PASSIONATE ABOUT PROPERTY,
SERIOUS ABOUT SERVICE
The residential lettings industry is heavily regulated by legislation, that means as a landlord or agent we have to adhere to the regulations which are regularly updated. This can be difficult to keep on top of with many landlords busy work lives and lifestyles. This is why you should choose Lawrence Rooney Estate Agents to keep you up to date with the updated legislation. This is why at Lawrence Rooney Estate Agents we always recommend using our Fully Managed Service.
You must own the property you are intending to rent or be able to provide proof of power of attorney to act on behalf of the owner. We will complete anti money laundering checks to confirm identity and ownership. This is a legal requirement for all estate agents.
All privately rented properties must have a valid EPC. An EPC is a legal requirement for and must have a minimum band rating of E or above on the EPC. An EPC is valid for 10 years and all tenants must be provided with a valid EPC at the start of the tenancy.
Landlords and letting agents are required to register a tenant’s deposit with an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme. A Tenancy Deposit Scheme protects the tenant’s money and can help to resolve any disputes at the end of the tenancy. We register deposits with My Deposits. We organise the the protection of the security deposit and provide your tenant with all the details of the scheme.
All rental properties must be tested annually to prove all gas appliances and supply points are safe in the rental property by a gas safe registered engineer. All tenants must be provided with a copy of the gas safety certificate at the start of the tenancy and each year.
An electrical installation condition report assesses the safety of the condition of the existing electrical installation of the property. It is a legal requirement that all rental properties have a satisfactory electrical installation condition report. A satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report is valid for 5 years and must be give to the tenant at the start of the tenancy.
Whilst legionnaires disease is uncommon. It is a landlords responsibility to assess the properties risks. Legionnaires is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. It is recommended that all landlords have a Legionella Risk Assessment completed.
Regulation has been introduced which requires all landlords to have at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property. If any room contains a solid fuel burning appliance such as a woodburner or open fire or where biomass is used as fuel, a carbon monoxide alarm has to be present in the room. The alarms must be correctly checked on the first day of a new tenancy after this it is then the responsibility of the tenant to regularly check that the alarms are in working order. If they are not working the tenant must report immediately as a maintenance issue.
If you are furnishing your rented property. You must ensure that all furnishings comply with these current regulations. We can give advice on which furniture items will be compliant, and all compliant furniture must display standard labels. This is to reduce the risk of fire within the property.
The Right to Rent scheme, which helps to make sure that people renting property in the UK have a legal right to be here, was rolled out across England in February 2016. Landlords or lettings agents must carry out identitiy checks on each tenant over the age of 18 before they sign a tenancy agreement.
A new tenant should always receive a Department of Local Government and Communities How to Rent Guide at the start of their tenancy which gives practical advice about what to do before and during a let. A Guide which the tenant must confirm they have seen at the start of a new tenancy.
Rental properties must be clean before a tenant moves in and before we complete the move in inventory. We always advise a professional clean before move in date as this makes the move in and move out process of a tenancy run more smoothly.
If you own a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) which is rented property with shared facilities, you may need a licence to let. At Lawrence Rooney Estate Agents we do not rent HMO properties.
All landlords could be liable to pay tax on their rental income, whether they live in the UK or are based overseas. Further information can be found on the Inland Revenue’s website. There are tax rules specific for overseas landlords.
As part of the Housing Act 2004, the Housing, Health and Safety regulations allows local authorities to assess the condition of the property and any potential hazards. The purpose is to maintain good standards in the private rented sector. We can help you understand how this legislation and how it may apply to your property