Residential Letting & Property Management
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What is a voluntary EPC?
Read more: What is a voluntary EPC?Where an owner or occupier of a building which is not legally required to have an EPC has obtained one voluntarily. 1.1.4.5 para 24 of THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE RENTED PROPERTY MINIMUM STANDARD Further Reading THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE RENTED PROPERTY MINIMUM STANDARD (guidance on Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015) Still not answered your question? We love questions so fire it at us using the contact details here Please rate this article so we know how well it answered your question…
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Do I need to have my chimney swept every 9 months?
Read more: Do I need to have my chimney swept every 9 months?Yes for all the tenancies we grant, the tenant agrees to at least once every nine months of the tenancy to have working chimneys at the property made use of by the tenant swept by an appropriate person. Contract aside, the frequency of chimney sweeping is covered by: Manufacturers instructions for any stove installed in the property; Conditions in the home insurance policy; Type of fuel, appliance used, duration of use, moisture content of wood fuel, type of chimney; Recommendations from the chimney sweep, the Fire Service and trade associations such as The Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps (can range…
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My property has failed the gas safety check but passed last year, why?
Read more: My property has failed the gas safety check but passed last year, why?The warning notice issued by the engineer will explain why the gas fitting has failed the safety check and what needs to be done before the installation can be safely used again. If you would like a more detailed technical explanation, please contact the engineer who issued the warning notice. It is is important that landlords or their agent do not get bogged in technical details at this stage and fulfil their overriding statutory obligation to maintain the gas installation in a safe condition. For the safety of the tenants, the engineer will have isolated the gas supply To the…
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Should I ask the applicant for rent in advance?
Read more: Should I ask the applicant for rent in advance?The decision to ask an applicant for rent in advance for the entire fixed term of the tenancy (typically 6 months) before granting a tenancy is the landlords, and will be based on the findings from the tenant referencing. This may be obligatory if the landlord wants rent protection and legal expenses insurance. Asking an applicant for rent in advance is common where the landlord is concerned about the applicant’s ability to pay the rent: Applicant has failed the affordability assessment Applicant has adverse credit Applicant has poor credit score Applicant has large amount of debt Still not answered your…
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My rental property is listed, does it need to meet the minimum level of energy efficiency?
Read more: My rental property is listed, does it need to meet the minimum level of energy efficiency?No The Regulations only apply to those domestic properties which are legally required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This means properties required to have an EPC by any of the following:The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, The Building Regulations 2010, The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012. 1.1.4.1 para 6 of THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE RENTED PROPERTY MINIMUM STANDARD Guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) notes that an EPC is not required where the landlord can demonstrate that the building that is officially…
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How can I reduce the risk from Legionella in a garden water butt?
Read more: How can I reduce the risk from Legionella in a garden water butt?• Keep water butts clean by emptying and scrubbing out once a year. • Keep water butts in a cool position as far as practically possible. Insulate them to help prevent temperatures increasing in warm weather or paint them with a light colour to reflect the light. • If the temperature of the water for use in mist irrigation or sprinklers is between 20°C and 45°C or is full of debris/rust/algae do not use it. Further Reading Royal Horticultural Society – Minimising health risks in the garden Royal Horticultural Society – Health and Safety in the School Garden – Risk…
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How do I make an offer to rent a property?
Read more: How do I make an offer to rent a property?To make an offer, use the link to edit the Viewing Application and Offer Form towards the top of the e-mail sent to you (automatically) when you applied to view the property: Once you have followed the link, select the option Make an offer for a property. If you have deleted the e-mail and are unable to retrieve it from your Trash or Deleted folder, please contact us for the link. Once received your offer will be submitted to the landlord for a decision on whether to accept or reject this offer. Still not answered your question?…
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How do I thaw a frozen condensate pipe?
Read more: How do I thaw a frozen condensate pipe?Frozen condensate pipes are a common problem in extremely cold weather causing the boiler to fail. Thawing frozen condensate pipes is a tenant repairing obligation. If the pipe was not properly insulated or installed so that it sags or has an inadequate downward slope preventing water from draining, it is a landlord repairing obligation. Still not answered your question? We love questions so fire it at us using the contact details here Further Reading Who is responsible for clearing a boiler condensate pipe? {Jungle Property Knowledgebase article} How to Thaw and Prevent Frozen Condensate Pipes {Worcester Bosch}
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My tenant has not paid rent for several months and has disappeared, can I re-possess the property?
Read more: My tenant has not paid rent for several months and has disappeared, can I re-possess the property?This is most likely what is known as abandonment. Ending a tenancy There are two ways to gain possession of the property: Court order Express surrender There is another way that is not so clear-cut – implied surrender. The tenant not paying rent for several months and disappearing may be a case of implied surrender but great care must be taken if relying on this to end the tenancy and re-possess the property. The tenant going into care or prison or dieing does not bring the tenancy to an end. Criteria for implied surrender Implied surrender is succinctly defined in…
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Are my blinds safe and compliant?
Read more: Are my blinds safe and compliant?Find out if your blinds are safe and compliant by clicking on the link below. You’ll also find video tutorials on how to make your blinds safe and compliant. Still not answered your question? We love questions so fire it at us using the contact details here Please rate this article so we know how well it answered your question…