Lettings Guide for Landlords - Lettings in Bournemouth

House & Son's property letting services in Bournemouth are designed to put the landlord first and to ensure the successful management of your property. Our letting department has been established over a number of years, and our experience and local knowledge ensures a quality service unmatched by other agents.

Finding the right tenant for your property is the key to any successful let. We start by establishing with you the criteria for the sort of person you wish to occupy your property. We then match this to prospective tenants who must provide us with references. Only after checking these references will we then proceed with a tenancy.

When dealing with private tenants we take references usually from their employer, bank and previous Landlord or Agent. Payments are due every calendar month, in advance starting from the commencement of the lease. We do encourage tenants to pay their rent by standing order, if however they pay by cheque we must allow time for this to clear in our bank before forwarding payment to you.

When we initially assess a property we indicate what we believe to be a realistic market rent. Prospective tenants usually accept this figure, as we do not encourage offers, however, we are obliged to forward any offers to you.

Deposits

We request a deposit on all tenancies, equal to six weeks rent and held by us as Agents. To help ensure the tenant looks after the property and as a safeguard against unpaid rent. It is refundable at the end of the tenancy only after the tenant has vacated, and providing the property and their account is in order. When the tenant vacates, you will have an opportunity to inspect the property yourself prior to the deposit being refunded. Should you wish to do so, you must make arrangements to view the property within as few days as possible (no greater than 5) of the date the tenant vacates the property.

Commencement of Tenancy

The tenancy commences on a mutually agreed date. Prior to the tenant moving in we will carry out an inventory of the property, with a detailed description of its condition and contents. Whilst compiling the inventory we also take meter readings, these readings we then pass on to the appropriate companies, and at the same time we also inform the council and water companies, if appropriate, of the change of occupancy.

We cannot inform British Telecom, this must be done by the user of the service, consequently you must ensure BT know you no longer require a service at the property. The tenants then have to contact BT should they wish to be re-connected.

Tenancies

All new tenancies commence with a minimum six month assured shorthold contract. Once this contract has been in force for just over four months the tenancy is reviewed and we will write to you 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 you 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, here you can choose to renew for a further fixed period. (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 calendar months notice. If you require possession of the property. A two calendar months notice is required from the rent due day.

Please note that once a section 21 notice has been served on the tenant's 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, a detailed inspection of the property and check of inventory is carried out, meter readings are taken, 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. If the tenant does not rectify the situation we can then make a deduction from the deposit (valid estimates must be obtained indicating the exact cost of repair). Failing agreement between the landlord and tenant, we will act as arbitrators. We will aim to resolve the disagreement as quickly and amicably as possible. Our decision is final, both parties agree to abide by our judgement.

Property Inspections

We conduct regular inspections of all tenanted properties. These inspections serve several 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 is practical, 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 the 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 maintenance work. If things go wrong and the tenant contacts us, we then contact you. In the majority of cases, the problem can be resolved quickly. However there are two important points to remember when it comes to repairs. Firstly, if a serious fault does occur (water burst/ flood) and we cannot contact you, we can authorise a repair up to a cost equivalent of three times the agreed monthly rent. Secondly, once a property is tenanted you do have an obligation to ensure it is well maintained. Carrying out repairs quickly is often as important for you as it is for the tenant, as repair caught early enough can save you a lot of money. Remember tenants do have rights.

Tenants can contact the Environmental Health because repairs are not being attended to quickly. The ensuing 'enforcement order' could include extra repairs and significantly higher final bill. Work not done will be carried out by them and they will add a hefty additional charge on top of the repair bill. In the Tenants Act 1985 under section 11, it is implied as a convenient in the tenancy agreement that the landlord is: (a) to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling (including its drains, gutters and external pipes). (b) to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling, for sanction and for the supply of water, gas and electricity as well as those for space heating and heating *(journal for residential property professionals-July 1996, issue 2, volume 4

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 of it must be kept with our files). You can ask British Gas (who charge per item inspected) or a private gas engineer (some of whom have a flat rate, regardless of the number of appliances). Remember, for an inspection to be complete, the piping must also be inspected and the person conducting the inspection MUST be CORGI 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 it done. For this reason we recommend a service contract. British Gas offers a policy, which serves the majority of systems very well, they also allow you to spread the cost and pay monthly instalments. If you do take out a service contract or have one already, then please let us know. The details will be kept in the files, and should the tenant have any problems we can contact your service provider on your behalf.

Smoke 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, are easily fitted, and 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 a little more than smoke alarms but again do serve a very useful purpose.

Burglar Alarms

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 can 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 you and your neighbours, but it also leads 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, beds etc.) that are left in the property must comply with The Fire and Furnishings 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.

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 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.

Leasehold

It is up to the Landlord to obtain any necessary authorisation from the Management Company or Freeholders prior to the occupation of a Tenant and also to supply us with details of any special clauses or relevant house rules that may apply.

Insurance

As the 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.

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.

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 (we can supply the application forms). If you are awarded an exemption certificate this must be held by us.

Empty Property

The agreement you signed when the property was 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, two will be handed to the 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. Any sets of keys, which have to be cut, will be charged to the Landlord. House and Son would be delighted to discuss our Terms with you personally.

Helpful Hints

We have prepared the following list as a guideline as to what items you should leave for a tenant - it is not intended as an exact list, but merely a rough guide of the usual requirement.

• Adequate furniture, according to the size of the property, i.e. a sufficiently large wardrobe for a double bedroom, table, and chairs, etc.
• A matching and replaceable, where possible, dinner and cutlery set for 4-8 people. Odd plates, cups, etc. are not usually replaceable by the tenant if lost or damaged.
• Sufficient kitchen utensils and general kitchen equipment to adequately prepare a meal.
• A washing machine is a very worthwhile addition as it is no longer viewed as a luxury
• Two/three bowls, saucepans, bread knife and board, electric kettle, teapot, condiment set and egg cups. A flip top waste bin.
• Iron and ironing board, vacuum cleaner and other normal household cleaning equipment, i.e. mop and bucket and the minimum gardening tools necessary.
• It is not advisable to leave a TV set or radio as it is up to the landlord to repair it if it goes wrong. It is essential that a TV aerial is left and we will assume that an aerial is left and is in working order unless informed otherwise.

What next?

Contact us if you require any further information.

Read more about our lettings in Bournemouth.

Are you planning to rent a property in Bournemouth? Read our Guide for Tenants.

Thinking of buying or selling a property in Bournemouth? Find out more about our property sales in Bournemouth.