Landlords Guide
CONTENTS
Full Management Service
Let Only Service
Inventory
Consent to Let
Utilities
Tax & Non-Resident Landlords
Tenancy Agreements
Legal Responsibilities
Landlord Fees
Full Management Service
Our complete property management service includes:
- Rental valuation together with advice on how to maximise rental income or let your property more quickly, including recommendations on presentation, furnishings and maintenance improvements.
- Advertising and marketing on the UK’s leading property portal, Rightmove, as well as our own website, with properties also matched to registered applicants actively looking to rent.
- Accompanied viewings with prospective tenants, including viewing feedback, negotiation of offers and tenant qualification.
- Comprehensive tenant referencing including credit checks, employment references, landlord references, affordability assessments, background checks and Right to Rent checks. Additional security can be requested through a guarantor where appropriate.
- Detailed inventory and schedule of condition, including photographs.
- Preparation of all tenancy documentation, including tenancy agreements and all legally required documentation to ensure compliance with current legislation.
- Collection of the first month’s rent and tenancy deposit, less any agreed fees or expenses. We can either hold the deposit on your behalf or arrange for you to hold it directly.
- Tenant check-in service including signing of tenancy agreements, guarantor agreements and inventories, handover of keys, standing order arrangements and retention of signed documentation.
- Notification of utility providers and local authorities regarding changes in tenancy, including electricity, gas, water and council tax accounts, together with meter readings where possible.
- Arrangement and management of maintenance works using qualified contractors, with prompt response times to protect your property and maintain tenant satisfaction. Where damage is caused by tenant negligence or carelessness, we will seek to recover costs where appropriate.
- Management of day-to-day tenant issues and tenancy administration.
- Transfer of utility accounts, electric, gas, council tax and water. Advising the companies of the change in tenancies and to process bills for any void periods. Obtaining meter readings.
- End of tenancy management including key collection, checkout inspections against the original inventory, preparation of schedules of dilapidation (allowing for fair wear and tear) and negotiation of deposit deductions where appropriate.
- Detailed monthly statements suitable for accounting and tax purposes, with duplicate copies available for accountants or joint owners upon request.
- Payment of landlord rental income and management of regular outgoings such as service charges and ground rent where instructed.
- Annual rent reviews together with implementation of landlord instructions regarding rent adjustments.
- Pursuit of rent arrears and assistance with recovering vacant possession where required.
- Serving and processing notices where necessary.
- Organisation of legally required safety inspections and certification.
- Routine property inspections. We recommend inspections on a bi-annual basis, supplemented by inspections whenever a tenancy ends. Inspections can be carried out on your behalf or arranged for landlords wishing to attend in person.
- Assistance with Section 8 notices where possession proceedings are required under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended).
If your property is currently managed by another agent, we can manage the transfer process for you, including liaising with the existing agent, obtaining tenancy documentation and collecting keys.
Let Only Service
Following changes in legislation and increasing compliance requirements within the private rented sector, we now exclusively offer a Full Management Service.
This ensures landlords and tenants receive the highest standard of support, legal compliance and property management throughout the tenancy.
Inventory
We strongly recommend that landlords allow us to prepare a full photographic inventory for every tenancy.
An inventory provides a detailed record of the property’s contents, fixtures, fittings and overall condition at the start of the tenancy. This document is essential when assessing any damage or changes to the property at the end of the tenancy.
For an inventory to be effective, descriptions and condition reports must be accurate and sufficiently detailed at both check-in and check-out.
Under the terms of the tenancy agreement, tenants are required to return the property and its contents in the same condition as at the commencement of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear. Without a properly prepared and signed inventory, it can be extremely difficult to establish whether damage or deterioration occurred during the tenancy.
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Consent to Let
If you have a residential mortgage on your property, your mortgage lender will usually require you to obtain consent before letting the property. It is the landlord’s responsibility to seek and obtain this consent prior to the tenancy commencing.
For leasehold properties, consent may also be required from the freeholder or head lessor in accordance with the terms of the lease.
Landlords should also notify their insurance provider of the intention to let the property, as failure to do so may invalidate the policy or affect the level of cover and premiums.
We recommend that written confirmation of all necessary consents and approvals is obtained before the property is let
Utilities
During the tenancy, the tenant will normally be responsible for the payment of utility and service charges relating to the property, including gas, electricity, water, telephone/broadband, council tax and television licence fees.
Landlords remain responsible for any ongoing property-related costs, including service charges and ground rent for leasehold properties, together with buildings insurance for freehold properties.
Tax & Non-Resident Landlords
Under current HMRC regulations relating to non-resident landlords, a letting agent (or in some cases the tenant) may be required to deduct tax from rental income before forwarding rent payments to a landlord who normally lives outside the UK.
Non-resident landlords can apply to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for approval to receive rental income without tax being deducted. Subject to HMRC approval and satisfactory tax compliance history, HMRC will issue confirmation authorising rental payments to be made gross.
We can provide you with the relevant NRL1 application form; however, the application must be completed and submitted directly by the landlord.
If HMRC approval is not received before rental payments become due, we may be legally required to deduct tax in accordance with the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme before forwarding rental income.
Please note that we are not tax advisers and cannot provide tax advice. If you are unsure how these regulations affect your personal circumstances, we strongly recommend seeking advice from a qualified accountant or professional tax adviser.
Where tax has been deducted prior to HMRC approval being received, any refund due will be processed in accordance with HMRC procedures and timescales.
Tenancy Agreements
Most residential tenancies are granted as Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs), which form the legal agreement between the landlord and tenant. The tenancy agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of both parties, including the tenant’s obligation to pay rent and comply with the terms of the tenancy.
Under current legislation, residential tenancies are periodic (rolling monthly) and do not have a fixed end date.
We will normally contact landlords approximately three months before the 12-month anniversary of the tenancy to review the rental amount, as rent reviews are generally permitted once every 12 months. We will then liaise with both landlord and tenant regarding any agreed changes and prepare the necessary documentation where required.
Should a landlord wish to regain possession of the property, notice must be served in accordance with the relevant housing legislation. Section 8 notices may be served where legal grounds for possession apply, together with the appropriate notice period required by law.
Please note that housing legislation is subject to change and we will advise landlords in accordance with the current regulations at the relevant time.
Legal Responsibilities
Our team is fully trained and keeps up to date with current lettings legislation, including safety regulations, tenancy compliance and possession procedures. We are always happy to advise landlords on legal requirements relating to their property.
Landlords must comply with a range of statutory obligations, including the following:
- Right to Rent: Landlords are required to check that all tenants have the legal right to rent in the UK before a tenancy can commence. We carry out these checks on behalf of our landlords as part of our service.
- Deposit Protection: By law, tenancy deposits must be registered with a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme. We handle the registration and compliance process on your behalf.
- Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s): An EPC rates a property’s energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). It also provides recommendations for improving efficiency and reducing running costs. EPCs are valid for 10 years and are required before a property can be let.
- Gas Safety: A valid annual Gas Safety Certificate is required for any property with gas appliances. All checks must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Fire Safety Labels: Any furnished property must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, ensuring all upholstered items meet required fire safety standards.
- Landlord Licensing Schemes: Some local authorities operate selective licensing schemes in certain areas. Where applicable, landlords must obtain a licence for each rented property. We can advise where licensing requirements apply.
Landlord Fees
New Tenant Marketing & Letting: £500 (inc VAT) per property
Includes marketing, tenant sourcing, referencing and tenancy setup.
Monthly Management Service: 10%+VAT of the monthly rent
Includes rent collection, maintenance coordination, inspections, compliance management and ongoing tenancy administration.
Deposit Protection Registration: £36 (inc VAT) per year
Administration and registration of tenancy deposits with a government-approved scheme.
Inventory Preparation: £120 (inc VAT) per tenancy
Professional photographic inventory and schedule of condition.
Tenancy Rent Review: £110 (inc VAT)
Review of rental value and negotiation/implementation of any agreed rent adjustment.
Tenancy Variation – Change of Occupant Names (No Re-letting): £110 (inc VAT)
Amendment of tenancy agreement where an existing tenancy continues without a full re-let.