipment - Landlords Guide to Electrical Safety; The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
Electrical safety causes significant concern for Agents and Landlords because the regulations regarding electricity are not as well defined as those relating to gas and other fuels. Despite the ambiguity of the guidelines, the importance of electrical safety cannot be underestimated. Under the following legislation: Consumer Protection Act 1987, Housing Act 1985, General Product (Safety) Regulations 1994, Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994, all electrical installations and equipment in Tenanted premises must be deemed to be safe.

For us to let or manage a property, we will require certification to be carried out by a qualified electrician. In addition, all portable electrical appliances left in a rented property must be tested annually. All electrical appliances must be accompanied by written instructions in English.

Furniture & Furnishings - Landlords Guide to Fire & Furnishings Safety
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended 1993) dictate that specified items supplied in the course of Letting a property must meet minimum fire resistant standards. These regulations apply to all upholstered furniture: i.e. sofas, armchairs, mattresses, divans, pillows, and non-original covers for furniture. They do not apply to bedding, curtains, carpets, antique furniture or furniture made before 1950. 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 purchased from a reputable supplier after 1st March 1990 are likely to comply.

General Product Safety - General Product Safety Regulations
The General Product Safety Regulations 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.

Preparing the Property for Letting
It is essential that the Tenant should feel comfortable in their rented home and also that they are receiving value for their money. Our commitment to the provision of an exceptional standard of service delivery for our clients includes our Tenant applicants too, and we are pleased to recommend properties to them which conform to certain minimum standards. In our experience 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
Appliances such as washing machine, fridge freezer, cooker, dishwasher etc. should be in good, clean usable condition. Repairs and maintenance are at the Landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Decorations
Interior decorations should be in good clean condition; preferably plain, light and neutral.

Furnishings
Unfurnished: Your property is an expensive investment and it is important that the fabric of the building is kept in optimum condition for as long as possible. An unfurnished property that is well presented and dressed with light fittings, window dressings, bathroom fittings (toilet roll holders/towel rails/mirror), neutral carpets/flooring and an oven/hob will appeal to the widest market and will rent much more swiftly compared to a property without. Similarly the wear and tear on the property will be reduced as you can ensure that the fittings are installed by a skilled contractor at the outset and they will remain in situ for subsequent tenancies.

If you choose to let a property that is devoid of all fixtures and fittings; your property will still rent. However, it will not appeal to the widest market, as few Tenants have the extra funds available once they have paid their deposit, application fees and rent in advance to then consider the added expense of buying curtains and lamp shades for a property they may only live in for 6-12 months.

If you choose to rely on Tenants putting in their own fixtures and fittings, you must also consider the standard of the Tenant's workmanship and accept that if they have paid for the fixtures and fittings, they will probably want to remove them at the end of the Tenancy. It is clear to see how after only a relatively short time, a property can begin to look very tired if there is a regular cycle of Tenants putting up and taking down their own curtain poles and blinds etc... and ultimately the fabric of the building may be diminished.

Furnished: If you would like let your property furnished, it is essential that you consider why you are doing so, as furnished properties do not necessarily command a premium in rent, and can be more costly to maintain. An inventory, by virtue of the time it takes to produce, may also prove to be more costly. You may even inadvertently deter some Tenants from viewing your property at all if they have their own furniture. Generally speaking, furnished properties appeal to certain groups of Tenants such as students, commuters looking for a base during the week or company lets. Outside of these target groups, furnished properties become less in demand as most Tenants have some or all of their own furniture and furnishings and like the property to feel like 'theirs' while they live in it.

In our experience, unless you aim to service a niche market, we would advise that you let your property unfurnished and if this is not possible, remove all personal effects from the property and all smaller items (including occasional furniture) so that it is offered with key large items of furniture (dining table / chairs, sofa, beds & wardrobes for example) only.

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. For our Fully Managed properties, we include an Inventory and Schedule of Conditions (for an unfurnished property) within our set up fee. For our Tenant Find Only service, we will be happy to prepare an Inventory and Schedule of Condition at an additional cost.

Deposits
For Fully Managed properties, the Tenant's deposit is registered with The Dispute Service (TDS) Tenancy Deposit Scheme www.thedisputeservice.co.uk This service can also be offered at an additional cost to Landlords using our Tenant Find Only service if they are using an Inventory and Schedule of Conditions prepared by us.

Gardens
Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish-free; with any lawns cut, edges trimmed and weeds cleared. Tenants are required to maintain the gardens to a reasonable standard; 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
We cannot emphasise enough that your property must be thoroughly cleaned prior to marketing. It is very difficult to present a property to prospective Tenants on viewings if it is not clean and you could lose valuable income if it takes longer to rent as a result of overlooking this simple but essential issue. This will also set the precedent for future Tenancies as it is the Tenant's responsibility to leave the property in a similar condition to how they accepted it. Where they fail to do so, cleaning will be arranged at their expense.

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.

Mail forwarding
It is not the Tenant's responsibility to forward mail therefore we recommend that you use the Post Office redirection service. Application forms are available at their counters, and the cost is minimal.

Information for the Tenant
We ask our Landlords to complete a Property Owners Form to assist us with acquiring key information about the property to be let. We then use some of this information within a comprehensive Tenant Information Pack which we compile at no extra cost to the Landlord or Tenant to provide information about when refuse is collected, names and contact details of utility providers and general advice on how to look after the property during the course of their Tenancy. Please remember that you will need to provide written instructions manuals for operating the central heating / hot water system, appliances and an intruder alarm if applicable. (Provide photocopies only as originals may get soiled, damaged or lost by Tenants)

Keys
You should provide one set of keys for each Tenant. Where we are managing the property, we will arrange to have duplicates cut as required.

 

© AcQuest Property Management Ltd. Lincoln Letting Agents. 2004-2011.