Letting your Property

Welcome to Stoneshaw Estates. We are a professional independent firm, specialising in Letting and Property Management.

We find that there are many questions that as landlords you have, so we have prepared a step by step guide that should answer any questions you may have.

If you require any more information or wish to clarify any points raised here then do not hesitate to contact our office and discuss this further.

Preparing your property for letting and safety legislation.

We have found from experience that a good relationship with tenants is the key to a smooth-running tenancy. As Property Managers the relationship part is our job, but it is important that the tenants should feel comfortable in their new home, and that they are receiving value for their money. Our policy of offering a service of quality and care therefore extends to our tenant applicants too, and we are pleased to recommend properties to rent which conform to certain minimum standards. Quality properties attract quality tenants!

General condition

Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating and hot water systems must be safe, sound and in good working order. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Appliances

Similarly, appliances such as washing machine, fridge freezer, cooker, dishwasher etc. should be in usable condition. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Decorations

Interior decorations should be in good condition, and preferably plain, light and neutral.

Furnishings

It is recommended that you leave only minimum furnishings, and these should be of reasonable quality. It is preferable that items to be left are in the property during viewings. If you are letting unfurnished, we recommend that the property contains carpets, curtains, and a cooker.

Personal possessions, ornaments, pictures, books etc. should be removed from the premises, especially those of real or sentimental value. Some items may be boxed, sealed and stored in the loft at the owner's risk. All cupboards and shelf space should be left clear for the tenant's own use.

Gardens

Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish-free, with any lawns cut. Tenants are required to maintain the gardens to a reasonable standard, provided they are left the necessary tools. However, few tenants are experienced gardeners, and if you value your garden, or if it is particularly large, you may wish us to arrange maintenance visits by our regular gardener.

Cleaning

At the commencement of a tenancy the property must be in a thoroughly clean condition, and at the end of each tenancy it is the tenant's responsibility to leave the property in similar condition. Where they fail to do so, cleaning should be arranged at their expense.

Mail forwarding

We recommend that you make use of the Post Office redirection service. Application forms are available at their counters, and the cost is minimal. It is not the tenant's responsibility to forward mail.

Information for the tenant

It is helpful if you leave information for the tenant on operating the central heating and hot water system, washing machine and alarm system, and the day refuse is collected etc.

Keys

You should provide one set of keys for each tenant. Where we are Managing we will arrange to have duplicates cut as required.

Income tax

When the landlord is resident in the UK, it is entirely his responsibility to inform the Inland Revenue of rental income received, and to pay any tax due. However, where the landlord is resident outside the UK during a tenancy, under new rules effective from 6 April 1996, unless an exemption certificate is held, we as landlord's agents are obliged to retain and forward to the Inland Revenue on a quarterly basis, an amount equal to the basic rate of income tax from rental received, less certain expenses. An application form for exemption from such deductions is available from this Agency, and further information may be obtained from the Inland Revenue.

Mortgage

If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your mortgagee's written consent to the letting. They may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement of which you must inform us.

Landlord Fees

• Full management charge - This is broken down into two parts. The first part is the introduction fee which is 7% + vat of the total rent for the 12 month tenancy. For example, if the rent was £1000 per month the fee would be as follows. £1000 X 12 (12 MONTHS RENT) = £12000 then 7% of £12000 = £840 + VAT = £1008. This fee includes marketing costs, tenant finding fee, full property inventory and a 12 month rent insurance policy which Stoneshaw Estates will take out on behalf of the landlord.
  
  The second part is the monthly management charge which is 6% + vat of the month rent. For example, if the rent was £1000 per month the fee would be as follows. £1000 x 6% = £60 + vat = £72. This charge includes the collection of rent and paying this to the landlord, the day to day maintenance of the property and dealing with any issues that come up and quarterly property inspections.
• Let Only charge is 3 weeks rent + vat - For example, if the rent is £1000 per month the fee would be as follows. £1000 x 12 (12 month rent) = £12000 divided by 52 (52 weeks of the year) = £230.76 x 3 = 692.28 + vat = £830.73. Fee includes marketing costs and tenant finding fee.
• Contract Renewal Charge is £400 + vat = £480. Fee includes arrangement of a new tenancy, printing new tenancy documents and renewal of the rent insurance policy.

Stoneshaw Estates is a member of The Property Ombudsman redress scheme.

Stoneshaw Estates is a member of the Money Shield Protection Scheme.

Leaseholds

If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent before letting.

Insurance

You should ensure that you are suitably covered for letting under both your buildings and contents insurance. Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your policies.

Bills and regular outgoings

We recommend that you arrange for regular outgoings e.g. mortgage, service charges, maintenance contracts etc. to be paid by standing order or direct debit. However, where we are Managing the property, by prior written agreement we may make payment of certain bills on your behalf, provided such bills are received in your name at our office, and that sufficient funds are held to your credit.

Council tax

Council tax is the responsibility of the occupier. You should inform your local collection office that you are leaving the property. During vacant periods the charge reverts to the owner. When unoccupied but furnished, the charge is 50% of the normal rate. When unoccupied and 'substantially' unfurnished, there is no charge for the first six months, and thereafter a charge of 50% of the normal rate.

The inventory

An Inventory, (or schedule of condition as it is sometimes known) is a carefully prepared document detailing the state of decor and condition of a property, room by room. It is normally prepared after you have vacated your property and before the tenancy agreement is started. In a furnished property the Inventory will usually include an itemised list of contents, detailing and describing their appearance and general condition. At the end of each tenancy the Inventory can then be checked against the property and its contents.

Important safety regulations

The following safety requirements are the responsibility of the owner (the landlord), and where we are to manage the property, they are also ours as agents. Therefore to protect all interests we ensure full compliance with the appropriate regulations, at the owner's expense.

Gas Appliances & Equipment

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 (amended 1996) all gas appliances in tenanted premises must be checked for safety at intervals of not more than 12 months, by a GAS SAFE registered gas engineer, and a safety certificate issued. Records must be kept of the dates of inspections, of defects identified, and of any remedial action taken.

Electrical Appliances & Equipment

Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs & Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and some other regulations, electrical installations and equipment in tenanted premises must be safe and an electrical safety certificate must be obtained for the property and a qualified electrician should be used for this purpose. (New tenancies need to have the certificate in place from 1st July 2020 and then any existing tenancy must have an electrical safety certificate in place from the 1st April 2021).

Furniture & Furnishings

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (amended 1989, 1993 & 1996) provide that specified items supplied in the course of letting property must meet minimum fire resistant standards. The regulations apply to all upholstered furniture, and beds, headboards and mattresses, sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles, nursery furniture, garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling, scatter cushions, pillows, and non-original covers for furniture. They do not apply to antique furniture or furniture made before 1950, bed clothes including duvets, loose covers for mattresses, pillowcases, curtains, carpets or sleeping bags. Therefore all relevant items as above must be checked for compliance, and non-compliant items removed from the premises. In practice, most (but not all) items which comply must have a suitable permanent label attached. Items purchased since 1.3.90 from a reputable supplier are also likely to comply.

Energy Performance Certificates

From the 1st of October,2008 any property that is rented by a landlord or agent will be subject to energy assessment to establish the performance of the building in a similar way to Home Information Packs

If landlords are renting out property, they will need to provide a certificate to any prospective tenant. There is no need to obtain a Energy Performance Certificate for an existing tenancy , however once obtained, a certificate remains valid for up to 10 years.

Building Services

Our building & decorating team are equipped to complete any job, from simply redecorating one room, to complete refurbishment of your property. Whether you have an existing property (or properties) or plan to buy specifically to refurbish or rebuild.

We employ a team of skilled craftsmen who can take on all building, decorating, carpentry, plumbing, & electrical aspects of each job.

Please feel free to contact us for Free Valuation & to arrange a no obligation quote for any works that are required to your property.