Landlords why let through Hunters?
At Hunters, we let and manage a variety of furnished and unfurnished properties throughout Barnet and the surrounding areas for rent. As members of the Ombudsman scheme and NAEA all security deposits are held in a designated Clients Account.
From marketing properties to finding reliable tenants, we take care of it on your behalf. You’ll find us dedicated to making letting easier for you, with friendly and knowledgeable staff. We have designed a Letting and Management Company that we believe alleviates the pressure from the Landlord and protects their investments in a professional and effective way. As specialists, we are fully focused on the needs and priorities of landlords and we take care of implementing requirements on behalf of our landlords if instructed. Nicola Tann, a partner of Hunters established the Lettings & Management department in July 2003 having successfully worked as a lettings manager in Barnet for 6 years. The lettings team has grown with its success and the staff have been carefully selected. The team together boast over 60 years experience.
We Go The Extra Mile
Experience has taught us that other letting and estate agents attempt to compete with us on fee alone, but it has been proven time and time again that cut-price agents end up costing you more in time and, inevitably, money. We have mopped up on numerous occasions when these cut-price agents have crashed, leaving frustrated landlords in the lurch and out of pocket. Hunter’s landlords have the edge with peace of mind & superior service.
We provide:
• Colour details
• Weekly colour advertising in local property papers
• Internet presentation
• Prominent modern, high street offices
• 6 day a week opening
• Dual approach to sales and lettings
• Networking with all major relocation agents
• FREE consultation/advice on preparing your property for let
Residential Property Management Services
We have clients based around the world who rely on us to look after their Barnet & Hertfordshire properties. We deal regularly with private landlords and investment companies some of whom buy properties exclusively from us. We believe the most important thing to you, the landlord, is to maximise the return on your investment. Hunters guarantee to provide you with the highest standards of professionalism and complete peace of mind. Whether you are letting a property for the first time, or an experienced property investor, all of your letting needs will be looked after. You can be secure in the knowledge that you property is in safe hands. That’s why unlike everyday letting agents we have a dedicated property management department.
Helpful hints to getting started:
· We will be delighted to visit the Premises to view them and provide you with an indication of the likely market rent achievable and give advise to ensure you comply with the current regulations & the Residential Tenancy Deposit Schemes
· Apply for mortgage lenders consent and advise leaseholder. Lenders and or leaseholders may have special conditions they wish included in a Tenancy Agreement. These must be given to us prior to the Tenancy starting. They cannot be imposed upon a tenant at a later date. We must be given a copy of the relevant sections of the Head Lease if applicable as it must form part of the tenancy agreement or the conditions will not be enforceable against the tenant.
· Notify your insurance companies if your insurer has specified requirements regarding your Premises during a vacant period you must give them to us prior to the commencement of the Tenancy. A tenant cannot be held liable for any loss suffered if he is not made aware of these restrictions. If you require rent indemnity or legal protection, buildings. Contents insurance cover and instruct us accordingly to arrange on your behalf prior to a tenancy commencing.
· Instruction Manuals or Leaflets, in English, must be left at your property for all the appliances, the central heating boiler and systems before the schedule of condition & inventory can be undertaken. By Law, copies of these must be given to each tenant at the commencement of the tenancy. Alternatively, Clear hand written or typed instructions will be required, (Failure to provide these will result in unnecessary delays)
· Obtain gas and electrical appliance safety certificates (Oil & Solid Fuel C.H Systems must also be checked & serviced annually record to be kept) AS SAFETY (INSTALLATION AND USE) REGULATIONS 1998. It is a criminal offence to let Premises with gas appliances, installations and pipe-work that have not been checked by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer. You will need to provide us with a copy of a Gas Safety Certificate (GSC) carried out no more than 12 months previously. No tenancy can commence until we are in receipt of a valid Gas Safety Certificate. Gas Safe Register is the new hallmark for gas safety in Great Britain. From April 1st 2009, Gas Safe Register replaces CORGI gas registration as the official gas safety body. So, from 1st April, by law, only Gas Safe registered engineers should carry out work on gas appliances or installations in your home.
· Obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC must be made available free of charge to prospective tenants at the earliest opportunity. This should be when they are first given written information about the premises or view it. The energy efficiency is worked out on a scale of A-G. A being the most efficient and G being the least. Part of the EPC is a recommendation report which will list the potential rating that your home could achieve, if you made changes. The report lists improvements that you could carry out and how this would change the energy and carbon emission rating of the property. Energy Performance Certifcates are carried out by a fully qualified Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs). The assessor will visit your property and assess the age construction and location of all the information that he takes down will be fed into a computer, which will calculate ratings and generate a certificate. Either yourself or your letting agent can organize this for you. Each property will require an EPC which will last for 10 years.
· Decide what furniture and/or fittings you intend to leave in the property. It is not advisable to leave bedding, televisions, DVD players and personal items.
· Remove all unwanted and non compliant furniture and ensure items of furnishings to be left in the property comply with Fire Regulations.
THE FURNITURE and FURNISHINGS (FIRE) (SAFETY) REGULATIONS 1988 and THE FURNITURE and FURNISHINGS (FIRE) SAFETY) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1993
It is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine and/or a prison term, to let Premises with furniture or soft furnishings which cannot be proven to comply with the above fire safety regulations
· Carry out any necessary repairs and remove anything potentially dangerous. You have a DUTY OF CARE in all aspects to ensure your premises are safe for the use of tenants.
· Make sure the property is in a clean and tidy condition, particularly the kitchen, bathroom, carpets and curtains – as you would hope to find it if moving in yourself! A tenant can tell if the property is well cared for and is more likely to look after it during the tenancy if it is clean at the start. Remember the garden must be presented and manageable for a tenant.
· Overseas landlords apply for tax exemption certificate: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/nr_landlords.htm
· Arrange re-direction of your mail via the post office
· When you move, Inform all utility companies of the change of occupancy along with British telecom or other supplier that you will not be requiring further use of the telephone line from the commencement of the tenancy.
· provide us with keys
REFERENCES
When an applicant shows an interest in your Premises, we will:
(a) Provide them with a draft sample Tenancy Agreement and
(b) Try to take up references on your behalf and obtain a check of the applicant’s credit status from a credit bureau. Wherever possible we will obtain a credit reference report, check their financial standing including income, contact previous Landlord (if appropriate) and employer.
INVENTORIES & SCHEDULE OF CONDITION
An Inventory and Schedule of Condition is essential for the proper management of your Premises, whether they are let furnished or unfurnished, to reduce the risk of a dispute arising for the security Deposit (“Deposit”) and to ensure you can obtain compensation for any loss suffered.
FEES
Our fees for managing the property are one of the most competitive to be found. For these fees we will:
• Find you a suitable tenant
• Take up references and credit check
• Draw up a tenancy agreement
• Collect the rent and account to you monthly
• Make regular inspections of the property and keep you informed
• Advice on any repairs that are necessary
We also provide a letting only service where full management is not required. Full details of fees and services can be provided upon request. You will be responsible for all major repairs to the property except for damages caused by the tenants. Small repairs can be carried out by our contractors, or ones nominated by you, and their charges deducted from your account. We will always ask for instructions before commencing any repairs.
DIFFERENT TENANCY AGREEMENTS
Tenancy agreements can be for a fixed duration, run from month to month (i.e. a periodic tenancy), or be a combination of the two. A fixed term contract will give you more certainty, whilst the periodic tenancy will give you more flexibility.
Assured Shorthold
If the applicant is an individual and the net rent is £25,000 per year or less we will use an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement. There is no longer a minimum period for such lettings. However, if the Tenant fails to surrender possession at the expiry of the term (and in accordance with your Section 21 Notice) you will need a possession order. No such order can expire within the first 6 months of a Tenancy commencing, if the Tenant is not in breach.
Common Law
If the net rent payable is more than £25,000 per year or at a proportionate level for a shorter tenancy, the Tenancy Agreement cannot be an Assured Shorthold. You will need to use a Common Law Agreement. Although this is not governed by the Housing Act 1988 it is nevertheless subject to other statutory regulation (e.g. Protection from Eviction Act 1977) which means you must obtain a possession order from the County Court before a tenant can be evicted.
“Company Lets”
A “Company Let” is a Common Law tenancy where the tenant is a company or other organization. Generally speaking these involve more pre-contractual negotiation. There are no rent restrictions. Companies may request an option to renew which would bind the Landlord legally to a longer tenancy if the Tenant wished to renew after the first term. A Landlord should ensure that his circumstances are suited to granting such a tenancy and that an option to renew would not breach the conditions of any mortgage on the Premises.
HOUSING ACT 2004
The regulations in the above Act concerning houses in multiple occupation ("HMOs") became law on April 6 2006 and were enforceable from July 2006. There is a general wide definition of the regulations which state that the following are HMOs:
• Student accommodation during term time;
• Properties inhabited by 5 or more people who are not a household and share kitchen and bathroom facilities. A household is defined as parents, grandparents, children, aunts, uncles and cousins.
• A building converted into flats pre June 1992 which does not comply with the Building Regulations 1991, has not been subsequently up-dated to the relevant fire safety standard and where a third or more of the properties are rented on short term tenancies.
The landlord may not have to carry out any action to ensure compliance. The above properties like all private dwellings must comply with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System ("HHSRS") which is the new statistical means of measuring hazards and risk of injury at a property. This system applies to all properties but those falling into the above category are subject to inspection by the environmental health officer. The responsibility for ensuring premises comply is that of the Landlord. If we accept an instruction to let premises and subsequently an order is served to comply with the HHSRS if we incur any costs for compliance due to an order being served upon us you the Landlord agree to reimburse us within 14 days of written demand or agreeing by signing this document that the costs may be deducted from the rent or other money received.
Mandatory Licensing
Under the Housing Act 2004 landlords of certain properties where individuals are living as more than one household will need to be licensed by their local authority. If we believe that your property falls into this category we will inform you of this fact and of the alterations that we have been informed by the local authority may be required to allow you to gain a licence for your Premises. If your Premises potentially requires a licence you will either need to obtain a license from the relevant Local Authority or we will only be able to let your Premises to a single family group.
The Premises will require a licence if it falls into the following definition. If the Premises are 3 storeys or more and has five or more occupiers who do not form one household and share kitchen or bathroom facilities it is subject to mandatory licensing. It is the responsibility of you the Landlord to apply for and pay for the licence. We will only offer Premises for let when we are in receipt of a copy of the mandatory licence or a certificate stating that the Landlord has applied for the licence
Discretionary Licensing
Local authorities can enforce discretionary licensing. We will advise you of any regulations of which we have been made aware but it is the responsibility of the Landlord to check whether the Premises are subject to discretionary licensing and if so to apply and pay for the licence. We will only offer the Premises for let when we are in receipt of the licence or the certificate proving that the Landlord has applied for one.
Smoke Detectors Act 1991
The Department of Environment introduced new regulations which require any new building built after June 1992 to have smoke detectors installed. Whilst not yet a legal requirement for other properties, we feel this legislation will soon follow and Landlords can still face serious claims in the event of a fire. We would therefore recommend Landlords to install smoke detectors
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