Landlords letting information

The Property

You want to attract people as soon as they walk through the door. Try to make sure your property is clean and remove your clutter. Keep your decor to a minimum, where possible paint the walls white this will liven up the place and create a real feeling of space. Clean the windows and vacuum the floors. If you’re too busy or just not the best at cleaning a professional clean will ensure this is achieved.

Preparation

Give yourself up to 6-8 weeks of marketing time before the date you realistically want you tenancy to start. Very often the first person to see your property will want to rent it however it can also be the last. People generally start looking for properties 4-6 weeks before they need to move so you need to have your dates a little flexible.

Be aware of the costs of letting your property these will include a valid Gas Safety and electrical Certificate, the preparation of an inventory, an EPC and of course the agent’s commission.

Working for you

Bell Watson & Co will try to achieve you the best possible price on your property, be aware that this price can fluctuate due to market conditions. We are the professionals we rent properties all day every day its how we make our living, so take advantage of our advice and feedback. Sometimes we get you an offer on our very first viewing other times it may take a little longer we will always keep you updated on progress, keeping you aware of what your competition is.

We ask you to always keep your mind open when listening to our advice as it will always be given to you with your best interest in mind.

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme

The TDS has been developed to ensure that the deposits are protected and that disputes about their return are resolved swiftly, inexpensively and impartially. Under TDS if there is no dispute the deposit will be returned at the end of the tenancy by us.

If there is a dispute, the disputed amount will be sent to the scheme. The scheme will deal with the dispute by their Independent Complaints Examiner (ICE). The ICE will not visit the property, but adjudicate on the dispute by way of a paper trail.

The housing Act does not dictate that landlords produce inventories or schedules of condition, but the suggestion is that a landlord will need to provide evidence of the condition of the property at the commencement and termination of the tenancy if he is to win his case should there be a deposit dispute.

Any amount of money taken by a landlord or agent acting on their behalf, from a tenant which acts as a security deposit, even if it is not called a 'deposit', will be protected by this legislation. This is to counter the possibility that some unscrupulous landlords may attempt to avoid having to take a deposit in accordance with the legislation by calling it by another name.

Requirements

A landlord or a letting agent will not be able to take a deposit in respect of an Assured Short hold Tenancy unless the deposit is safeguarded. A landlord/agent will have to:

• Deal with a deposit in accordance with an authorised scheme
• Comply with the initial requirements of a scheme within 14 days
• Give the tenant the appropriate information relating to the deposit within 14 days of receiving the deposit.

Until this is done, the landlord will be unable to regain possession of the property using the usual 'notice only grounds' for possession. Under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 a landlord can obtain an order for possession of an Assured Short hold Tenancy at any point after the first six months of the tenancy providing any fixed term has expired and they give the tenant at least two months written notice.

Preventing a landlord from being able to use this ground will provide the tenant with a much greater security of tenure and will act as an incentive for landlords to ensure deposits are safeguarded by a Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme.

Management

We offer a highly professional management service, designed to take care of any day-to-day problems. We'll help you with:

• The new rules and safety regulations governing residential lettings
• Arranging all types of repairs if necessary
• Rent collection
• Access to an extensive range of competitively priced and reliable trades people
• Liaising with tenants and carrying out inspections

Please contact us on either 01724 865555 or 01652 655151 to discuss your requirements.