Landlords

Landlords

We offer a full management service and a tenant find only service to those wishing to rent their property out. Our outstanding marketing package include extensive marketing campaigns locally, regionally and nationally, with editorial opportunities. Details of your property will also appear on our website, and many national property websites including Zoopla, Primelocation, Findaproperty and Globrix amongst others.

Tenant Find Service

Our standard letting service includes our comprehensive marketing package, introduction of a suitable tenant, obtaining references and collection of the deposit and first months rent. After this we hand the tenancy over to you to continue the day to day management.

Management Package

In today’s busy lettings market, properties that are professionally managed are increasingly in demand. We take care of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of being a landlord giving you peace of mind. We pride ourselves on our extensive knowledge of the residential lettings market, rules and regulations, we’ll advise you so that your property meets safety requirements, maintenance is seen to quickly and efficiently and payments are processed speedily.

If you choose our management package you will benefit from all the perks of the standard letting service but we will also:

• Collect rent throughout the tenancy
• Carry out regular property inspections with a full written report sent to you
• Transfer utility providers at the start and end of each tenancy
• Arrange all repairs and maintenance
• Provide a key holding service
• Provide a detailed digital inventory to TDS standards
• Hold the deposit in our client account under the rules of the TDS
• Manage the check in and check out and deposit negotiations
• Provide a 24 hour emergency telephone number to all tenants

Health and Safety

The safety of your tenants is of paramount importance to us. We will carry out risk assessments of the property and discuss these with you. If you are aware of any hazards then you must inform us of these before a tenancy begins. We will not be able to start a tenancy until we know the property is safe for occupation.

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) 1998

As most Landlords are now aware, all gas appliances at a rented property, including portable appliances such as LPG heaters, must be tested prior to the start of any tenancy and annually there after by a Gas Safe registered plumber who will provide you with a certificate. We will need to have a copy given to us and to the tenant before we can start any tenancy.

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and The Plugs and Sockets etc (Safety)

Regulations 1994

It is a legal requirement that the mains wiring and any portable electrical appliances left in a rented property must be safe for the tenants use. These should be tested by a suitably qualified electrician. We insist that the mains electric wiring is tested every five years, and any portable appliances tested annually. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 Upholstered furniture left in a letting property must comply to these regulations and apply to all upholstered furniture. The safety provisions require that any upholstered or soft furnishings have a suitable, permanent safety label attached. As these could be removed by a tenant it is also wise to keep a copy of the purchase receipt. Bedding, Carpets, Curtains and Furniture made before 1st January 1950 that are not foam filled (for example horse hair) are also excluded from the regulations.

Oil & Solid Fuel Appliances

Again any oil or solid fuel appliances must be safe for the tenants use and therefore they need to be checked on annual basis by a suitably qualified or experienced engineer, with an appropriate certificate or service record issued.

Smoke Detectors

It is not yet a legal requirement to have smoke detectors fitted in a rented property, although this requirement is almost certain to come into force in the future and therefore we would strongly recommend that mains wired smoke detectors are fitted on each floor of a rented property by a suitably qualified electrician. We do however insist that at least 1 battery operated smoke detector is fitted on each floor of a rented property. We will check the smoke detector at the start of each tenancy and we make it a condition of the tenancy that the tenant checks the smoke detectors on a regular basis, replace the batteries when necessary and inform us, if they go wrong.

Chimneys

We also strongly recommend that any chimneys are swept on an annual basis and this may also be a condition of your house insurance.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It is not a requirement to install either battery or mains wired carbon monoxide protectors but they do offer extra peace of mind for both the landlord and tenant and if installed should be situated close to any gas or oil appliances.

General Product Safety Regulations 2005

Any items or equipment not already covered by specific regulations must be safe. This includes leaving any warning notices, instruction manuals and checking on a regular basis that the item is in safe working order. For example any garden machinery should be regularly serviced and any guards or personal protective equipment also supplied. Glass in furniture should be to British Standard etc.

Other Safety Requirements

As stated above the property has to be safe for the tenants occupation and although we will visit the property and try to identify any potential hazards, it is the landlord’s responsibility that the property is safe for occupation. If the Landlord is aware of any other aspects that might be hazardous then these need to be notified to the Tenants & ourselves in writing, i.e. steep stairs, wells in the garden etc. Due to the potential hazards of some household or garden equipment/ appliances, e.g. lawnmowers/ garden strimmers etc we would strongly recommend that these are not left in a rented property.