WHY RENT YOUR PROPERTY?
Many people buy and let properties purely as an investment, however, it may become necessary to let your property because you are moving away either from the area or leaving the country. Renting your property means that you retain an interest in the property market, particularly in poor market conditions when you may not be able to sell. Being away for long periods of time and leaving an empty property can leave your home open to all sorts of dangers, including vandalism, squatters or just general disrepair.
WHAT TYPE OF PROPERTY?
We rent out a full range of properties from small flats to large houses, both furnished and unfurnished, but those which attract the most demand from quality tenants will be those which are in good decorative order and in convenient locations with good communication links.
HOW MUCH RENT WILL I RECEIVE?
We will visit your property and advise you on the likely amount of rent you will receive and discuss any suggestions we may have which will help in finding a tenant as soon as possible.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Your property will be added to our list of available rental properties and advertised on our web site, in the local press and in our office. Having found a prospective tenant, we will proceed to take up references usually employer, previous landlord and we will carry out our own online credit checks. On receipt of satisfactory references we will draw up the Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement. In the case of a furnished property a schedule of condition and inventory will be prepared - there is no charge for this service unless a very detailed inventory is required. The tenants will receive a copy of this to check and agree at the move- in and a signed copy will be retained on our files. In the case of an unfurnished property, a schedule of condition will be drawn up in order to ensure that at the end of the tenancy, the property is left in a similar condition to that at the beginning of the period allowing for fair wear and tear. During the tenancy we will make regular inspections of the property to ensure all is well.
PAYMENT OF RENT.
Rents are usually paid one month in advance, most of our tenants pay their rent by Standing Orders. On receipt of the rent we will prepare a Property Management Statement showing any deductions to be made (our charges etc.) and a cheque is then forwarded to the landlord or paid directly into a nominated bank account. We can also offer a on-line banking facility to speed up your payments.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE TENANCY?
Towards the end of the fixed term of the tenancy, we will ascertain if the tenancy is to continue. If repossession is required we will serve the appropriate notices, if the tenancy is to continue it will become a statutory periodic tenancy. In practical terms this means that at any time in the future the landlord can give the tenant two months notice to leave, and the tenant can give one months notice of their intention to leave. At the commencement of the tenancy the tenant will pay a deposit equal to one month’s rent which will be held in an authorised Protection Scheme. At the end of the tenancy, this will only be returned to the tenant on satisfactory vacation of the property.
SERVICES.
We will take meter readings on the day of a move in and inform the relevant utility companies when the new tenancy commences. We will also inform local authorities for council tax purposes. In the case of BT the tenant will need to contact them directly. |
