Guide to letting

Before you let

Don't do fussy decor - tenants generally like neutral decor. Don't forget to provide light fittings and curtains/blinds. Properties without, look bare and uninviting.

Bathroom & kitchen

The newer the better! These are amongst the most important aspects of the flat from a marketing prospective and give the Landlord the opportunity to elevate their property above their competitors with a clean and modern design.

Cleaning

The rental property can never be too clean. Don't be tempted to just make do. Have it professionally cleaned. Your tenants will notice the difference.

Instruction manuals/booklets

Don't forget to leave copies of these for the tenant's convenience.

Use an inventory clerk for check-in/out

We can help you arrange this through one of our trusted suppliers to minimise the potential of a dispute at the end of tenancy. It is also invaluable to demonstrate to the tenant that you are professional in your approach to any repairs that may be claimed against their deposit.

The legal bits

Gas safety

Landlords must have an annual gas safety inspection carried out, if letting a property. We can arrange for this to be done through one of our trusted suppliers. All gas engineers must be 'Gas Safe' registered.

Electrical safety

Landlords responsibility under new Electrical Regulations

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020 and apply to all new tenancies created on or after that date in England from 1 July 2020.

These new regulations require landlords to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected at least every 5 years and tested by a person who is qualified and competent. Landlords will also have to provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants as well as to the local authority if requested.

Private landlords must ensure every electrical installation in their residential premises is inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years by a qualified and competent person.

The regulations apply in England to all new specified tenancies from 1 July 2020 and all existing specified tenancies from 1 April 2021.‘New specified tenancies” is any tenancy created on or after 1 June 2020.

All electrical appliances must be safe and unlikely to cause harm or be dangerous. It is the Landlords responsibility to ensure that they meet this standard. We recommend that you get an NIC qualified electrician to carry out an inspection prior to renting the property.

Fire safety

Under the (amended) Furniture & Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations 1993, all upholstered furniture supplied in the course of a let must have safety tags to demonstrate compliance.

Items covered include: mattresses, headboards, sofas, cushions, pillows, and all other soft furnishings.

Smoke alarms

Since 2015, it is mandatory for landlords to have a smoke detector on each floor of their property. This must be tested prior to each letting.

Energy Performance Certificate

It is mandatory for tenants to be provided with a copy of the EPC certificate prior to renting the property. We can arrange to get an EPC through our trusted supplier, if needed (at additional cost). A UK property cannot be legally rented unless it achieves an EPC rating of E or above.

Carbon monoxide alarm

Although not a mandatory requirement, unless you have solid fuel heating Mackstone recommends that you provide a CO2 Alarm to ensure your tenants' safety against this silent and invisible killer.

Legionnaires Disease

As a Landlord you are responsible for assessing, maintaining and controlling the risk of exposure to Legionnaires disease within the water system of the property that you are letting. Further guidance can obtained via the HSE.

Right to rent

From February 2016 all landlords have a legal duty to check that every tenant has the right to live in the UK prior to letting a property to them. The penalty for failure to comply is £3,000.00 per tenant. Mackstone will carry out these checks on your behalf to ensure full compliance.

Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme

It is mandatory for tenants' deposits to be protected through a Government approved tenancy deposit scheme. Mackstone Ltd is able to deal with this on your behalf to ensure full compliance.

...and you thought letting was easy!!!

''Hiring a letting agent has big advantages. An agent has more purchasing power when it comes to marketing than most individual landlords, so they may find tenants for the property more quickly. They can also handle the negotiations with would-be tenants – from showing them round the property to drawing up contracts – which can otherwise be time consuming and sometimes daunting.''

WHICH.CO.UK

''Hiring a letting agent has big advantages. An agent has more purchasing power when it comes to marketing than most individual landlords, so they may find tenants for the property more quickly.

They can also handle the negotiations with would-be tenants – from showing them round the property to drawing up contracts – which can otherwise be time consuming and sometimes daunting.''

WHICH.CO.UK