Preparing the Property
• A well presented and maintained property in a good decorative order will achieve a higher rental figure and tenants are also more inclined to treat such a property with greater respect.
• Electrical, gas, heating and plumbing systems must be safe, sound and in good working order and meet any relevant regulations currently in place.
• Furniture & Furnishings, Interior decorations should be in good condition and preferably plain, light and neutral.
• Property can be let fully furnished, part furnished or unfurnished. How ever ornaments & pictures etc, should be removed from the property all forms of storage i.e., cupboards, loft areas, garages and sheds should be left clear for the Tenant's own use
• Gardens should be left neat & tidy with any lawns cut. 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 your garden, or if it is particularly large, you may wish to make your own arrangements for the maintenance.
• Cleaning At the commencement of the tenancy the property must be in a thoroughly clean condition; at the end of each tenancy it is the Tenants' responsibility to leave the property in the same condition.
• Repairs & maintenance it is the landlord’s responsibility to maintain the property and to carry out any necessary repairs to the building and services both internally and externally. Your duty to keep the property, its structure, installations, services, sanitary fittings and heating systems in order is an implied term of the tenancy. We shall in the interest of good management, arrange for repairs at the commencement of the agreement we would set a maximum spend limit usually in the region of £300, when the cost exceeds this amount we will seek prior instructions if this is practical and feasible. It must be appreciated however that emergency or urgent repairs will have to be addressed at our discretion. Where we are informed of your preferred tradesmen we shall endeavour to use them provided they are easily contactable and reliable. If any equipment is covered by a service contract or guarantee we must have the details before the letting commences. A charge of 10% or £25 (whichever greater) will be payable This allows for obtaining estimates and supervision of major work, repair and/or maintenance, or, in connection with insurance claims (to comply with relevant regulations).
• Mortgage, If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your mortgagee's written consent to the letting. They may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement of which you must inform us.
• Leaseholds, If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease and obtain any necessary written consent before letting.
• Insurance You should ensure that you are suitably covered for letting under both your Buildings and contents insurance (if furnished). Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your policies. It is the tenants obligation to insure their own possessions within the property
• Council tax & utilities, Council Tax and utility accounts will need to be transferred into the Tenant’s name. Meter readings will be taken at the hand-over of the property
• Income tax, For Landlords residing in the UK, it is entirely your own responsibility to inform the Revenue & Customs of rental income received and to pay any tax due.
• Inventory It is essential to prepare an inventory in order to avoid misunderstanding or dispute at the end of a tenancy. Without such safeguards, it will be impossible for the Landlord to prove any loss, damage, or significant deterioration of the property or contents. As part of our management service, we will arrange for an inventory to be prepared and a copy will be signed by the tenant and sent to the Landlord. Please note that for furnished properties we will charge a fee of £100 which is payable each time the inventory is checked on change of tenancy.
• Marketing your property, In addition to our ‘To Let’ boards each property has its own brochure and is advertised onthemarket.com, our local office and our website www.moveinlancashire.co.uk
• Approving a tenant, Prospective tenants will be put through a referencing service at their own expense. In addition to the application form they must complete with their personal information, photographic ID, proof of residency, Landlord references (if currently renting), personal character references and employment references. Their financial status is also checked through a credit referencing company. Once a tenant has been approved they will be required to pay a deposit to secure the property and agree a date for the tenancy to start. The Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement will then be signed and a ‘Let by’ board will be ordered for the property. You will be notified of the approved tenant and the commencement date of the tenancy
• What is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy? Most tenancies will automatically be Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements (ASTs), provided the rent is under £25,000 a year and the property is let to private individuals. The tenancy is usually granted for an initial fixed term of either 6 or 12 months after which rolls on from month to month until a new contract is agreed.
• Recovery of Possession, When the fixed term has expired the Landlord is able to regain possession of the property provided two months notice is given to the tenant in writing. If the tenant is in breach of the AST, MOVE IN can serve the necessary notice to terminate the Tenancy, but cannot guarantee that the Tenant will actually leave when they should. If the tenant refuses to go you will need to arrange for your solicitors to start possession proceedings. Move in can assist with this. The actual length of time to obtain possession will vary depending upon the circumstances of the case.
• Gas Appliances, All Gas appliances must be inspected for safety purposes at least once a Year by a competent Gas Safe registered technician (previously known as Corgi). A Gas Safety Check Certificate must be given to the tenant before occupying property under Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1994 as amended. MOVE IN are happy to arrange this on your behalf. This is at an additional cost and will depend upon the amount of gas appliances in the property (approximately between £50 and £90). If you do not comply with the gas safety
• Electrical, Electrical equipment must comply with The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and an inspection report is essential prior to a tenant occupying the property
• Energy Performance, Since 1st October 2008 it has been mandatory for Landlords to make Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) available to new tenants as part of the lettings process. Each EPC will last for 10 years. We automatically arrange this with an approved contractor as part of the management fee.
• Fire Safety, Smoke Detector one per floor must be fitted and comply with BS 5446 Part 1 of the Smoke Detectors Act 1991. These must be tested and working prior to commencement of the tenancy.
• Mail, Please arrange for your post to be re-directed by Royal Mail. They will charge a small fee for this service but it will guarantee that you receive your post at your correct address.
• Keys, We will require 2 sets of keys. One set for the tenant and one set will be held by MOVE IN for emergency access.
• Rent, MOVE IN will make arrangements with the tenant to collect rental payments by standing order each month. The tenant cannot challenge the agreed rent during the period of an Assured Tenancy Agreement. After the initial period of the tenancy agreement the tenant can refer any increase of rent to a Rent Assessment Committee. Correct procedures must be followed to increase rent.
• Bond, A refundable bond equivalent to five weeks rent is payable by the tenant at the Commencement of tenancy. In accordance with legislation we will ensure this bond is paid to The Deposit Protection Service (DPS). At the end of the tenancy we will request for the bond to be refunded to the tenant providing there has been no breach of contract.
• Inspections, MOVE IN will carry out inspections on managed properties every 6 months. We will check the condition of the property; ensure smoke alarms are working and check if the tenants have any problems with the property. Should the Landlord and Tenant agree to sign a new AST at request then a £60 will be chargable
• Re-Letting If you wish your property to be re-let once a tenant has vacated we require eight weeks notice before the expiry of the tenancy. If it is not the intention to grant a further tenancy or re-let the property then a minimum of three months notice is required. For Landlords on a ‘Full Management Service’ our fees are reduced to £120 for a change of tenancy to cover viewings, travelling, advertising, ‘To Let’ board, telephone calls, inventory, notifying utilities and preparation of Tenancy Agreement. For Landlords on a ‘Let Only Service’ the re-marketing fees are equivalent to one months rent. These prices do not include the EPC or Gas Safety Inspection if they require renewal.
• Landlords Identification The proceeds of Crime Act 2002 places a requirement for all companies such as ourselves to obtain and retain evidence of identity and address for all people with whom we have a business relationship. In order that we can comply with the current legislation we will require photographic ID (passport or driving license) and evidence of your address (utility bill, bank statement or mortgage statement).
Move In Sales & Lettings 6 Frank Street Barnoldswick
