Why Not Let Your Property With The North Easts Up and Coming Lettings Agent
lettings agent in middlesbrough stockton and billingham
BLACKS RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS
Serving the Billingham, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Newcastle Area
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Want to Let Your Property?

If you are wishing to let a property in the Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool or Billingham areas, then we can take care of this for you. Please see below for an overview of the services that we offer.

Our Services:

Rental Valuation
A personal visit to your property in order to carry out a rental appraisal, and provide you with advice on becoming a landlord.  

Property Marketing
Production of full colour particulars, including external and internal Photographs,  Once instructed to place your property on the market, property details will be displayed on our website www.blacks-residential-lettings.co.uk as well as www.rightmove.co.uk .

Tenant Database
Your property will be matched with applicants registered on our mailing list and full details will be mailed to suitable tenants.

Accompanied Viewings
Including out of hours and weekends.

Tenant Referencing
These will include a complete credit check, employer and previous landlord referencing.


Tenancy Agreement
We will prepare a comprehensive Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, arrange signing and collection of first month’s rent and bond.


Preparation Inventory /
Schedule of Condition
When managing the property we will arrange for an experienced inventory clerk to provide an extensive report which will be provided to you and your tenant.


Supervising the transfer Water and council tax accounts into the tenant's name and notification of tenant vacating.


Rent collection
Receiving rental payments monthly in advance, and paying you promptly, together with a detailed statement.


Maintenance
We will arrange Quality tradesmen to carry out routine and general maintenance, including the payment of invoices , these tasks will only be carried out with your full approval.


Inspections and reports

We will visit the property every three months to ensure the property is being looked after. You will receive a written report detailing our findings.

Re-letting and continuing the process with the minimum of vacant periods to ensure that you receive the maximum return from your property.


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Guide for Landlords

Once you have decided to let your property, please take into account the following points:-

 If you require further advice or assistance with any matter, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Mortgage

Apply for consent from your mortgage lender, they may have certain stipulations to the type of tenant you can let your property to or  require additional clauses to be included into the tenancy agreement..

Insurance

You will require a specific Landlords insurance policy to ensure that you are suitably covered for letting. Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your policies. We advise you of  specialist landlord's insurance providers , which may be more appropriate than simply informing existing insurers.

Leaseholds

You must thoroughly check the terms of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent before letting.

Bills and regular outgoings

If you require us to manage your property, we can (with prior written agreement)  make payment of certain bills on your behalf, provided such bills are received in your name to our office, and that the rent from your property provides sufficient funds to do so.

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

It is most important that an inventory of contents and schedule of condition be prepared, in order to avoid misunderstanding or dispute at the end of a tenancy. Without such safeguards, it will be impossible for the landlord to prove any loss, damage, or significant deterioration of the property or contents. In order to provide a complete service to the landlord, we will if requested arrange for a member of staff to prepare an inventory and schedule of condition.
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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.

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

The Gas Safety (installation and use) Regulations 1998

The Gas Safety (installation & use) regulations 1998 came into effect to ensure that gas appliances are properly installed and maintained in a safe condition so as to avoid the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is the responsibility of landlords to ensure that ALL gas appliances and gas installation pipe work owned by them are checked for safety  once a year by  a member of the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI). In addition accurate records of the safety inspections and any work carried out must kept. The current safety certificate must always be available for any tenant prior to them taking occupation of a property. Faulty equipment can lead to death and a conviction of unlawful killing on a landlord. Under the regulations any appliance that does not conform can be disconnected.

You are required to:

Ensure gas fittings and flues are maintained in a safe condition. Gas appliances should be services in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If these are not available it is recommended that they are serviced annually unless advised otherwise by CORGI registered installer;

Ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance/flue. Before any new lease starts, you must make sure that these checks have been carried out within one year before the start of the lease date, unless the appliances in the property have been installed for less than 12 months, in which case they should be checked within 12 months of their installation date;

have all installation, maintenance and safety checks carried out by a CORGI registered gas installer;

keep a record of each safety check for at least two years

issue a copy of the latest safety check record completed , or to any new tenants

Failure to comply with these regulations can result in a substantial fine or imprisonment. Only CORGI registered businesses using ACOP’s qualified engineers can carry out work on gas appliances and piping.

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) regulations 1994

The General Products (Safety) regulations 1994 require that all goods must satisfy general safety provisions. Although (unlike gas) no safety certificate is legally required the law does require that all electrical appliances are safe and strongly recommends that they are tested

 The above regulations impose an obligation on a landlord to ensure that all electrical appliances left as part of a let property are safe. It is an offence to supply unsafe electrical goods. When an unsafe item is found trading standards check that the landlord has taken all reasonable precautions to avoid supplying an unsafe item.

In the event of an incident in a property involving electricity the landlord must be able to demonstrate that his supply and appliances are safe, he can only do this if it is tested professionally. DUTY OF CARE demands that this is done on a regular basis, particularly at the point at which the property first becomes available to let.

The Building Regulations 1991 - Smoke Alarms

The 1991 Building Regulations require that all properties built since June 1992 must be fitted with mains operated interlinked smoke detectors/alarms on each floor. Such regulations regarding older properties do not exist , however all landlords have a DUTY OF CARE to ensure their tenants safety therefore battery operated smoke alarms must be fitted, and once supplied, the tenant then becomes responsible for the battery.

** for Houses in multiple occupation please contact your local authority for further information**

Furniture & Furnishings

Since 1 January 1997, all furniture provided in furnished rented accommodation i.e. houses, flats and bed-sits, must meet the fire resistance requirements of the furniture and furnishings, fire safety regulations, 1988 . These  regulations apply to all upholstered furniture, including beds, headboards and mattresses, sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles, nursery furniture, garden /conservatory furniture, scatter cushions, pillows, and non-original covers for furniture. The regulations do not apply to: curtains, carpets, bedclothes (including duvets, sleeping bags and mattress covers) or  to  furniture made before 1950,  Therefore all of these items must carry a permanent label attached showing the item complies with the Regulations. We cannot let a property when containing non-compliant furniture.

Preparing the property for letting

Mail forwarding

We recommend that you make use of the Post Office redirection service.  It is not the tenant's responsibility to forward mail.

Cleaning

In order to achieve the maximum rental figure and the shortest empty period we recommend prior to viewings, the property  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. If they fail to do so, cleaning should be arranged and paid for from their bond.

Keys

You should provide one set of keys for each tenant. Where we are managing the property on your behalf we will also require a spare set of keys.

Useful Information for the tenant

It would be extremely helpful if you leave a copy of information relating to the operating the central heating and hot water system, washing machine and alarm system, and the day refuse is collected etc for your tenants.

Gardens

Gardens lawns should be cut and left in a  neat & tidy condition, ponds should be covered over with a safety net or filled in to avoid accidents.  Tenants can only be required to maintain the gardens if 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.
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