Presenting a property for rental
In order to maximise the letting potential of your property, quality of presentation and attention to detail are crucially important. The more attractive and complete the presentation, the easier it becomes to find a high caliber tenant and achieve a good rental return. Key points to consider include:
Decoration, furnishings and carpets
Décor should be fresh with a high standard of finish and good quality fittings throughout. Most tenants’ preference is for plain, neutral colours for decoration and carpets.
Kitchens
Kitchens should be fully fitted with up-to-date appliances including oven, hob, extractor hood and good capacity refrigerator/freezer.
Bathrooms
Power showers are a pre-requisite, and there is a general preference for white sanitary ware with high quality chrome fittings. In larger properties, an en-suite bathroom to the master bedroom is essential.
Exterior
To create a good impression, the exterior of the property must be in good, fresh decorative condition. Garages should be cleared ready for use, and gardens presented in attractive seasonal condition.
Checking the property’s equipment and services
Appliances
All appliances and machinery must be in good working order, and serviced as appropriate.
Instruction manuals
Manufacturers’ operating and instruction manuals for all appliances and electrical equipment should be left in the property. It is important that all electrical equipment and the central heating boiler are serviced and in good working order. Details of any maintenance contracts should be supplied.
Utilities
Ensure that all available utilities are connected to the property including telephone line, electricity, gas and water. Where provided, check that LPG gas containers and oil tanks are full at the start of the tenancy and that the septic tank is empty.
Keys
A minimum of two complete sets of keys must be provided.
Other important considerations
Is your property held on a lease?
If you hold your property on a lease, you must ascertain whether sub-letting is permitted, whether you are required to obtain written permission to sub-let, and, if so, the conditions governing such sub-letting. We advise you to do this prior to making plans for letting, as potential tenants may require sight of any such licence or official documentation.
Do you have a mortgage?
In most cases when a property is subject to a bank loan or mortgage, written permission is required to sub-let the property. It is your responsibility as the landlord to obtain the necessary permission. Again, we ask that you do so before making your plans for letting as tenants may require sight of any such licence or permission from the lender.
Inventory and cleaning
An inventory accurately recording the state and condition of the property and its contents will be prepared. Please note that unless we manage the property, it is your responsibility to ensure that the property and the contents are professionally cleaned before the letting commences. The tenancy agreement requires that the tenant returns the property and all contents at the termination of the tenancy in the same condition as recorded at the start, save for fair wear and tear.
Insurance
The tenancy agreement normally requires that you have adequate insurance cover for buildings, contents and public liability and that you advise the insurance company that you are letting the property. Please note that such cover will not be the responsibility of Naylors or the tenant.
Post
If you are relocating elsewhere in the UK, we recommend that you arrange for the Post Office to redirect mail to your new address to avoid delays and reduce the risk of identity theft.
Service charges
If Naylors are managing your property and paying service charges or water rates on your behalf out of rent, the relevant authorities should be informed before you move and advised of our address.
Complying with legal requirements
- The Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations 1998
These regulations require the landlord of a property where there is a gas fire or other gas appliance:
a) To ensure that the appliance is maintained in a safe condition to prevent risk of injury to any person.
b) To ensure that the appliance is checked and that an appropriate certificate is issued for safety at intervals of not more than 12 months by an approved person, i.e. a Gas Safe contractor registered to carry out domestic work.
c) To give the original certificate to the tenant prior to the start of the tenancy. Unless you elect to use Naylors lettings management service, you are responsible for compliance with these regulations, for which non-compliance is a criminal offence. The tenancy must not commence without the appropriate certificate.
- The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
These regulations require the landlord to ensure that the earthing and insulation of all electrical appliances in the property are safe. Cabling, fuses and plugs should also be inspected and replaced with the correct rating for that particular appliance where necessary.
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The Building Regulations 1991
These regulations require that all properties built since June 1992 must be fitted with mains-operated interlinked smoke detectors/ alarms on each floor. Properties built before that date do not have a statutory requirement, but we recommend that you should consider the installation of smoke alarms in your property.
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The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993.
These regulations make it an offence to supply certain furniture in the course of a business unless it complies with what is called the "cigarette test”, the "match test” and the "ignitability test”. The regulations, which apply to all rented property, cover in general all upholstery and upholstered furniture, loose fittings, permanent or loose covers. However, they do not apply to any furniture manufactured before 1st January 1950. The recommended way to check whether furniture complies is to look for labels attached to the furniture. If there are no labels, you must establish when and where the furniture was bought and contact the retailer or manufacturer to check whether the item complies. If you are unable to establish where the furniture came from or its compliance, it must be replaced. It is illegal to let a property with furniture which does not comply with these regulations.
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Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Amendments to the above Act came into effect in December 2006 giving a disabled person the right to ask a landlord for reasonable adjustments to a property to enable him to enjoy the property and its features as an able-bodied person could. However, it should be noted that such adjustments are temporary and can be reinstated at the end of the tenancy, ie. changes to wall colour, provision of a portable wheelchair ramp, changes to door handles, doorbells and taps. Such reasonable adjustments are at the landlord’s expense.
Types of Tenancies
The Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST)
Naylors will advise you on the scope and benefits of the Assured Shorthold Tenancy created by the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Housing Act 1996). Here are some of the points covered within the AST.
The property let must be a dwelling house let as a separate dwelling; and
- the tenant must be an individual and must occupy the property as his/her only or principal home; and
- the landlord must give a minimum of two months’ notice to gain possession; and
- the tenancy can be for any specified period either for a fixed term or periodic (open-ended) from the outset. However, a court cannot make a possession order to take effect earlier than six months from the commencement of the tenancy, even if the term granted was for a shorter period; and
- the rent must not exceed £25,000 per annum
Under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (provided that a true AST has been created), the landlord is guaranteed an order for possession if:
- the term of the tenancy has expired (except in the case of a periodic tenancy); and
- the landlord has given not less than two months’ notice stating that he/she requires possession.