Landlord Services and Charges
In recent years, government and local authorities have introduced a number of rules and regulations in order to improve the quality of the properties available in the Private Rented Sector. Finlay Brewer Lettings and Property Management offer Landlord Services to help survive the compliance minefield.
PRIOR TO RENTING OUT YOUR PROPERTY
Below are a selection of compliance hurdles that Finlay Brewer Lettings and Property Management can help you with when you rent out a property.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): every property must have an upto date EPC which provides a rating of the property’s energy efficiency rating. Furthermore, a copy should be made available for the tenant at the earliest opportunity. An EPC is valid for ten years. Properties in the poorest energy efficiency bands of F and G are not allowed to be rented out and as a result, the property’s energy performance will need to be brought up to standard.
Property Licence: is your property in a local authority licencing area? Given the harsh punishments for failure to comply, landlords must check whether they are in an area covered by a scheme. Landlords in London can use the London Property Licensing website (londonpropertylicensing.co.uk) but there is no list of countrywide schemes. Checking with the local council is the safest strategy. If you find that you are in a selective licensing area, your council will have an application form to apply for a licence. Each council will have set its own fees, for example, the licencing fees charged by Hammersmith and Fulham start at £540. The council will want to see copies of safety certificates and to know the location of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as details of your tenants and tenancy agreements.
Gas Safe: if there are gas appliances in your property, a landlord is required by law to have a current Gas Safety Certificate. The certificate is renewed each year on expiry by a Gas Safe registered gas engineer. The tenant must be given a copy before they move in. They also need to be given copies of any further certificates within 28 days of the inspection.
EICR: Electrical Installation Condition Reports must be obtained before a tenant may legally move into a property. Landlords have the responsibility to ensure that a tenanted property has an electrical installation that is safe to use by its tenants.
Deposit Protection: if you are asking a prospective tenant for a deposit, be aware of the legal requirements to protect the tenant’s deposit in one of the deposit schemes and give the required documentation to the tenant, and anyone who paid toward the deposit, within 30 days of receiving the deposit. Failing to protect the deposit within that 30 days has serious consequences for a landlord.
Right To Rent: remember to do the immigration Right To Rent check within the 28 days before signing the tenancy.
This is just a selection of compliance issues now facing Landlords. Finlay Brewer offer a range of services to help guide you through the compliance minefield, please contact us to arrange a free market appraisal.
OUR STANDARD FEES & COSTS
Standard Let & Rent Collection Fee 12% (10% plus VAT)
Standard Let & Full Management Fee 18% (15% plus VAT)
For a full price list of Finlay Brewer Lettings and Property Management Services, please click here.
We also offer a full range of property management services from a Gas Certificate or a Boiler Service to drawing up a Tenancy Agreement. Please contact our Property Management Team on 020-7471-9971 or manage@finlaybrewer.co.uk for more information.
