Do I need to notify my Mortgage lender?
Yes,if your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your mortgagee's written consent to the letting. Should additional clauses in the tenancy agreement be required you will need to inform us. Likewise, if you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent before letting.
Do you allow tenants to Sub-let?
We would suggest that a tenant should gain their landlord's consent before sub letting a property. However, we would not recommend sub-letting as the norm.
Will I need Insurance?
You must ensure that both your buildings and contents are suitably covered for letting under insurance. Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your policies. We are unable to advise on insurance policies due to FSA regulations. However, you can click on the link to the above left for further information from Homelet - a specialist insurance company.
Who will be responsible for the payment of bills?
Tenants are responsible for the payment of all utilities. Where we manage a property we will inform the necessary service providers on the change of occupant.
Who is responsible for payment of the Council tax?
Council tax is the responsibility of the occupier. You should inform your local council offices 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.
Do I need an inventory?
In order to reduce the risk of a misunderstanding or dispute at the end of a tenancy, it is most important that an inventory of contents and schedule of condition be prepared. 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. We will include this service at no additional cost for our managed properties.
Will I need to pay Income tax?
It is entirely the Landlords responsibility to inform HM Revenue and Customs of rental income received, and to pay any tax due, when the landlord is resident in the UK. However, where the landlord is resident outside of the UK during a tenancy, under 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. We can provide you with an application form for exemption from such deductions. 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 1994 (amended 1996) and some other regulations, 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.
Electrical Appliances & Equipment
Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs & Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and some other regulations, electrical installations and equipment in tenanted premises must be safe. Although (unlike gas) no safety certificate is legally required, and therefore it may be adequate to perform a visual check of electrical equipment, fittings and leads, it is recommended that a qualified electrician be engaged for this purpose.
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 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.
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) as per the Landlord agreement..
Appliances
Although we recommend that only a cooker be provided at the property, if appliances such as a washing machine, fridge freezer, dishwasher etc. are left, they should be in a usable and safe condition. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.
Decoration
Interior decoration 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.
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 will 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. A copy of which can be left at our office for future reference.
Keys
You should provide one set of keys for each tenant. Where we are Managing we will arrange to have duplicates cut as required at a cost to the Landlord.
How do you recommend I leave my property?
Out lined below are a few considerations to bear in mind when preparing to hand over your property for letting.
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