Landlords Guidelines

Letting your property

We have a large residential property portfolio in Surrey dealing with the quality market.

Our strengths

• Offices in Walton on Thames
• Extensive market coverage
• 27 years experience in the lettings industry offering a truly personal service
• The majority of our business is through personal recommendation from satisfied clients
• 6-day operation - Monday (9-6) to Saturday (9-4)
• Website updated daily
• All properties advertised on our website; Rochills.co.uk, major property portals such as Rightmove, FindaProperty, Prime Location, Globrix
• Close business links with Relocation Agents, International Schools and local businesses such as Unilever, Sony, Samsung, Air Products
• A truly personal service from an independent company
• High quality properties attracting good quality tenants
• Privately owned company

What Rochills can do for you

• Visit you at your property and advise on rental value, legal requirements and how to prepare the property for let
• Accompany all viewings
• Reference the tenants and report to you
• Prepare a detailed inventory and schedule of condition including photographs (by a professional Inventory Clerk)
• Prepare an appropriate tenancy agreement for signature
• Arrange for final accounts for utilities
• Obtain a deposit from the tenants, normally one and a half times the monthly rent
• Arrange for the tenant to pay the rent monthly by standing order
• Lodge the deposit with The Dispute Service
• Account to you monthly*
• Visit the property quarterly to check it is being looked after by the tenants*
• Arrange for repairs/ maintenance work on your behalf as instructed by you*
• At the end of the tenancy check the property and establish any dilapidations which may be paid from the tenants deposit*

*Depending on which service is taken

Landlord Responsibilities

• To ensure that the property is handed over to the tenant in good and safe repair
• Insure the buildings and their own contents
• Professional clean to include carpets, curtains, windows and garden tidy prior to the tenancy commencement
• Gas and electrical checks prior to any tenancy commencing
• Maintenance and upkeep of the property throughout the tenancy

Preparation for letting

Furniture

• There is far more demand for unfurnished properties than furnished
• In an unfurnished property it is normally expected that carpets, curtains, light fittings and white goods are left
• If it is essential that you let your property furnished then only leave the essential items (ensuring they comply with Fire Regulations) and nothing personal. It is not necessary to leave linen
• The more electrical items left in a property the higher the potential cost to you for breakdowns/electrical checks and replacement

Décor

• Finish to a good standard
• A neutrally decorated and carpeted house will normally let more quickly than one that is over personalised and fussy
• Good quality neutral curtains are preferable
• Linoleum/tiles are more hygienic and preferred in bathrooms and kitchens

Gas appliances

• Must all be serviced and checked annually with a Gas Safety Certificate being provided to the tenant prior to the tenancy commencement in accordance with the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 as amended 1996

Electrical installation and appliances

• It is recommended that the installation is checked every 5 years
• It is recommended that the appliances are checked annually

Smoke detectors

• Must be installed prior to a property being let

Carbon monoxide detectors

• It is strongly advised that these are installed

Keys

• 3 sets of front door keys should be provided to the agent (2 for the tenants, 1 as a management set for the agent)
• Other keys should be left in the property (in a kitchen drawer)

Instructions

• Instructions for household equipment, central heating and other useful information should be left in a file at the property
• Copies of all guarantees should be left with the agent

Inventory

• Prepared by a professional independent Inventory Clerk
• This is prepared for the benefit of both landlord and tenant
• It is recorded on a room by room basis with a list of all items and the condition of those items and the décor, furnishings etc
• It is supported by photographs - particularly relevant for the garden
• Items of a lessor value than £5.00 are normally excluded
• Standard garden tools will be listed but general items stored in garages, outbuildings will be recorded as “miscellaneous”
• China/cutlery/books will be listed by number
• At the end of the tenancy we will guide as to the cost of dilapidations
• Fair wear and tear must be taken into account and cannot be charged to the tenant
• The age of an item will determine the proportion of any cost that can be fairly charged to a tenant

Maintenance contracts

• These are recommended for items such as central heating systems, alarms, white goods and lawn mowers with the contracts being lodged at our office

Telephone

• The landlord must ensure there is a working telephone line at the property
• It is the landlord’s responsibility to give up and take up the telephone service as the agent cannot do this on your behalf

Oil, solid fuel and LPG

• Where relevant the tank should be left full at the start of the tenancy and the tenant will then fill the tank before vacating. The same applies to solid fuel

Council tax, electricity, gas and water services

• We will arrange for final accounts for council tax, electricity, gas and water

Mail

• You should make arrangements for your post to be forwarded to you

Chimney sweep

• Chimneys should be swept prior to the tenancy commencement and the tenant will be expected to do the same at the end of the tenancy

Garden

• Should be handed over in good seasonal order and tenants will be expected to leave the same at the tenancy termination

General

Housing act 1988 as amended 1996

• Designed to protect Landlords and Tenants alike
• Created an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST)
• Particular attention paid to landlords rights of repossession
• There is now no difference between security of tenure for the tenant in an unfurnished or furnished property
• No minimum time period for an AST but a landlord cannot normally recover possession within 6 months from the start of the tenancy

Taxation

• Rent is classified as “unearned income”
• If you are UK resident you will be responsible for declaring your rental income to the Inland Revenue
• If you are resident overseas whilst letting your home it will be necessary to complete a form NRL1 in order to be able to receive your rent gross from your agent. Alternatively Rochills will be required to deduct tax at the basic rate from your rent prior to forwarding it to you

Mortgage

• You will need to obtain formal approval to let your property from your lender
• This can take some time so it is imperative to contact your lender immediately you consider letting your property

Leasehold

• Written confirmation from the landlord that the letting is permitted must be obtained
• The Head Lease must not expire prior to the tenancy for your tenant
• A copy of the Head Lease must be provided to the agent to attach to the tenancy agreement
• Covenants and/or rules and regulations for your property must be provided to the agent to attach to the tenancy agreement