As a landlord we require that the property you wish to let be of a certain standard. Below you will find a break down of details of how to maximise the potential of your property. If you are unclear about anything or are unable to find an answer here, feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Interior

If a property has been recently decorated it will often be subject to a higher rent. This gives the property a modern feel and it will be sought after as tenants will be willing to pay more for a recently decorated property. Light colours on the walls are not only universal; they brighten up darker rooms and are generally popular. Similarly, good quality but simple coloured blinds or curtains also help as a minor touch to rooms. Neutral or light coloured carpeting compliments light coloured walls and also serves to give the house a feeling of freshness.

Exterior

A tidy exterior is also essential. It is the first thing a prospective tenant sees and will judge what they think of the rest of the property. If it is well maintained and looks good on the outside it will give the property a generally positive vibe. The same applies for gardens, which if tidy will add to the general ambience of the property and heighten its value.

Fixtures and Fittings

All appliances should be white and in working order and serviced before the start of the tenancy. Instruction booklets (if you have them) should be available to then tenant to ensure ease of use, or instructions should be written out to inform the tenant of how to use them.

There are several things you are required to provide. You need to have a well equipped kitchen that provides everything a tenant needs, ideally a washing machine, microwave and fridge freezer. A bathroom must have modern fittings and a shower, as well as good lighting, and we recommend tiled flooring as opposed to carpet. The central heating system must work effectively and be able to produce plenty of hot water for the property. The bedrooms must contain a decent amount of storage space.  

To Furnish or Not to Furnish?

This decision is subject to landlord’s discretion, as the rent achieved for the client will normally be no different, be it furnished or unfurnished. The important thing is that the property is presented well in order to succeed in renting it.

If a property is defined as ‘Furnished’ it is usually ready to be moved into; it will have beds, chairs, tables, wardrobes etc. We will be happy to advise you on what will be needed in the property or what may need to be removed. In the interests of presentation the furniture will need to be of good quality. An ‘unfurnished’ property on the other hand merely needs to conform to the details in the “interior” and “exterior” sections, ie, flooring (carpet or wooden) with curtains, and working white kitchen appliances.

Fire Prevention

As a landlord your property must legally comply with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989 and 1993) which came into effect 31 December 1996. All furniture bought since 1990 should automatically comply with the regulations and will have a safety label attached when sold, making it relatively easy to check.

There are the following exceptions to the legislation: furniture made or re-upholstered before 1950 or any furniture in a property which the landlord regards as his home and which is let 'on a one-off short-term basis’ (for example if you were temporarily working away from home).

The following items are covered by the legislation:

·          Furniture for private use, ie children’s furniture

·          Beds, mattresses, pillows and headboards

·          Sofa beds, futons and other convertible bedding

·          Nursery furniture

·          Garden furniture that can be used indoors

·          Stretch covers and loose covers for furniture

·          Sofas, chairs and cushions

While the following are not covered:

·          Bedclothes such as duvets and sleeping bags

·          Mattress covers

·          Pillowcases

·          Curtains

·          Carpets

A copy of the regulations are available here: http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/guide/furnitureguide.pdf

Or, for your copy of A Guide to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations, just write to:

Safety

Below you will find the latest regulations relating to fixtures and fittings in a property which is let.

Smoke Alarms must be fitted on every floor of any property built since June 1992.

Regarding Gas appliances, it is a landlord’s responsibility under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 and later amendment to make sure that all gas appliances including boilers, cookers and gas fires are in good working order. They must also be maintained and undergo a safety check every 12 months by an engineer with a current CORGI license.

Regulations state that each safety check report must be kept for two years. Landlords are obliged to give a copy of the gas safety check report to tenants within 28 days of the check being carried out. It is our policy that all properties let by Let-Me have an initial safety check before tenancy and then annually thereafter on the anniversary of inspection.

Similarly all electrical appliances must be checked and serviced regularly under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 to ensure that they are safe for use.

Tax

As we are sure you realise, tax is not the easiest of issues to deal with; it is a specialist sector and we do not recommend dealing with tax without professional advice, especially when letting a property. Of the numerous types of tax that are out there, there is one key area of regulations that applies to landlords.

Under the current regulations, if a Landlord lives abroad then the agent that collects the rent must deduct an amount equal to the Basic Rate Tax and pay it to the Inland Revenue Quarterly. At Let-Me we collect rent and ensure that this amount is paid to the Inland Revenue in accordance with the regulations. On the other hand, in the event that the rent is not collected by us or another agent such as an accountant or solicitor then we shall inform the tenants that they must deduct tax from their rent themselves, and will be responsible for paying it to the Inland Revenue.

If you are an overseas landlord and you have a good tax history it is possible to apply to the Inland Revenue to obtain exemption. If you are successful in obtaining exemption you will be sent a certificate that will allow us to transfer your rent to you without first deducting tax.

Please inform us if you require an application form, as we can provide necessary documentation. It is required that you apply for the exemption yourself, although if the property is in joint names, both must apply in order to attain exemption.  It would be in your best interests to apply for exemption as soon as possible, as the longer it takes to achieve exemption the longer it will be until tax is deducted. If the exemption certificate is not issued to us in time we will have no choice but to deduct the tax before passing the rent onto you.

If you wish to review the details of this scheme full details can be found at the below link:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/nr_landlords.htm