Brian Smith Property Management.
Property Rental - Information for Prospective Landlords
That gives you Peace of Mind

As Letting Agents we are specialists in letting, and dedicated to providing the highest standards of professional care to landlords, tenants and their property.  Our attention to detail and methods of referencing are second to none. Our standards, guarantees and insurance’s combine to offer you complete security and peace of mind.  We offer three separate choices of service to Landlords – Gold Service, Standard Management or Set-up Only.

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GOLD SERVICE 

 The Gold Service is a comprehensive and cost-effective service relieving the Landlord of the burden of the day-to-day running of the tenancy. Initially, we advertise your property to locate a suitable, prospective tenant. Only after an interview and when rigorous referencing has been carried out will the tenant be offered a tenancy. 

We then prepare a Statement of Condition and Inventory of the property. This document lists the condition of the gardens, decoration, carpets, bathroom and kitchen fittings etc, etc, and is agreed and signed by the tenants when moving in. When the tenants vacate the accommodation, this document will be used to confirm that the property has been left in a satisfactory and clean condition prior to releasing the deposit back to the tenant. 

After taking a deposit and the first months rent in advance, the tenants signs a tenancy agreements that have been prepared on your behalf. These agreements have been drafted by us and contain many unique clauses and obligations. The initial length of tenancy is usually for a period of six months. 

At the end of six months, assuming you want to continue with letting the property, the tenancy can be renewed for a further six months, or the tenant can remain at the property on a month by month basis.  We firmly believe that regular property inspections are a valuable aid in spotting minor problems. They also enable us to offer you peace of mind! We always carry out property inspections at least once every three months.  

During the tenancy, we will collect the rent from the tenant on a monthly basis and you will be paid the rent, net of our charges, directly into your specified bank or building society via the BACS system. You will be posted a monthly statement confirming the transaction.  During the tenancy, the tenant will contact our office with any queries they may have. Should any ongoing repairs or maintenance be required, on your instruction, we can arrange for these to be carried out by our in-house building division. Costs are kept in check, and you have no need to worry about the quality of workmanship.  Should we need to employ a specialist company i.e. CORGI registered gas installer or qualified electrical contractor we shall to cover our additional administrative costs add a surcharge of 7.5% to their account.  If you wish to utilise your own contractors we shall be pleased to liase with them  

Rent Arrears & Legal Expenses Protection. No matter how carefully tenants are selected and referenced, there is always a small risk that their circumstances may change through no fault of their own i.e., divorce, redundancy, illness etc, which may render them unable to meet their rental obligations. Should there be legal expense in pursuing outstanding dilapidations or in obtaining possession through the court system, then you will also be protected.

¨       Who will pay the mortgage?
¨       How will you recover the lost income?

*With our Gold Service you will be covered for:

¨       Cover is available for all types of tenant e.g. DSS and students are welcome
¨       No more worries chasing tenants when rent is paid late
¨       Legal costs and expenses are paid for on your behalf in order to obtain vacant possession of the property. You will not be required to pay anything in advance
¨       Cover up to a total of £3,000
¨       Rent paid for up to 6 months. (100% of the monthly rent until vacant possession is obtained, and 75% for up to 2 months after vacant possession whilst new tenants are found, subject to the policy maximum of £3,000)

* Subject to the tenant being accepted as a good risk by our insures. 

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STANDARD MANAGEMENT SERVICE

The Standard Management Service is a comprehensive and cost-effective service for the day-to-day running of the tenancy. We advertise your property to locate a suitable, prospective tenant. After an interview and when referencing has been carried out will the tenant be offered a tenancy.

We then prepare an Inventory of the property. This document lists the condition of the gardens, decoration, carpets, bathroom and kitchen fittings etc. When the tenants vacate the accommodation, this document will be used to confirm that the property has been left in a satisfactory and clean condition prior to releasing the deposit back to the tenant.

After taking a deposit and the first months rent in advance, the tenants signs a tenancy agreements that have been prepared on your behalf. These agreements have been drafted by us and contain many unique clauses and obligations. The initial length of tenancy is usually for a period of six months.

At the end of six months, assuming you want to continue with letting the property, the tenancy can be renewed for a further six months, or the tenant can remain at the property on a month by month basis.  We firmly believe that regular property inspections are a valuable aid in spotting minor problems. They also enable us to offer you peace of mind! We always carry out property inspections at least once every three months.

During the tenancy, we will collect the rent from the tenant on a monthly basis and you will be paid the rent, net of our charges, directly into your specified bank or building society via the BACS system. You will be posted a monthly statement confirming the transaction.  During the tenancy, the tenant will contact our office with any queries they may have. Should any ongoing repairs or maintenance be required, on your instruction, we can arrange for these to be carried out by our in-house building division. Costs are kept in check, and you have no need to worry about the quality of workmanship.  Should we need to employ a specialist company i.e. CORGI registered gas installer or qualified electrical contractor we shall to cover our additional administrative cost add a surcharge of 7.5% to their account.  If you wish to utilize your own contractors we shall be pleased to lease with them. 

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TENANT INTRODUCTION SERVICE  

As the name suggests, our Tenant Introduction Service deals with the initial letting of the property, but not the day-to-day management.  As Landlord, you become responsible for the collection of rent, property inspections and maintenance for the duration of the tenancy. You will also be required to carry out the final vacation inspection at the property when the tenant vacates.  Once we have moved the tenant into the property, you will be handed a file containing the Tenancy Agreements, an original- copy of the signed Statement of Condition and Inventory and a copy of a standing order set up from your tenants account.

You will be handed the deposit and the balance of the first months rent, minus our charges.

  Referencing

The referencing of prospective tenants is an issue taken very seriously by Brian Smith Property Services.  Under no circumstances unless by prior agreement with the landlord will a tenant be offered a tenancy without satisfactory references being provided by either the tenant or if deemed necessary, a guarantor.  A guarantor must be a homeowner and in full time employment. The guarantor will sign agreements that bind them legally to the tenancy conditions including the performance of rent. As part of our referencing procedure, we carry out credit checks that include searches of the voters roll.  Brian Smith Property Services do, not generally accept tenants with adverse credit registered against them, i.e., defaults or county court judgements, unless they can provide a suitable guarantor.  Other references taken include payslips, copies of recent bank statements, employment references, recent landlord’s references and/or the most recent mortgage statement.

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OTHER INFORMATION

Payment of Rents

Your rent will be paid to your specified bank or building society account once we are in possession of cleared funds. It is usually paid into your account monthly. Rent is paid net of our fees, insurance’s and any other expenditure. You will automatically be sent a statement once this transaction has been processed.

Furnished or Unfurnished?

From a legal point of view, it doesn’t matter, as the law no longer distinguishes between furnished and unfurnished accommodation. For furnished properties, we will be happy to advise you upon the statutory provisions relating to safety.

Mortgage Consent

You may need to seek approval from your mortgage lender. Their consent is normally given providing there are no arrears and that you have appointed a responsible managing agent.

  Leasehold Properties

If the property is leasehold, you will need to check that the lease does not contain a covenant-prohibiting letting. The Management Company should be notified of your intention to let and arrangements should be made for payment of ground rent and maintenance charges.

Buy-to-Let

We believe that buying property to let provides a real investment opportunity. However, it is important that you take professional advice on which properties provide the best return, etc, etc.  With our knowledge of the letting market, we can help you to maximise your investment to its full potential. We are happy to provide you, strictly without obligation, with any advice that you may require.

Marketing your Property & Internet Advertising

We understand that the Internet is going to have a tremendous impact on the way that properties are marketed to a wide audience. All properties available through Brian Smith Property Services are listed on the Intenet. Our web site is www.briansmithproperty.co.uk via our pages on the Internet we have received enquires from prospective tenants locally, nationally and worldwide. Many of these enquiries have led to successful lettings.  We also advertise regularly in most of the local newspapers

Maintenance

It is important that your property is kept in a first class condition with any repairs or maintenance work being carried out as economically and promptly as possible. Our associated building division can deal with any work that arises and act upon your instruction.  Our usual practice, unless specified to the contrary, is to authorise works up to a labour value of £150.00 without referring to you. The payment is deducted from your next statement.  Naturally, in an emergency, we will take all action necessary to safeguard the tenant and to avoid damage to your property.  Should we need to employ a specialist company i.e. CORGI registered gas installer or qualified electrical contractor we shall to cover our additional administrative cost add a surcharge of 7.5% to their account.  If you wish to utilize your own contractors we shall be pleased to lease with them  

Electricity, Gas, Water Rates & Council Tax

The tenant is responsible for paying all utility payments at the property. On your behalf, we contact the relevant companies and inform them of the transfer, providing them with updated meter readings if required.  When the property is vacant, the landlord is liable for any standing charges that may be due.

  Keys

We will require 2 full sets of keys to your property. One set will be given to the tenant, and the other will be held at our office for emergencies and inspection visits.

Mail

We cannot be held responsible for any mail delivered, so we would advise arranging a re-direction service if necessary.

Telephones

The landlord must obtain a closing account prior to vacating and it is the tenants responsibility to arrange and pay for telephone re-connection.

Burglar Alarms

It is essential that clear and concise instructions be left with us on using the alarm. If there is a service contract in place, then it is useful if we can have the details.

Gas Regulations

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, all gas appliances, such as cookers, fires and boilers, must be checked annually by a CORGI registered engineer.  Accurate records must be kept, and the tenant must be given a copy of the “Landlord Safety Certificate”. A copy is also held on the property file.  Penalties are harsh, even for non-compliance, of these regulations, and can lead to criminal prosecution.

Unless specified to the contrary, we will carry out this inspection on your behalf and deduct the costs from your rent.

Smoke Detectors

All properties must have at least one smoke detector on each level.  As landlord, there is a legal duty of care for the tenant, and failure to provide smoke detectors may lead to a claim of negligence in the event of a fire.

Electrical Safety

Statutory provisions under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, place a duty upon the landlord to ensure that all electrical appliances are safe to use.  Where electrical appliances are left, such as a washing machine, fridge, freezer etc, etc, we will arrange for them to be tested by an approved electrician. The cost will be deducted from the rent.

The Furniture & Furnishings Fire (Safety Regulations)

There are complex regulations concerning soft furnishings i.e. beds, mattresses, sofas and chairs left in rented accommodation.  The synopsis is that any soft furnishings must pas the “match” and “cigarette tests”.  Carpets and curtains are excluded from the regulations as is furniture manufactured prior to 1950.  Failure to comply with these regulations could result in criminal prosecution leading to imprisonment or a fine. If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact us for further clarification, or contact your local Trading Standards office.

Buildings Insurance

We understand how difficult it can be to obtain buildings insurance on let property. We deal with several specialist companies who offer such cover at surprisingly competitive rates. Most of the policies allow you to pay in monthly instalments by direct debit.

We can arrange a quotation on request.

If you still have any queries that we can help with, or you would like to arrange a meeting to discuss how we can help to successfully manage your property, please contact us on

01453 792900 we look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

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