Landlord guide to letting with Kivells
With over 130 years of experience in the property industry, we truly understand the importance of a good rental agent. From knowledge and experience, to regular training and professionalism, our agents will always aim to exceed your expectations.
Our diverse rental portfolio ranges from Country Houses to Town Flats, spanning across Launceston, Holsworthy, Bude, Liskeard, Tavistock and their respective surrounding villages. Based within four offices, with large and impressive LED window displays, we know how to catch the eye of your next prospective tenant.
Whether you are a first-time landlord, or have a portfolio of properties, one of our team are ready to assist you and leave you feeling confident your asset is in the best hands.
Why let your property with Kivells?
- We provide a full range of Landlord services - Fully managed, find a tenant, rent collection or call our team to discuss a bespoke package to fit your needs
- Fully trained and qualified ARLA and RICS lettings team – As ARLA members, our team are kept up to date with ever changing legislation, to ensure we keep your property compliant
- Established in 1885, we know our lettings market intimately
- Extensive promotion of your property via our network of prime position offices with eyecatching LED window displays
- Unrivalled internet coverage on kivells.com and online via leading property portals including Rightmove, Zoopla and On The Market
- Full colour detailed particulars along with local and regional advertising
- Promotion via our widely followed social media platforms, including Faceboook and Instagram
- Rent protection and legal expenses cover available upon request
Landlord Regulations
As a Landlord, you are responsible for repairs and maintenance relating to the structure of the property. In addition, there are a number of statutory and advisory regulations detailed below and can be explained to you by our experienced Lettings team. Legislation is constantly evolving and currently the following should be considered:-
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
An EPC is an assessment of the efficiency of your property. These are 10 yearly assessments and have to be completed by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor. The current requirements enforce EPC’s for rental properties must meet the minimum ‘E’ rating to be legally let. There are however plans for the minimum rating to change in the near future, keep an eye out on our Residential Lettings News Page for any legal updates on this.
Gas Safety Certificate
An annual Gas Safety Certificate, with all gas appliances being checked and certified by a ‘Gas Safe’ registered engineer. In addition to your annual safety certificate, it is strongly recommended this is renewed should any interim repairs be required between the certificates.
Landlord Oil Installation Check (CD/12)
An annual safety certificate, completed by an ‘OFTEC’ registered engineer.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
A five yearly (or as otherwise advised) inspection of your property’s electrical condition. This is required to be completed by either an ‘NICEIC’ or ‘NAPIT’ registered electrician.
Domestic Visual Electrical Condition Report
A visual inspection of your electrics will be required between tenancies, where you are using an existing EICR. This is to check there are no changes to the system between tenants and best protect your position as a landlord. As above, the electrician would need to be ‘NICEIC’ or ‘NAPIT’ registered.
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
All landlord owned portable (plug in) appliances are required to be PAT tested by a qualified engineer annually.
Chimney Sweep Certificate
Annual chimney sweeping and inspection are required for all working flues. The Certificate would need to be completed by a HETAS registered engineer.
Legionnaires Risk Assessment
Legionnaires risk assessments are required annually/bi-annually, depending on the type of system in place within your property. These assessments can be carried out by a competent person and are generally very straightforward when dealing with modern plumbing systems.
Smoke Alarms
The current regulations require all rental properties to have one working smoke alarm on every floor. These are required to be checked regularly and replaced at their recommended intervals. There is currently no requirement for mains powered smoke alarms, although we would recommend these to best protect your position as a landlord.
Carbon Monoxide Alarm
A Carbon monoxide alarm is required to be fitted in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance, i.e. Oil or Gas fired boiler, fireplace or log burner.
Private Water Supply sampling and Risk Assessment
If your property has a private water supply, you will need to have annual water sampling and a 5 yearly risk assessment completed. If your property is Cornwall this must be carried out by Cornwall Council, otherwise this can be carried out by a qualified agency.
Fire and furnishing safety
Landlords must make sure any furniture and furnishings provided meet fire safety standards and are made from fire-resistant materials. This information can usually be found by checking that the manufacturer’s label carries a fire-safety symbol. Landlords are not responsible for tenant-owned furniture and appliances – everything the tenant brings inside the property is their own responsibility.
Rental Appraisal
Our services would start with a no obligation, free market appraisal, where one of our expert agents will provide you with an accurate rental valuation, based on the current market conditions. We will also provide advice to help you maximize your rental income.
Legal compliance and Legislation
Prior to a let commencing, we will ensure your property is fully compliant with the current legislation and safety requirements and advise you of any additional measures required.
Preparation for a let
To ensure a good response to marketing, our expert team will provide guidance on how to best showcase your property for let and therefore opening the property up to a wider audience of prospective applicants.
Marketing preparation
Once we have received your formal instruction, we will commence preparation of a detailed set of property particulars and window cards with professional quality photographs. In addition we will also prepare online marketing particulars for use on the leading property portals and social media.
Targeting Prospective Tenants
Our centrally based town offices, with LED window displays, provide great exposure to potential applicants for your property. We also advertise through the leading property portals including Rightmove, Zoopla and On The Market, as well as having a large social media following on Facebook and Instagram.
Viewings
We would carry out accompanied viewings on your property, unless otherwise agreed, to ensure the prospective applicants suitability for your property. Our experienced team are available for property viewings six days a week, and also offer weekend, early morning and evening appointments where possible. Choosing the right tenant is a fundamental element of our role as your agent, and as such we would provide a full run down of all prospective applicants to you to allow you to make an informed choice, as well as providing our expert guidance as needed.
Tenant Referencing
Once you have picked a prospective tenant, we would then proceed to referencing. Our referencing is outsourced to a professional third-party referencing team and is thoroughly checked by our team also. Within the referencing process we would verify the applicants income, credit history and existing landlord reference, to ensure their suitability to the property.
Tenancy Agreement
Following the selection of your upcoming tenant and greement of the tenancy terms and start date, we will draw up an appropriate Tenancy Agreement. This would be issued to the tenant along with the required prescribed information and accompanying documents. Both yourself and the tenant would need to sign the Agreements in order for the lets to commence.
Inventory
An inventory is a document detailing the schedule of condition of your property prior to a let commencing, including gardens and outside space, meter readings and furniture, where required. The inventory is signed by ourselves and the tenant upon commencement of the tenancy and stands as evidence should there be a dispute at the end of a tenancy.
Deposit
Prior to a let commencing, tenants are required to pay a deposit, the equivalent of 5 weeks rent (exceptions for rents over £50,000.00 P/A). This deposit is then held in a Government Protected Scheme, such as the DPS, and protected for the duration of the tenancy. Should there be a dispute at the end of the tenancy the Government Scheme provides independent adjudication and dispute settlement.
Rent Increases
Throughout the term of your tenancy the rental value of your property will inevitably increase and our expert team are on hand to negotiate increases with existing tenants; of course taking into account the delicate balance between your rental yield and the tenancy duration. (Relevant to Fully managed service only).
Checkout inspection
At the end of the tenancy we would undertake a final inspection of condition and provide a written report and photographic schedule of condition to you.
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