Ultimate landlord To Do list in Private Renting Sector.
There’s no getting away from it, being a landlord involves a lot of work and stress, and the first stages of letting a property are commonly the busiest and potentially the most stressful for all of us.
Safety, Safety, Safety
Landlords are required by law to keep the property in a good state of repair.
Gas Safety
Regulation 1994 All gas appliances such as cookers and boilers in rented accommodation must be serviced and certified every year by a Gas Safe registered Installer. A certificate should be provided for your tenants. These regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive. Valiant Properties can arrange this for you.
Smoke Alarms
After 1st June 1992 it was a legal requirement for builders to install mains operated smoke detectors one each floor and that they should be interlinking. If the property is built prior to this it is recommended that a smoke detector be fitted on each floor. As it is the responsibility of the Landlord to ensure the safety of his tenants we recommend that you do so. We would also recommend that any electrical appliances left in the property are checked by a qualified electrician thus showing ‘due diligence’ should an accident occur.
Energy Performance Certificate
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives information on the energy efficiency of the property. It gives the building a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade and is valid for 10 years. Valiant Properties can arrange this for you.
New EPC Rules from 2018 and 2020
From 2018, there will be a new minimum rating that properties must pass before being let. In April 2018, properties that are newly-let or renewed with the two worst ratings, F or G, could face fines of up to £5,000.
Then, after 2020, this will apply to all tenancies – even ones that have been running since before 2018. At this point, all rented property in the England & Wales will need an EPC rating of E or above.
There are some exceptions. You can read about them, and learn more about EPCs here.
Legionella disease
The law is clear that if you are a landlord and rent out your property (or even a room within your own home) then you have legal responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of your tenant by keeping the property safe and free from health hazards. The practical and proportionate application of health and safety law to landlords of domestic rental properties is that whilst there is a duty to assess the risk from exposure to Legionella to ensure the safety of their tenants, this does not require an in-depth, detailed assessment.
Right to Rent check
As of February 1 2016, the pre-tenancy process will also incorporate the Right to Rent scheme, which requires landlords to check whether prospective tenants have the legal right to rent in the UK.
Immigration status can be identified by checking and taking copies of tenants' identity documents. The Government has identified which documents will be considered legitimate. These include UK passports, European Economic Area passport or identity cards, permanent residence cards or travel documents showing indefinite leave to remain.
Also accepted as proof of a right to rent are a Home Office immigration status document or a certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen.
Landlords will be able to carry out the checks themselves or request a letting agent to do the additional work on their behalf. Those that are found not to be carrying out the checks could be fined up to £3,000 per tenant. More information in here : https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents
Reference your tenants
Tenant referencing has become an integral part of minimising the risk of letting a property.
A tenant reference usually includes all of the tenant’s basic information as well as previous or current employment details, addresses, bank statements and references from their current landlord.
Serve prescribed information on How To Rent
In England, landlords have to give their tenants a leaflet called How to Rent The Checklist for Renting in England. Give it to your tenants when they move in and then get a physical, signed receipt or an email to confirm that you have completed this duty.
Just like the deposit information, if you don’t give your tenants the How to Rent booklet, then it may impede your ability to serve a section 21 eviction.
Arrange a tenancy agreement
When a tenant agrees to rent your property you must supply them with a tenancy agreement – this is the official contract that gives the tenant the right to live in your property, and you the right to receive rent from them.
The most common tenancy type is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST), which includes the basic information of the tenant, landlord and property. It will also contain the proposed dates and duration of the tenancy, a breakdown of payments and required notice periods should the tenancy be terminated by either party.
To make any changes to the terms of a tenancy agreement, you must first get the approval of the tenant. If you don't have your own tenancy agreement, many letting agents or rental sector firms provide templates for sample agreements.
Bills Bills Bills
Make sure you are clear about what is and isn’t included in the rent. Bills are usually the tenant’s responsibility but if you are looking for student tenants or sharers, offering a bills inclusive package could attract more interest. Take meter readings and don’t forget the council tax (whilst students are exempt from paying they still need to provide a university certificate).
Keep your current tenant happy.
If your property is being advertised whilst the current tenant is still living there, they can often be the deciding factor in the appeal of your property. The last thing you want as a viewer is for the current occupant to be pointing out unfixed leaks and broken washing machines. Keep them happy and use a strong relationship to encourage them to be flexible with viewings, and keep the place clean and tidy etc.
Conduct an inventory
One of the most important steps when it comes to letting property, carrying out an inventory before and after a tenancy means you can make sure everything's accounted for. It also lessens the chances of a deposit dispute further down the line.
You can conduct inventories yourself, but it might be better to call on the expert assistance of a letting agent or an independent inventory clerk to make sure it’s done right.
Protect your tenants' deposits
Every landlord must put the deposit they receive from a tenant into a Government-backed tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days. The three Government-approved schemes are the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
Check your landlord insurance
When it comes to renting property, things will sometimes go wrong, costly repairs may need to be made, or matters outside of a landlord’s control could occur (i.e. flooding) and that's why it's important to always consider the insurance you have in place.
Maximum Exposure.
Most people start their property search online and this now tends to be from mobile devices. Make sure your agent has a fully responsive website that works on all mobile platforms. You will also get more interest if they advertise on the UKs main property portals Zoopla.co.uk, Rightmove.co.uk and Primelocation.com. Even with all the technological advancements in property marketing, you’ll be surprised how much interest a good old-fashioned board can drum up so it’s a good idea to allow one.
So what should you do next?
Take a look at your property and see if any of the above tips need to be implemented. If you take them all on board your property should let not just quickly, but at the highest possible rent. Care and attention with your property literally pays off. A full Property Management service, where the agent collects rent and looks after the property and tenants, can be an excellent option for complete novice landlords when they start out, particularly for legal advice.
If you would like to chat about anything mentioned today, then please don’t hesitate to contact us at the office on 01945 461116 or alternatively email us http://www.valiantproperties.co.uk/contact-us/.
