Tenants
We will find a suitable tenant for your property and take up references and credit checks within the same working day.

Rent
FREE rent appraisal - We will access the property and advise you on a realistic market rent. Rents are Payable monthly to our client bank account then immediately to landlord account.

Deposits
We request a deposit on all tenancies, it will be protected in accordance with the Tenancy Deposit Protection legislation. Deposits are held to help ensure the tenant looks after the property and as a safeguard against damage. It is refundable at the end of the tenancy only after the tenant has vacated and we have completed a satisfactory inspection.

Commencement of Tenancy
The tenancy commences on the date shown on the lease. Prior to the tenant moving in a full detailed inventory is compiled with supporting photographs. We also take the meter readings, these are then passed on to the appropriate companies, at the same we also inform the council of the change in tenancy. We cannot inform British Telecom of the change in tenancy. This must be done by the user of the service, consequently you must ensure BT know you no longer require a service at this property. The tenants then have to contact BT should they wish to be reconnected.

Tenancies
All new tenancies commence with a minimum six month assured shorthold contract. Once this contract has been in force for just over three months we will write to asking if you wish the tenancy to continue, if you do not want to renew the tenancy you must inform us immediately, we will then make arrangements for the statutory notice to be served (where this notice has not already been served).
After contacting yourself we will then contact the tenants, they can opt to leave the property at the end of the lease or request permission to stay on. If the tenants wish to stay in the property you can either decline in which case the notice to quit must be served this then gives the tenants two months to vacate the property. Alternatively you can allow the tenancy to continue, you can choose to renew for a period from six months upwards. (A significant number of tenants do request twelve month contracts).
If you do not wish to commit yourself to a definite period the contract can become a periodic whereby the tenant stays in the property (under the terms of the original contract). Should they wish to leave however they only need to give one months notice, if you require possession of the property as the section requiring possession has already been served you can proceed with possession proceedings.
Please note that once a section 21 notice has been served on the tenants enforcement of this notice can only be enforced through the courts. Serving the notice does not guarantee that the tenant will vacate the property on the agreed date.

End of Tenancy
Once a tenancy comes to an end we make arrangements to meet the tenant at the property. We inspect the property again and take meter readings as well as obtaining details as to where the tenant is moving. The deposit is refundable to the tenant once we are convinced that everything is in order. If you wish you can inspect the property before the deposit is refunded, this must be done within a few days of the tenants moving out as the tenants are often eager for the refund of their money. If for any reason there are any disputes with how the property has been left the first course of action is to give the tenant an opportunity to rectify the problem.

Inspections
We conduct regular inspections of all tenanted properties. These inspections serve numerous purposes, they allow us to visit the tenant in the property and ensure they are looking after it. We also check for signs that something may be wrong with the property, if something needs attention we can then inform you as soon as possible helping to reduce the risk of the problem becoming worse and the cost escalating. These visits also help us get to know the tenants better, so that when a lease is due for renewal we can be confident in the advice we give to you.

Repairs
Every property at some point will need some work doing to it, if things go wrong and the tenant contacts us, we can then contact you. In the majority of cases the problem can be resolved quickly. However, if a serious fault does occur (water burst! flood) and we cannot contact you we can authorise a repair. Once a property is tenanted you do have an obligation to ensure it is well maintained. Carrying out repairs quickly is as important to you as it is for the tenant, repairs caught early enough can save you a lot of money and keep a good tenant happy.

Gas Appliances
It is a legal requirement that every gas appliance and gas central heating system has to be inspected on an annual basis, they have to meet strict conditions and a safety certificate must be issued. (This certificate or copy must be kept with our files). Remember for an inspection to be complete the piping must also be inspected and the person conducting the inspection MUST be GAS SAFE registered.
We can arrange for the safety inspection to be carried out for you by our local gas engineer. Once the inspection has been completed we keep a record of the date. A safety certificate must be issued every twelve months.
Central heating systems do break down, unfortunately it always seems to happen at the most inconvenient of times such as a Bank Holiday or when you are away. The cost of repair can be substantial and there is often little option but to have the work done. For this reason we recommend a service contract. If you do take out a service contract or have one already please let us know, the details will be kept on file and should the tenant have any problems we can contact the service provider on your behalf.

Alarms
It is our recommendation that all properties should be fitted with at least two smoke alarms. While this is not a legal requirement failure to take adequate precautions (such as fitting smoke alarms) could lead to a landlord being prosecuted if something did happen. Smoke alarms are inexpensive and are easily fitted, they can and do save lives. Once installed these devices must be checked on a regular basis.
If your property has gas appliances then you may wish to consider the installation of carbon monoxide alarms (these detect the build up of dangerous gasses). These units cost little more than smoke alarms but again do serve a very useful purpose.
More and more landlords are having burglar alarms fitted that have a master code as well as a user code, this must be kept secret. A master code means that changing the alarm number is only possible with this number. Consequently while your tenants have the benefit of the alarm they cannot change its settings. Alarms (like any piece of electrical equipment) can malfunction. This is not only annoying for yourself and neighbours but is also leading to increased calls from police officers for a list of such nuisance alarms (the implication being that if an alarm is frequently sounding for no valid reason the police refuse to respond). We would therefore recommend that the alarm is checked on a regular basis.

Furnishings
If any furniture is left in a property, then you as landlord have a duty to ensure it is maintained and (for electrical / mechanical equipment) repaired should it become faulty, provided of course this is not as a result of negligence or malicious damage by the tenant.
Any soft furnishings (chairs and beds etc) that are left in the property must comply with fire regulations, and a label clearly stating so should be attached. If not then the furnishings must be removed from the property, they cannot be stored at the rented address. We can offer competitive furnishings for all types of dwellings.

Mortgages
If the property you wish to rent is subject to a mortgage then the mortgage lender should be informed that you intend to let the property. This should be done before a tenant moves into the property. Gaining the permission from the building society usually depends upon the mortgage account not being in arrears. Some lenders do ask to see a copy of the lease which the tenant will be asked to sign, we will happily provide them with this. The lender may make a small charge to cover administration costs. We can help you with the best mortgage deals, please see Nurture financial services.

Insurance
As landlord you are still responsible for the building and accordingly the buildings insurance. Please note buildings insurance will not cover the costs of replacing or repairing carpets if they become damaged, it does however cover fixtures and fittings. If the property is furnished or part¬furnished you may also wish to consider contents insurance. We can offer competitive insurance quotes, please contact us for details.

Tax
Income received from renting any property is subject to tax (we strongly recommend that you take advice from your accountant). Expenses incurred can be set against this liability as can the interest paid on the mortgage Overseas Landlords Up until April 1996 landlords who moved out of the United Kingdom had to have tax deducted by their agents. Now however a landlord can apply for an exemption certificate from the Inland Revenue. If you are awarded exemption we can send all the rent money to yourself (a copy of the exemption certificate must be held by ourselves) without a deduction for tax.

Empty Property
The agreement you sign when the property is put on our books does not cover periods when the property is vacant. If you are concerned about the property and want us to manage it while it is empty you must inform us of this and we can make arrangements to do so. (there will be an extra cost for this service).

Keys
We would normally require three sets of keys to the property, one will be handed to each tenant on occupation, the other will be retained in our office for emergencies. Note: If you wish to use or collect these keys at any time - you must bring proof of identification as a security measure.

Gardens
Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish free. Tenants are required to maintain the gardens to a reasonable standard, provided they are left the necessary tools. However, few tenants are experienced gardeners, and if you value you garden, or if it is particularly large, you may wish us to arrange maintenance visits by our regular gardener.
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.

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 tenants responsibility to leave the property in a similar condition. Where they fail to do so, cleaning will be arranged at their expense..