Landlords

Our services for landlords

Whether you are a new landlord with one property or an experienced landlord with a portfolio, our friendly team here at Letting Solutions are here along the way to help and guide you with expert advice and bucket loads of local knowledge.

But how can we help you…..

The Big Question….How Much Is My Property Worth?

Taking into account factors like the current rental market and the local demand for properties similar to yours, Letting Solutions will provide you with realistic and achievable advice as to the rental value of your property.

We will talk to you about your own circumstances and we will always explain how we arrive at our valuation.

Our Valuer can provide you with an instant verbal recommendation and will later, confirm this in writing. We can also offer you comparable evidence of recent lettings in your area, giving you confidence that we are obtaining optimal rents.

A New Property…Let’s Shout It From The Rooftops!

When we list a new property, we like to create maximum exposure.

Our prominent office, located on Whitegate Drive, Blackpool invites all potential tenants in to find their ideal home. Here we can sit face to face, to discuss their individual needs and requirements. Our knowledge of your property allows us to confidently match it with your ideal tenant.

Our website is updated live every day. It offers visitors the latest available stock and provides a reliable source of information on all vacant properties.

Your property will be listed on major property portals, guaranteeing maximum exposure

We make ourselves available to show tenants around suitable homes at a time to suit them, 7 days a week. All tenants are accompanied.

Finding Your Ideal Tenant (yes, they do exist!)

We start by asking you to describe your ideal tenant and only then, do we go about finding them. Selecting the right tenant for you is more important than selecting the first tenant.

Here at Letting Solutions, we pride ourselves not only on the quality of our properties but also on the quality of our tenants.

Keeping You Informed

We feel that any feedback we can give to you is vital if we are going to minimise any void periods and agree a rental as soon as possible.

From the day that we list your property, we will report back to you on all viewers comments and make recommendations on price, presentation and furnishings as we go along.

We feel that keeping our landlords informed has contributed to the success of Letting Solutions and our reputation.

How And When Will I Get Paid?

The first months’ rent and the bond will be collected from your new tenant prior to them moving in. Our fees will be deducted and the remaining funds will be sent to your nominated account via electronic transfer. A statement of account will be provided to you by email.

If you instruct Letting Solutions to manage your property, we will collect your rent on a 4-weekly or monthly basis and this will be paid to you in the same way. You may also like to know that we only take our commission on any rent collected, so you are safe in the knowledge that our first priority will be ensuring that your rent is paid to you on time.

We can also offer your Rent On Time, Every Time. This service offers you peace of mind and safe guard your income. Please speak to a property manager for more details.

Our guide to renting your property

What you can expect ….   Apart from offering you a happy and stress-free landlord life?

We are so confident that we will be able to let your property, that we operate a No Let, No Fee policy. In the unlikely event that we do not find you a suitable tenant that you are completely happy with, you are free to walk away from our services without any obligation or charge.

Our consultants take time with any prospective tenants, to find out their needs and requirements, this helps us to best match them to your property.

Tenants are always accompanied and will always take place at a time to suit the prospective tenant. If the property is occupied, then a mutually convenient time will be arranged to suit both parties. We are more than happy to accommodate any tenants that would like evening or weekend tenants too.

Selecting the right tenant

Selecting the right tenant for you is more important than selecting the first tenant. Here at Letting Solutions, we pride ourselves not only on the quality of our properties but also on the quality of our tenants. It goes without saying that we check their credit records, confirm affordability checks, obtain character and employer references and where possible, a previous landlord reference using an independent referencing company. We are known in the letting world, for going that extra mile and so we will also, where necessary, visit any prospective tenants at their current home to get a better feel for whether they are your ideal tenants.

Keeping you informed

Letting Solutions has built its reputation on good old-fashioned customer service. Part of this service, is keeping our clients fully informed. From the day that we list your property, feedback is essential if we are going to minimise the void periods and agree a rental.

Fees

Letting Solutions will attend your property to provide you with a free market appraisal. During this meeting we will discuss our fees with you.

List of fees

Letting Solutions will attend your property to provide you with a free market appraisal; during this meeting, we will discuss our fees with you. However if you would prefer to have our Terms of Business in writing.

Tenant Finders Only Property Let & Management Rent On Time

Your Rent On Time… Every Time!

We do exactly as landlords would expect; we pay you your rent, on time, every time!

Landlords who benefit from this service have the peace of mind in knowing that their cashflow is guaranteed and secure. Our rent on time service removes the worry from renting property and provides landlords complete peace of mind by safeguarding your income. As our customer, we guarantee that your rent will be paid in full on the monthly due date regardless of whether your tenant pays or not. Who wouldn’t love that?

Mortgage Advice for Landlords

Letting Solutions work closely with Appletree Financial services who can source the right mortgage for you. Whatever your requirements, our expert advisers can help you achieve your goals by finding the right deal for you and your circumstances.

For further information, why not speak to one of our professional financial advisors and see what they can do for you. After all, they have access to the whole of the market to research to be able to find the very best mortgage for you.

If you would prefer to speak to Appletree directly, please call Dave on 01253886600 or email hello@appletreefinance.com

Complience & Preparing to Rent

There is an awful lot to consider but leave it to us. When you employ Letting Solutions, we take care of everything. If is it that you would like to be more involved and you would like to know more, just ask. Simples!

Terms of Business

We will require the property owner to sign and date our agency agreement. If the property is jointly owned, we will require consent from all owners.

Client ID & Money Laundering

Under the provisions of The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, it is a legal requirement that the agent must be able to identify their client. Therefore, all landlords are asked to provide Letting Solutions with their proof of identity, to be held on file in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Again, when a property is jointly owned we will require identification from all parties. When the landlord is a company, at least two directors or a director and a Company Secretary must provide us with the relevant documents. Please remember, just because we are asking you for these documents, doesn’t mean that we suspect you of laundering your money, we are just being thorough and doing our job.

Proof of Identity

Only a full current passport, current UK driving licence, birth certificate, Firearms certificate or a Residence Permit issued by the Home Office will suffice as your personal proof of identity.

Proof of Ownership

We will need you to provide proof of ownership of your let property. For example, you could provide us with a mortgage statement, title deeds or documentation relating to the ground rent if your property is leasehold.

Proof of Address

A full or provisional UK driving licence, bank statement or a current council tax bill can all be used as proof of your current address.

Mortgage

If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain consent to let from your mortgage company. Please do not be alarmed if they ask you include any special conditions in your Tenancy Agreement, this is normal. Please advise us of any clauses and we can ensure these are included in the paperwork.

Leaseholds

If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease and obtain the necessary written consent before agreeing to let your property. Please provide us with a copy of your lease incase we need to include any additional clauses in your Tenancy Agreement.

Keys

We need to be supplied with all relevant keys, fobs and alarm codes. Alternatively, please provide us with access arrangements to your property. If your property is a managed property, we will require a second set of keys and fobs for your new tenants. One set of keys will be held at our head office for the purpose of inspections or in case of any emergencies.

Gas Safety Certificate

In accordance with the gas safety regulations of 1998, the Landlord is responsible for ensuring that the gas supply to the property, and any gas appliances within, are safe to use. This can only be achieved by having a gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. A copy of the certificate must be provided to Letting Solutions before the commencement of the tenancy. Alternatively, you can authorise Letting Solutions to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate on your behalf. There will be a charge to the gas engineer for this service. This safety check must be carried out on an annual basis and previous certificates must be held on file by the landlord or their agent, for a period of 2 years.

Breach of the regulations is a criminal offence and could result in loss of life. If you do not comply, you risk being prosecuted, and this could result in you facing imprisonment or a fine of up to £20,000, or both, for each offence. If the case in then referred to the Crown Court, the maximum penalty may be imprisonment, or an unlimited fine, or both. It is also likely that any insurance cover could be invalid for non-compliance of the regulations.

Electrical Safety

As a landlord you have obligations and responsibilities. Landlords are required by law to ensure:

That the electrical installation in a rented property is safe when tenants move in and maintained in a safe condition throughout the duration of the tenancy.

That a house of multiple occupation (HMO) has a periodic inspection carried out on the property every five years.

That any electrical appliance provided in your rental property is safe to use and has at least the CE marking (which is the manufacturers claim that it meets all the requirements of European Law).

Smoke Alarms & CO2 Detectors

From October 2015, the law states that any landlord must ensure that a smoke detector is fitted on each storey of your rental property. Checks must be made by or on behalf of the landlord to ensure that each alarm is in good working order on the day the tenancy begins. Carbon Monoxide detectors are recommended where there is a gas appliance present. However, this only becomes compulsory where solid burning equipment – such as a coal fire, wood burning stove or AGA, are present in the property.

Local Authorities, in our case Blackpool, Wyre or Fylde Borough Councils, can impose a fine of up to £5,000 if a landlord is in breach of these conditions.

Furniture & Furnishings

In accordance with the Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 – amended 1993, a landlord is required to ensure all furniture within the property conforms to the 1993 amendments of this Act of Parliament. Manufacturer’s labels showing the use of fire resistant materials, match & cigarette resistance test pass results should be permanently attached to the relevant items which will include; armchairs, sofas, sofa beds, futons and all other convertible furniture. Beds, bed bases, headboards, mattresses, divans and pillows. Garden furniture that could potentially be used indoors. Nursery furniture. Loose, stretch & fitted covers for furniture, scatter cushions, seat pads and pillows. This regulation does not currently apply to carpets and curtains.

Non-compliance is a criminal offence and could result in a fire, imprisonment, or both. You also be liable for civil prosecution.

Energy Performance Certificate

On 1 st October 2008 Energy Performance Certificate’s (EPC’s) became a mandatory requirement for all new tenancies. A copy of the certificate must be provided to Letting Solutions or alternatively, we can obtain a report on your behalf. An additional charge will be made to the Energy Assessor for this service. An EPC is valid for 10 years.

In addition, as from the 1st April 2018 there is also a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rented sector to normally have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate. The regulations come into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption.

Failing to provide or make an EPC available when required, may result in a financial penalty. Further to this, for all tenancies starting after 01 October 2015, landlords must provide a copy of the EPC to any tenancy (and obtain proof of this) prior to your tenant moving in. Failing to comply may result in invalidating any Section 21 notice that is served.

Legionella

While it is not a legal requirement to produce a Legionella water sample test certificate, a landlord may be liable to prosecution under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) if a tenant were to contract Legionnaires’ disease from the water system in their home. The landlord would then have to provide evidence to a court that they had fulfilled their legal responsibility under HSWA and COSHH. A written record of a Legionella risk assessment would be considered adequate evidence by a court.

Despite infections caused by Legionella being very rare in the UK, the risk attached isn’t one worth taking as a landlord, and we highly recommend private landlords take all necessary steps to ensure their properties and their tenants are kept safe. Please provide Letting Solutions with a copy of the Certificate, alternatively, Letting Solutions can obtain this report for you at an additional cost to the Assessor.

Right to rent checks

In line with the Immigration Act 2014, from 1 February 2016, all landlords of properties throughout England must check that someone has the right to rent before letting them a property. You must check all tenants aged 18 and over, even if:

They’re not named on the tenancy agreement

There’s no tenancy agreement

The tenancy agreement isn’t in writing

Landlords or agents who fail to do these checks correctly could be liable for a fine of up to £3,000 per occupier.

Letting Solutions take this stress away from you. We can confirm without exception that all tenants that we give a new tenancy to, has the right to rent a property in the UK and that their identification is genuine. When using Letting Solutions to source a tenancy for your property, you can have complete peace of mind that you are fulfilling your legal obligations thereby avoiding any unwanted fines.

NRL1

If you own a rental property in the UK but your usual home is outside of the UK, then you need to comply with the Non-Resident Landlords (NRL) scheme, which sets rules around how you pay tax. The scheme requires UK letting agents to deduct basic rate from any rent they collect for Non-Resident Landlords. You can set this tax off against your own tax bill at the end of the year. However, Non-Resident Landlords can apply to the Inland Revenue for approval that will permit their letting agent NOT to deduct tax at source by completing the NRL1 form. Approval of a NRL1 does not mean that the rent is exempt from UK tax.

Of course, while we can offer basic advice when it comes to your rental income, we would always recommend that you seek advice from a professional. For an informal chat about all things tax, please contact our financial friend Tony Mills at Ma2 Accountants on 01253 862220.

Investment & property sourcing

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Here at Letting Solutions, we have both the time and resources to be able to help you find a property or portfolio that will tick your boxes and offer you a healthy yield. We will gladly spend time, either with you or for you, to draw up a shortlist of properties that we feel would not only give you a great return but give you a much sought after property in a popular residential location. So whether its advice on the local areas or whether you would like to pick our brains about what tenants are looking for then just ask! We would love to invest our time & knowledge with you at an early stage, rather than you regretting the wrong purchase.

Your property is in safe hands

The Property Ombudsman

The Property Ombudsman (TPO) is a government approved scheme to provide redress in relation to disputes between consumers, looking to rent or buy residential property and estate & letting agents.

The TPO offers a free, fair and independent service for dealing with unresolved disputes between TPO registered agents and those who are buying or renting residential property in the UK. The Ombudsman is completely independent of all estate and letting agents.

Our Membership Number is T02175.

Legal Notices

Letting Solutions will issue the relevant notices where required (Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988, Schedule 2 and Section 21 of the House Act 1988)

Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 allows a landlord to seek possession using grounds 2, 8, 10 to 15 or 17 listed in Schedule 2 to the Act. You can seek possession at any time under Section 8 but if you are seeking possession during the fixed term, you can only use Section 8 if the tenancy makes provision for the tenancy to be ended on the ground for which you are seeking possession.

A 'Section 21 Notice to Quit', so called because it operates under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, is the notice a landlord can give to a tenant to regain possession of a property at the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST). The landlord is able to issue the tenant with a section 21 notice without giving any reason for ending the tenancy agreement. A landlord has the legal right to retain possession at the end of a tenancy but must follow the correct legal procedure, which includes serving a section 21 notice.

If you elect Letting Solutions to manage your property, we will issue all legal notices which can often be a very daunting prospect for Landlords. You’ll be happy to know, there is no additional fee for this charge.

Request your free property valuation

Overseas Tax Information

NRL1

If you own a rental property in the UK but your usual home is outside of the UK, then you need to comply with the Non-Resident Landlords (NRL) scheme, which sets rules around how you pay tax. The scheme requires UK letting agents to deduct basic rate from any rent they collect for Non-Resident Landlords. You can set this tax off against your own tax bill at the end of the year. However, Non-Resident Landlords can apply to the Inland Revenue for approval that will permit their letting agent NOT to deduct tax at source by completing the NRL1 form. Approval of a NRL1 does not mean that the rent is exempt from UK tax.

Of course, while we can offer basic advice when it comes to your rental income, we would always recommend that you seek advice from a professional. For an informal chat about all things tax, please contact our financial friend Tony Mills at Ma2 Accountants on 01253 862220.