Landlord Essentials and Guidelines
A brief guide
We all want people to be safe in their home. Landlord’s are required BY LAW to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate from a qualified Gas Engineer before the tenant moves in.
This meets the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations Act, 1994, amended 1996. We also recommend that have an annual service on the boiler, to be on the safe side.
- From 1st June 2020 electrical inspections and testing must be carried out every five years. All electrical installations and appliances must also be checked by a professional before the tenant moves in.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors must be in place before the start of the tenancy.
- If your property is unfurnished you must provide:
- Carpets
- Curtains
- Light fittings
- Any working white goods that are left
- If your property is rented as furnished, any upholstered furniture must meet the strict regulations in The Furniture and Fittings (fire safety) Regulations 1989, amended 1993).
- You’ll need to give your tenant the How to Rent checklist, although this can also be emailed.
- The tenants deposit must be protected in the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. We can take care of this, so contact us to find out more.
Other things we can help with
There has to be a working telephone landline at the property.
We will arrange for a detailed inventory to be done by a third party.
You’ll need to supply sets of keys for the property for each of the tenants – and one is for us!
You’ll also need to re-direct any mail to your new address.
How quickly will you evict my tenants if they don’t pay the rent?
This is the most commonly asked question, so we’ll address it upfront in our FAQs list:
Firstly, Aston Vaughan Lettings works strictly to current housing legislation, as well as to ARLA’s codes of conduct.
Should your tenants breach their agreement and we’re unable to restore the landlord-tenant relationship (for whatever reason), you may choose to serve notice to end the agreement. However, this can be a complicated process if:
- Your tenants don’t agree with your reasons, or
- They’re unable to leave
In this instance, you may need to consult a solicitor to handle an eviction.
NB: In our experience, tenant evictions are very rare. Due to our robust scrutiny and referencing prior to moving forward to contract, the risk is very low. For further reassurance, you may wish to speak to your Property Manager regarding the number of evictions currently in process; we’re glad to report that the answer is usually “zero”.
How much does Aston Vaughan Lettings charge?
This will depend on the package you select from us, for example:
- Tenant find service
- Full property management service
- A bespoke package (for example, some or all of the above)
In brief, our fees range from a one-off fixed introduction charge of approximately 2 weeks rent, to 10% for a full management service, plus VAT. We tailor our packages to suit you, fair fees not inflated fees Read more details in our Terms of Business. Why not ask us for a quote?
When do I get paid?
Aston Vaughan Lettings will pay you when your tenants’ rent falls due, as per your tenancy agreement. We would ask that you allow 7 working days for the rent to clear from this date. In the case of rental arrears, we process transactions every working day and will report any issues in real time. With late payments, we’ll alert you after 7 days, together with details of any action already taken, as well as our suggestions on how best to proceed
Regarding marketing my property, what sites are you on?
We will advertise your property on all the major portals, such as Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location as standard. If you have an HMO suitable for students, Aston Vaughan Lettings will also market the property on specialist sites such as www.unihomes.co.uk, www.sturents.com and, by invitation only, on the private university website forums. All properties are marketed to elicit the maximum and most effective responses to attract the best applicants – at no extra charge.
What credit checks to you do on tenants? Do I get a copy of the checks?
To answer your second question first: yes, you will get a copy of the credit checks we carry out on your would-be tenants. Referencing and credit checking are a major factor in ensuring that the people to whom you rent your property will be reliable and respectful tenants. As such, we take this part of the process very seriously, not least with the following processes:
- Credit check
- Linked address, identify and fraud information
- CCJs, Decrees and other court information
- Right to Rent check and advice
- Affordability Rating
- Previous landlord reference
- Income and employment check
We also offer the above checking procedures for guarantors.
How do my tenants get help if there’s a problem out of hours?
If something happens that we’d consider an emergency, or that could worsen or incur costs if left unattended (for example a leak or a flood), Aston Vaughan Lettings offers your tenants a 24/7 call service. They will be able to contact an on-call agent via our office number who will ensure that swift, appropriate action is taken to:
- Ensure the occupants’ safety, and/or
- Limit further damage until a decision on a longer-term solution can be made within working hours.
General, Non-Urgent Issues Your tenants can log these via the same number, with appropriate action taken during office hours. Contact Agreements You can specify out-of-hours action in your Terms of Business. Although Aston Vaughan Lettings will not contact you outside office hours, you are welcome to provide your tenants with additional or alternative contact arrangements. Allowing for this, do rest assured that there are very few instances when you will be disturbed out-of-hours.
Regarding repairs, can I use my own tradespeople or suppliers to keep costs down? Also, my I check out what needs doing myself?
Aston Vaughan Lettings will be happy to work with your existing contractors; these are established partnerships and of course, worth hanging onto! You can confirm this arrangement in your Terms of Business; however, we would insist that they’re fully qualified and that they have the relevant insurance. You’re welcome to inspect any work that needs doing at the property, although in most cases we’ll do this on your behalf. Should the repairs require specialist remedial work we may insist on a qualified contractor. Do feel free to discuss these issues with your Property Manager. Aston Vaughan Lettings maintains excellent working relationships with trusted, qualified tradespeople. Not only are they fully insured, they offer a courteous, competitive and reliable service. We will always ensure that you see a copy of all quotes for your approval, as well as copies of invoices on completion.
