Landlord Information
If you currently own or intend to purchase residential property for letting in or near Durham City, you should consider engaging our letting and property management services. You'll find us both professional and cost-effective. As specialists, we know how to let a property for optimum performance and our management service lets you relax in the knowledge that your property is in safe hands.
We are members of the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) www.nalscheme.co.uk NALS is an accreditation scheme for lettings and management agents offering peace of mind to landlords in knowing that they are dealing with a firm which agrees to meet defined standards of customer service. Perhaps more important in these difficult times, it also guarantees that we as your agent have in place the necessary insurances to protect your money at all times. It is surprising and alarming just how many agents do not have this protection.
Maximise the return on your investment - contact us now for advice and to arrange a property appraisal.
Our Services
We offer two main services, a Let and Manage service and a Let Only service. An outline of our services is given below, but for full details please contact us. The first step for either service is to arrange an Appraisal where we will visit you at the property to provide a rental assessment and advice about letting your property. We will also advise you on compliance with the various safety regulations and requirements.
Whether you choose Let and Manage or Let Only, you will still benefit from our unique landlord log-in facility. When you register your property with us, we will give you a password and username which will enable you to visit our homepage at any time of day or night and from there log into our property management system. Once in the system, you will be able to see details of past and future viewings by prospective tenants including feedback from the viewings. If you have chosen the Let and Manage service, then this access will continue after the property is let, enabling you to monitor in real time all repairs and maintenance which are being carried out on your property.
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Both services start with marketing your property on our own website (highly visible on Google and other search engines) and a number of property portals including Rightmove.co.uk and FindaProperty.com. We advertise every week in the Durham Advertiser and we will erect a signboard outside your property wherever possible. We also have excellent contacts with various relocation agents and large local companies who often look to us to help with relocating personnel to the area. We have an ever-changing database of potential tenants.
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We will arrange viewings and accompany potential tenants to view the property. If a potential tenant wants to go ahead with the property, we will agree the details of the let with you and also ask them to make a downpayment to reserve the property. Then we will obtain and evaluate references and credit checks on all adult tenants.
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We will prepare a suitable tenancy agreement in accordance with current legislation and arrange signature by the tenant(s). We also arrange for a Standing Order to be set up for the monthly rental payments.
Prior to moving in we will collect a deposit from the tenant and transfer it to the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS). There is no additional charge for this. For more information on the DPS, see below and www.depositprotection.com.
On the day the tenancy starts we will check the tenant into the property and where possible agree the meter readings with them.
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For properties that we manage our service continues beyond the check-in and is designed to take complete care of your investment. The service includes:
- Preparing an inventory and schedule of condition and agreeing this with the tenant at check-in
- Supervising the transfer of gas, electricity and council tax accounts into the tenant's name
- Receiving rental payments monthly in advance, and paying you promptly, together with a detailed statement from our property management software
- Inspecting the property periodically, and reporting any problems to you
- Arranging any necessary repairs or maintenance, first liaising with you in the case of larger works
- Keeping in touch with the tenant on a routine basis, and arranging renewals of the agreement as necessary
- Checking tenants out as required, re-letting and continuing the process with the minimum of vacant periods to ensure that you receive the optimum return from your property
Guide for Landlords
There are several matters which need consideration before a property can be let. You should also make sure you read the section below as this concerns essential safety regulations and legislative requirements. If you require further advice or assistance with any matter, please do not hesitate to contact us:
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If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your lender’s written consent to let. They may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement of which you must inform us. If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent before letting. If there are terms in the leasehold that will affect the tenants then you must inform us prior to the letting of the property.
Looking for a Buy to Let mortgage?
Cathedral Lettings has teamed up with landlordcentre, a specialist Buy to Let mortgage broker, to help you find a Buy to Let mortgage to suit your requirements. Whether you are looking to purchase a new property or would like to remortgage an existing one, landlordcentre can provide you with the expertise and support you need to find the right deal for you.
landlordcentre researches the market daily to find the most competitive deals in the marketplace and can tell you which products are available for your particular circumstances and rental income.
There is no fee charged for this service.
Please click on the link below to fill in the Buy to Let enquiry form and one of the landlordcentre team will contact you to discuss your requirements.
www.landlordcentre.co.uk/cathedrallettings.aspx
Cathedral Lettings is not responsible for the service provided by landlordcentre.co.uk.
The landlordcentre.co.uk website aims to give you general information to help you make financial decisions. It is not advice, nor can it take account of your own particular circumstances.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. The Financial Services Authority does not regulate some forms of mortgage. -
Landlords are responsible for the building insurance and also insuring any contents of their own. Failure to inform your insurers that you are letting may invalidate your policies. We are in contact with specialist insurance companies who can help to ensure that you have appropriate landlord insurance, please ask for details.
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Regular outgoings e.g. mortgage, service charges, maintenance contracts etc. are your responsibility to pay but in most circumstances the tenant will be responsible for council tax, water rates and gas and electricity. During vacant periods these charges will revert to the owner. For council tax a vacant property receives a discount.
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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. Preparation of an inventory is part of our managed service. Where we do not manage a property we encourage landlords to prepare their own inventory and to agree this with the tenant at the start of the tenancy.
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When the landlord is resident in the UK, it is entirely his responsibility to inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of rental income received, and to pay any tax due. However, where the landlord is resident outside the UK during a tenancy and unless an exemption certificate is held, we as landlord's agents are obliged to retain and forward to HMRC on a quarterly basis, an amount equal to the basic rate of income tax from rental received, less certain expenses. Further information is available and an application form can be downloaded from the HMRC website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/nr_landlords.htm
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Preparing the property for letting
All our properties conform to certain minimum standards. Quality properties attract quality tenants.
- General condition
Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating, hot water systems and appliances must be safe, sound and in good working order. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established. Instructions for all systems and appliances must be provided.
- Decorations and furnishings
Interior decorations should be in good condition, and preferably plain, light and neutral. It is recommended that you leave only minimum furnishings, and these should be of reasonable quality. It is preferable that the items to be left are in the property during viewings. If you are letting unfurnished, we recommend that the property contains as an absolute minimum floor and window coverings and a cooker.
- Cleaning
At the commencement of a tenancy the property must 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. Where they fail to do so, cleaning should be arranged at their expense.
- Personal items, ornaments etc
Personal possessions, ornaments, pictures, books etc. should be removed from the premises, especially those of real or sentimental value. All cupboards and shelf space should be left clear for the tenant's own use.
- Gardens
Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish-free, with any lawns cut. Tenants are required to maintain the gardens to a reasonable standard, provided 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 regular visits by a gardener.
- Mail Forwarding
We recommend that you make use of the Post Office redirection service. Application forms are available at their counters or online (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/product1?catId=400040&mediaId=600008)
and the cost is minimal. It is not realistic to expect tenants to provide a mail forwarding service.- Keys
You should provide one full set of keys for each adult tenant and a sole tenant is entitled to a spare set. Where we are managing we will arrange to have duplicates cut as required.
Important safety regulations and legislative requirements
The following safety requirements are the responsibility of the owner (the landlord), and where we 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.
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Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 (amended 1996) and some other regulations, all gas appliances in tenanted premises must be checked for safety at intervals of not more than 12 months, by a Gas Safe Register gas engineer, and a safety certificate issued. Records must be kept of the dates of inspections, of defects identified, and of any remedial action taken.
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Electrical Appliances & Equipment
Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs & Sockets etc (Safety) Regulations 1994 and some other regulations, electrical installations and equipment in tenanted premises must be safe. Although (unlike gas) no safety certificate is legally required, and therefore it may be adequate to perform a visual check of electrical equipment, fittings and leads, it is better if a qualified electrician is engaged for this purpose.
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The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (amended 1989, 1993 & 1996) provide that specified items supplied in the course of letting property must meet minimum fire resistant standards. The regulations apply to all upholstered furniture, and beds, headboards and mattresses, sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles, nursery furniture, garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling, scatter cushions, pillows, and non-original covers for furniture. They do not apply to antique furniture or furniture made before 1950, bed clothes including duvets, loose covers for mattresses, pillowcases, curtains, carpets or sleeping bags. Therefore all relevant items as above must be checked for compliance, and non-compliant items removed from the premises. In practice, most items which comply must have a suitable permanent label attached. Items purchased since 1.3.90 from a reputable supplier are also likely to comply, in which case we will need to see the receipt.
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The General Product Safety Regulations 1994 specify that any product supplied in the course of a commercial activity must be safe. In the case of letting, this would include both the structure of the building and its contents. Recommended action is to check for obvious danger signs - leaning walls, broken glass, sharp edges etc., and also to leave operating manuals or other written instructions about high risk items, such as hot surfaces, electric lawnmowers, etc. for the tenant.
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Energy Performance Certificates
Since 1st October 2008, all rental properties that are advertised for let are required by law to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Accredited energy assessors produce EPC graphs and a detailed report which gives you and your potential tenants information on the energy efficiency of the property and includes suggestions to make a property more energy efficient. We can arrange this for you at your expense. For more information see the government website
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Since 6th April 2007, all deposits taken by agents or landlords for Assured Shorthold Tenancies must be protected by a government-authorised tenancy deposit scheme. At Cathedral Lettings, deposits are protected free of charge under the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS). More information can be found at www.depositprotection.com.
When we manage a property the deposit is held in our DPS account for the duration of the tenancy. If we do not manage the property then you need to register with the DPS and once the tenancy has started we will transfer the deposit from our DPS account to yours where it will remain until the end of the tenancy.
