Landlords
Full
Guide
Before
a property can be let, there are several matters which
you as the owner will need to deal with to ensure that
you comply with the law and to also ensure that the tenancy
runs smoothly.
For
brief details of these please scroll down the page. For
further advice or assistance with any matter, please
do not hesitate to contact us:
Mortgage
If your property is mortgaged, you will be required to
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 will be required to 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 must 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 provide information 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.
Council
tax
Council tax is the responsibility of the occupier. You
must 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
their 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 us 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
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 CORGI 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.
Electrical Appliances &
Equipment
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. AcQuest requires that
certification is carried out by a qualified electrician. In
addition, all electrical appliances must be accompanied by
written instructions in English.
Furniture & Furnishings
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
The General Product Safety Regulations 1994 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 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. 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 require that the
property contains carpets, curtains, lamp shades 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. 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
The tenant will require written instructions for operating
the central heating / hot water system and intruder alarm if
applicable. They will also need to be informed of how and
when refuse is collected and any procedures regarding local
council directives on recycling etc…
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.
