Page 33 - Redbrik Estate Agents: Winter 2018

applicants at viewings but if you prefer we will take care of all viewings on your behalf.
We believe a lot can be learned when you meet someone and we can try to understand if the applicant is the right t for the property and the Tenant.
We will always carry out full references on the applicants but meeting people will tell you about their personalities.
4. Detailed references for Tenants are essential – our service includes a full credit check as well employment and Landlord references. Once we have this information our sta will analyse the results before putting together a full picture for our Landlords.
This is where we go the extra mile and we will look to see not only is some employed but how long they have been in the job, what sort of security the job gives, and the applicants expenditure habits.
This gives us a better understanding than just a simple credit check.
5. Time must be given to a thorough sign up appointment to go through the Tenancy Agreement. I have heard of too many Tenants who have no idea what they have agreed as this part has been rushed.
At Redbrik we spend time going through all the various clauses in the Tenancy Agreement and remind them that their rent should always be their rst priority. We will go through the gas and electrical certi cates, ensure they have seen an EPC, test smoke alarms, tell them about the inventory, give out emergency contact details and go through the Government Guide on How To Rent which talks about both Tenants and Landlords responsibilities.
6. To protect your property from Tenant damage it is essential to take a deposit or bond and this is protected in an insurance based scheme or the Government DPS scheme.
When you let with Redbrik we usually take one and a quarter times the monthly rental amount as the deposit. We use the insurance based scheme called My|Deposits and this service is included in our fees.
7. We always recommend a full Condition Report (Inventory). This is a comprehensive report (over 60 pages
THE RENTAL INCOME SHOULD BE CHECKED MONTHLY AND IF
NOT PAID THERE ARE CERTAIN STEPS THAT MUST BE CARRIED OUT IN THE CORRECT AND FORMAL MANNER.
of detail) documenting the condition of each room and its contents. The Tenant should sign the report so they agree to the condition and can
be used at the end of the Tenancy to validate damage that might or might not have been there at the beginning.
8. Don’t forget about the utilities companies as they will need to know about the new Tenant and their start date so billing is now sent to them instead of the owner.
9. Once a Tenancy has started as
a Landlord you can manage the property yourself or ask an agent
to look after it for you. We believe that certain steps are essential to ensure a happy Tenant pays the rent consistently and that the property is kept in good condition.
Tenants should be encouraged to pay their rent by standing order. The rental income should be checked monthly and if not paid there are certain steps that must be carried out in the correct and formal manner.
This is where a lot of Landlords can fall foul of the law as legislation is constantly changing.
Maintenance must be acted on quickly and it is advised that you have certain contractors that you can call upon to handle gas, electrical and plumbing issues.
The law has recently changed to protect Tenants from being moved out when there is outstanding maintenance issues.
Therefore while it is important to act within the law it is also a factor to keeping your Tenant happy and is the main reason for Tenant moving out when things are not addressed.
Regular inspections should be carried out to ensure the property is kept
in good condition and gives the Tenant the opportunity to raise any issues. These should not be done
too often as to ‘harass’ your Tenant but quarterly or every six months is normal.
At the end of the Tenancy a thorough check out is required. Time should
be given to go into each room
and check the condition against
the inventory that was done at the beginning of the Tenancy.
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LETTINGS