Services for Residential Landlords

What you can expect from us?

Our landlords are as varied as the properties we manage; but what remains constant is the level of service they expect from us.  Whether you are a country house owner relocating for a year or two, or a professional landlord with a portfolio of properties, you understandably expect a great deal when it comes to your letting agent.  

We will deliver:

• A full range of packages to suit all requirements, circumstances and types of property
• Your own log in area to our online portal to check viewings, feedback, accounts and much more 
• A clear management contract with no hidden charges
• Dovetailing services such as sales and mortgage advice
• Good relationships with relocation agents
• High visibility of your property on a range of portals
• A complete and up to date understanding of rental sector legislation
• Advice and guidance on your financial responsibilities
• A key point of contact, based locally
• Prompt collection and payment of rents (for fully managed properties)
• Membership of the appropriate professional bodies and redress schemes
• Sound advice on how to present your property to achieve the best possible results
• Great marketing material, professional photography, floor plans and extensive advertising
• Accompanied viewings and prompt feedback
• Thorough tenant referencing and credit checks
• Inventories, schedules of condition, regular property inspections, check-out inspections and deposit negotiation (depending on level of service)
• Quick, well informed response
• Peace of mind

We act in your best interest at all times - and that includes not adding commision to contractors’ invoices!

We are an independent, locally based agent offering you a personal and transparent service.  

 
Preparing Your Property

Presentation
Whether a property is furnished or unfurnished, and how it’s presented, will affect the speed at which we can secure you a tenant, the price that we can achieve for you and the length of tenancy.  There are no hard and fast rules; the right treatment depends on the property, the area and the likely tenant profile.  Our job starts here.  We can advise you on current trends and how your property can be best presented to potential tenants, as well as discuss the pros and cons of letting your property furnished or unfurnished.  We are also able to offer to dress the property to help your tenants to visualise the space better.

With our extensive listr of local contractors any necessary refurbishments can be undertaken on your behalf. This may be a simple matter of replacing carpets, decorating or tidying up the garden and the exterior, ensuring the property shows well and gives a good first impression. Alternatively we can arrange for more extensive renovations, organising building work, and replacing kitchen and bathrooms.

The Costs

A full appreciation of your likely incomings and outgoings is important. We can help you prepare a comprehensive budget to include costs such as refurbishment, furniture and furnishings, professional fees, insurance costs, contingency for repairs and maintenance.
 
 
Legal & Financial Considerations

We keep on top of the ever changing rental sector legislation and will offer full advice to ensure you meet your responsibilities. If required, all of these can be arranged on your behalf.  In brief, these include:

Financial Considerations

Mortgage: If the property is subject to a bank loan or mortgage, permission is generally required from the lender (to be arranged by the landlord).

Leasehold: Written consent must be obtained from your superior landlord/freeholder confirming you are permitted to sub-let your property.

Insurance: Your policy will need to be adjusted for a tenanted property to ensure you are covered.

Other: Other parties that will need to be informed include utility suppliers and council tax department at your local authority/council.

Regulation Compliance
Electrical Regulations: It is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure all electrical equipment is safe and conforms to several pre-defined standards.

Gas Regulations: All gas appliances, flues and associated pipework must be maintained in a safe condition and pass annual inspections.

Fire Regulations: It is illegal to let a property with specified items of furniture and furnishings that do not meet minimum fire resistance standards.  Any wood burning stoves must be certified. It is advised that at least one smoke alarm is fitted per floor.

Energy Performance Certificates: Legislation now requires that, at the point of placing a property on the market, an EPC must be commissioned.  We have a swift method of EPC production for those clients who wish us to arrange it for them.

Your Tenant

While the priority for most of our clients is that they successfully let their property, in a timescale that suits their requirements, for the best possible rent, in a stress free manner; it’s equally vital that the tenant is reliable, credit-worthy, and will look after your property as if it were their own.

• We achieve all these objectives through:
• Our long-standing relationships with key relocation agents
• Advertising your property to the appropriate target market with a thorough local knowledge
• Producing effective and properly targeted marketing material
• Conducting viewings and negotiating terms
• Qualifying our tenants with several independent reference and credit checks
• Preparing a tenancy agreement that meets your requirements
• Organising an inventory at the start of the tenancy
• Making sure that all the necessary documentation is in place as required by law

Should you instruct us on a managed basis you will be assigned a locally-based property manager who will be your key contact throughout the tenancy.  They will manage the tenancy on a day to day basis and keep you fully informed throughout.

We provide a full range of services to suit any type of property portfolio.  Details of those most frequently requested can be found below; but we can provide a customised service to suit your own specific needs.  For example, an Empty Property Management package is a useful service requested by property owners who require a temporarily or permanently empty property to be looked after, maintained and administered in their absence.
 
 
Management Services

Not all landlords’ requirements fit into a ‘one size fits all’ package.  Should it be required, a customised version of the three most widely requested services listed below can be prepared to suit.  Landlords can also take advantage of our ‘Vacant Property Management’ service, please enquire for further details.