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
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).
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