Category Archives: Letting Update

By Craig Smith

One way of monitoring the condition of a let property is to visit on a regular basis for a property visit.  This can be an ideal time to discuss any issues that may have arisen or any future plans, but are the visits to keep the property in good condition or just to have a look at what the Tenant is doing?

Always Arrange an Appointment

Any visits by the Landlord or Landlord’s agent should be agreed with the Tenant. Best practice states that agreement should be in writing although in some circumstances, a telephone conversation may be more personal. Whether it is the Landlord or a contractor to carry out repairs, permission should always be sought from the Tenant in order to gain access to the property, even if it is exterior work!

Shouldn’t This Have a Battery?!

The visits should ONLY be to monitor the condition of the property and, if needed, give advice to the Tenant as to how to best look after the property to avoid any damage. For example, maybe mould is developing around a window, you may advise the Tenant to clean it off and keep the room ventilated.

Also, the Landlord should make reasonable steps to ensure that fixtures and appliances are still in working order, such as smoke alarms. The Tenant should always ensure that any battery is working and should test the alarm regularly but if the Landlord tests it themselves on a visit, best advice can be given to the Tenant.

How Often Should I Visit?

There is no real right or wrong answer as to how often a Landlord should visit their rental property, although trying to visit too often could make a Tenant feel harassed. Castle Estates visit fully managed properties on a Landlords behalf around every 3 months or so. This is to keep an eye on any parts of the property that may deteriorate such as bath & sink seals or window frames becoming rotten.  By reporting back to our Landlords, we can carry out preventative maintenance or advise the Tenants on how best to avoid any costs.

But the Dishes Haven’t Been Washed!

Remember, property visits are only to assess the condition of the property and not how a Tenant chooses to live. Everybody lives differently so some people may be tidier than others but whether belongings are left tidy or not is only a matter of opinion. The best way of looking at the difference is that there may be unwashed saucepans left on the kitchen worktop which is fine, but when a hot saucepan has burnt into the worktop, there should be correspondence between the Landlord/Agent and Tenant as this could help to avoid any disputes at the end of a tenancy.

By Craig Smith

When a tenancy comes to an end, there will often be some work needed to return the property to its original condition. Although it is not always needed, the most common costs from a deposit include cleaning, gardening and rent arrears.

Start the Tenancy Properly

It is not always necessary, best practice is to have a written tenancy agreement in place for any tenancy. Along with the tenancy agreement, to avoid any disputes at the end of the tenancy, should be an inventory. A written inventory should always state any fixtures and fittings but a good inventory will also state its condition.

You may think that an unfurnished property may not need an inventory, a term we hear quite often is ‘… but there’s nothing in there.’ Fair enough, there may be no furniture such as sofas, beds and tables but don’t forget that walls are still wallpapered/painted, carpets should be left clean and kitchens/bathrooms left in good condition.

Keep the Inventory up to Date

A number of changes can be made at a property, particularly during longer tenancies, so the inventory should be amended to reflect this. This is particularly important if a tenant has asked permission to redecorate or replace items in the property along with any documentation to support any permissions granted. For example, if the tenant wanted to repaint a room and the Landlord agreed subject to the property being returned to its original colour upon the tenant vacating.

A Good Move Out Report

Not only should an inventory be taken at the start of the tenancy and agreed by all parties, a good move out report should be taken in order for any comparisons to be made from start to end of tenancy. If an agreement cannot be reached regarding any costs, the dispute would either go to dispute resolution (if registered with a deposit scheme) or even go to court. This is where a good inventory and move out report will be crucial to any decision made by the adjudicating team.

Protect Yourselves

An inventory will not just protect the Landlord for any damages but also the tenant to prevent any unfair charges at the end of a tenancy. Don’t forget that the inventory should always state the condition of items at the property and should contain as much description as possible to be relied upon. 

By Craig Smith

These days, there seems to be an insurance package for just about anything. Is it possible to have too little, or even too much insurance?

Advice for Tenants: Accidental Damage

Insurance isn’t just something for Landlords to consider, Tenants can also take out protection against damage to the Landlords goods. Whilst this might not seem very relevant renting an unfurnished property, don’t forget that the carpets, curtains and any other fixings still belong to the Landlord and are classed as their goods. It only takes the click of a finger to spill something over the carpet and the cost of replacement could be very costly. Insurance can be taken for accidental damage where Tenants would only need to pay the excess.

Landlord Advice

The obvious insurance that springs to mind for Landlords is buildings & contents. In the event of a major fire of flood, for instance, a homeowner could be left with nothing but an unsafe, uninhabitable pile of bricks. It is also important to make sure the goods are valued correctly, there isn’t much point in having insurance to cover £10,000 of items if they are actually worth £15,000!

Rent Guarantee Insurance

Landlords can also take out insurance to protect themselves against loss of rent. This might not seem necessary with a good, steady tenant but what happens if the tenant suddenly finds themselves out of work? With no money coming in, they would have no way of paying the rent. And, although there may be a deposit held, this may not be enough to cover a number of months rent owing.

What can Castle Estates do?

Castle Estates work in association with an independent insurance brokers who can provide quote for the above services. More information is available on our website or by contacting us directly. 

By Craig Smith

Since 6th April 2007, any deposit taken for a property that is being let with an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement in England or Wales must be registered with one of the three approved deposit schemes. This can sound like another hoop for Landlords to jump through but the results of not properly registering a deposit can be costly.

Does it make any difference?

In a word… yes! It is not just a case that the money has to be protected but by registering the deposit with an approved scheme, the money can be held in a secure account and is protected for both parties. Each scheme also have their own dispute resolution service which can be used as an alternative to court action if the Landlord and Tenant disagree about any costs at the end of a tenancy. The adjudication service will take into account any evidence from Landlords and Tenants, which is where a good inventory and check out report come in to play!

Tenant Find properties, who deals with the deposit?

Tenancies where an agent only finds a tenant for the property but does not manage it can sometimes be a grey area depending on who registers the deposit. Castle Estates can still register a deposit on the Landlords behalf although would not be able to get involved in any claims at the end of the tenancy. Please feel free to contact us for further information.

So what if it isn’t registered?

If a Landlord fails to properly register a deposit they can be forced to pay back the full deposit, plus 3 times the amount of the deposit to the tenant. And on top of this, a Landlord would not be able to issue a Section 21 notice requiring possession of the property. Not only would it costs 3 times the amount of the deposit, it would also take a lot longer to gain possession of the property.

When should the deposit be registered?

Any monies taken as a deposit should be registered within 14 days of the Landlord receiving it. This is regardless of whether the tenancy has already started or is to start at a later date, although if the monies are paid but the tenant backs out of the deal, don’t forget that the money should be paid back to the tenant!

Where do we go from here?

Always make sure that your deposit is protected, if it falls under the legislation. A good agent will always look after your investment as if it were there own. If in doubt, please do contact us for further advice.

By Craig Smith

Welcome to our new blog which will be focusing on the issues of property lettings and management in and around the Stafford area. We aim to update our blog as often as possible to keep all Landlords (and Tenants) informed of the latest news and legislation with regards to the rental market.

Why publish a Lettings blog?

The best way to ensure everyone has the latest news and information is to make it readily available and easy to access. We hope to keep you as informed as possible and updated with any major discussions or changes relating to the property rental market. Although our Franchisor focuses more on the national issues we hope to tackle some of the more local issues.

Who can read this, Landlord or Tenants?

The simple answer is everybody! We hope that the majority of information will apply to our Landlords but also to some of our Tenants as well. Another reason for this blog is to advise our Landlords of current market trends and to make letting a property that little bit easier! Any changes in property law or legislation can have an effect on everybody, so we hope that you will find this useful.

What are the upcoming issues in Rentals?

There are always a number of interesting points to be discussed when letting out and managing a property. Legislation is constantly changing and agent practices have to change to reflect these. The last 5 years have seen a number of big changes including Tenancy Deposit Protection and the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates for rental properties. We also anticipate a number of changes following the budget cuts this year and will be able to publish more information shortly.

 To summarise…

We do hope that you will find our posts both useful and informative. We aim to make the headings for each post clear on each subject, so that you can easily find the posts more relevant to you. Hopefully, you will able to be kept ‘in the loop’ with our page and enjoy reading our latest posts!