Property Details

Safety of Gas and Electrical Appliances

A landlord is required to ensure that the gas installation and appliances are maintained and in good order. Annual safety checks must be carried out by a Corgi qualified and registered engineer, and results of such safety checks must be recorded and tenants issued with a copy of the safety certificate either at the commencement of the tenancy, or within 28 days of the annual inspection. You are not responsible for inspecting gas appliances which are owned by a tenant and which they can take away at the end of the tenancy.

It is recommended that all portable electrical appliances (those which are able to be plugged in), provided in connection with accommodation are checked and serviced, at the very least, annually. Potable items to be serviced included; electric cookers and fires, kettles, refrigerators, microwave ovens, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and any other electrical domestic appliance. Safety checks and services should only be carried out by competent electricans.

No interestingly enough, in most cases we have found that there is very little difference in rental values between furnished and unfurnished lettings. Perhaps the best formula for letting is carpets, curtains, light fittings and appliances.

If you specifically want to let furnished, you have to bear in mind whether your furniture complies with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations Act 1988 ( as amended). New furnishing which are manufactured to these requirements carry labels showing this. Older furnishings are unlikely to meet the required standard and should be replaced or removed from the property. A copy of the Fire Regulations can be provided on request.

We are working closely with a company called Utility Warehouse to ensure our tenants receive the best service and market prices for their utilities and to enable all our properties to be with one provider. Benefits of Utility Warehouse include price beating leading utility suppliers, one company/one point of contact/one bill for all utilities. Please check on the Utility Warehouse website www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk for further information and to see exactly how much you will be saving.

As part of your agreement we ask you to join the Utility Warehouse Club. The cost for this service is £1.76 per month, however, the benefits received compensate for this minimal fee. After completing your contract you will receive documentation through the post. Please respond with information required. If you have any queries please ask a member of staff.

There are many forms of agreement which can be used depending on the type of property ie residential or commercial, type of tenant ie private or company and the wishes of the Landlord. In the majority of cases the type of agreement used is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) which lasts for a fixed term of 6 months up to a maximum period of 2 years.

It depends on the type of property but where possible all applicants are properly vetted by an independent credit referencing agency to ensure that they have the financially means and good credit history to honour their rental commitments. Tenants obtaining assistance from the Housing Benefit office present a slightly higher risk and for this reason we may insist on a guarantor who will be vetted in the same way.

Tenants are responsible for ensuring the rent is paid in full and on time.

When payment is made by standing order, rent is sent from your bank and should reach our account by the rent-due date. This saves you the worry of taking the trouble of bringing the rent to our office, and protects you from the potential of a bad payment history, should the rent be brought in late.

When rent is paid via cheque or standing order, please ensure payment is received by our office on your rent-due date.

Please note: Should we incur any costs as a result of a late payment in rent, this cost may be passed on to yourself.