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If you currently own or intend to purchase residential rental property in South Leicestershire, you should look into our property management service. You will find us both professional and cost-effective. As specialists, we know how to manage your property for optimum performance, whilst ensuring smooth running tenancies and compliance with the minefield of landlord & tenant legislation. To maximise the return on your investment, contact us now, by 'phone, fax or e-mail with some brief details and we will send you a free copy of our 'Landlords Guide to Letting' brochure.

We cover a very specific area, as we are fully aware of the importance of the location of the properties we look after. The areas we cover are as follows:

Leicester · Stoneygate · Knighton · Clarendon Park · Oadby · Wigston · Great Glen
Glen Parva · Aylestone · Evington · Whetstone · Countesthorpe · Blaby · Houghton
Burton Overy · The Langtons · Fleckney · Kibworth · Smeeton Westerby · Saddington

Our Full Property Management Service includes

1. Providing a rental valuation and appraisal of the property and offering advice as required. 

2. Advertising and marketing the Property including selection of tenants, carrying out viewings. Our properties are advertised in The Leicester Mercury as well as the 'Rightmove' & our own web sites.

3. Interviewing prospective tenants and taking up full references including credit history searches, employer references, previous landlord references and a character reference. Where necessary, additional security would be requested by means of a guarantor. In the case of a company, a full bank reference would be taken.

4. Preparing the Tenancy Agreement. This is necessary for the Landlord to gain protection of the relevant Rent and Housing Acts, and renewing the Agreement where necessary at the end of the Term.

5. Liaising with a Landlord's mortgagees where necessary with regard to references and Tenancy Agreement.

6. Preparing an inventory and schedule of condition, including digital photography.

7. Taking a deposit from the tenant to be held by the Agent until the end of the tenancy when the Property and contents have been checked for unfair wear and tear. We are members of The Tenancy Deposit Scheme.

8. Collecting the rent monthly and paying the Landlord monthly without delay! Payments will be made by direct bank transfer and a detailed rent statement will be forwarded to the Landlord.

9. Renewing or extending existing tenancy agreements.

10. Finding replacement tenants when existing tenancies come to an end – including all items listed above.

11. Arranging with utility companies (principally electricity gas & water) for meter readings and advising them of the transfer of service contracts to the tenant at the beginning of each tenancy (Where the Data Protection Act allows).

12. Regular inspections of the Property during the period of the tenancy.

13. Co-ordination of repair or maintenance including arranging for tradesmen to attend the property and obtaining estimates where necessary, and settling accounts from rents received.

14. Making payments on behalf of the Landlord from rents received for maintenance costs for the property.

15. Carrying out a full property inspection and inventory check at the end of the tenancy and dealing with matters relating to unfair wear and tear before releasing the tenant's deposit.

16. Arranging for the legally required energy performance certificates, gas & electrical safety inspections to be carried out and certificates held.

 

We have an initial administration fee of £95.00. This fee is payable once only, at the beginning of the agreement. Please note: We do not charge for tenancy renewals or when a new tenancy begins. See items 1 - 16 above for full details of what is included within our fee. we would also suggest that you check the small print of other agents fees to see what isn't included!

Our ongoing management commission is 10% of subsequent rental payments. There are no other 'hidden' fees. For example - we do not add any 'commission charges' when arranging maintenance on you property or any agreement renewal fees etc etc..

PACKAGE 2 - Non Maintenenace Management Fees

This service includes holding the tenants deposit and arranging for the required safety inspections to be completed, but excludes parts 6,11,12,13,14,15 of the Standard Management Service as listed above.  The fee this service is 7% of the monthly rent.  There is an initial set up fee of £95.00.

PACKAGE 3 - Letting Only Fees

The Letting Only service includes only parts 1 to 5 of the Standard Management Service as listed above.  The fee for the Letting Only Service is equivalent to 60% of the first months rent, with a minimum charge of £250.00. There are no set up fees for this service. All fees are payable at the commencement of the Tenancy and will be deducted from monies received by the Agent on the Landlord's behalf. Landlords must provide current safety certificates and details of the tenancy deposit scheme where the tenants deposit is to be lodged.

We maintain a flexible attitude, and are generally able to adapt our service to meet our clients needs, for example by providing just one part of our service, or alternatively by taking on additional tasks and duties.

Unfortunately V.A.T. must be charged at 17.5% on all fees.

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Guide for Landlords

Before a property can be let, there are several matters which the owner will need to deal with to ensure that the tenancy runs smoothly, and compliance with ever changing legislation. For brief details of a subject click on a link below, or scroll down the page. If you require further advice or assistance with any matter, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Mortgage	Important safety regulations:	Decorations
Leaseholds	- Gas	Furnishings
Sub-letting	- Electrical	Personal items
Insurance	- Furnishings	Gardens
Bills and regular outgoings	- General Products	Cleaning
Council tax	Preparing the property for letting	Mail forwarding
The inventory	General condition	Info for tenants
Income tax	Appliances	Keys

Mortgage

If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your mortgage providers written consent to the letting. They may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement of which you must inform us.

Leaseholds

If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease, and obtain the necessary written consent before letting.

Sub-letting

If you are a tenant yourself, you will require your landlord's consent.

Insurance

You should ensure that you are suitably covered for letting under both your buildings and contents insurance. Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your policies.

Bills and regular outgoings

We recommend that you arrange for regular outgoings e.g. mortgage, service charges, maintenance contracts etc. to be paid by standing order or direct debit. However, where we are Managing the property, by prior written agreement we may make payment of certain bills on your behalf, provided such bills are received in your name at our office, and that sufficient funds are held to your credit.

Council tax

Council tax is the responsibility of the occupier. You should inform your local collection office that you are leaving the property. During vacant periods the charge reverts to the owner. When unoccupied but furnished, the charge is usually 50% of the normal rate. When unoccupied and 'substantially' unfurnished, there is usually no charge for the first six months, and thereafter a charge of 50% of the normal rate.

The inventory

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. In order to provide a complete service to the landlord, we will if requested arrange for an inventory and schedule of condition to be prepared, at a cost to be quoted (This is included in our full management package). We also record digital images.

Income tax

When the landlord is resident in the UK, it is entirely his responsibility to inform the Inland Revenue of rental income received, and to pay any tax due. However, where the landlord is resident outside the UK during a tenancy, unless an exemption certificate is held, we as landlord's agents are obliged to retain and forward to the Inland Revenue on a quarterly basis, an amount equal to the basic rate of income tax from rental received. An application form for exemption from such deductions is available from us and further information may be obtained from the Inland Revenue.

Important safety regulations

The following safety requirements are the responsibility of the owner (the landlord), and where we are to manage the property, they are also ours as agents and we ensure that the necessary checks are completed.

Gas Appliances & Equipment

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 CORGI registered 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.

Electrical Appliances & Equipment

An electrical inspection must be carried out by either an NICEIC or ECA approved contractor. A certificate confirming electrical safety must be submitted with proof that all observations and recommendations noted as requiring 'urgent attention-code 1' or 'improvement-code 2' be rectified by an NICEIC or ECA contractor. This test must be repeated at least every five years. A visual inspection of all sockets, switches, lamp holders and safety devices prior to the commencement of each tenancy year is needed and any defects remedied. Appliances must be checked annually. Circuit breakers should be provided if outdoor appliances (lawnmowers etc.) are likely to be used.

Smoke Alarms

There is no legislation requiring smoke alarms to be fitted, however, as responsible agents, we must insist that at least one smoke alarm is fitted. Where we manage a property, these will be checked for correct operation and where necessary the batteries will be replaced. If no alarms are fitted, we will arrange for these to besupplied and installed at a total cost of £10.00 + vat per unit.

Furniture & Furnishings

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 including 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 (but not all) items which comply must have a suitable permanent label attached. Items purchased since 1st March 1990 from a reputable supplier are also likely to comply.

General Product Safety

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.

Energy Performance Certificates

From 1st October 2008 it will be a legal requirement to give a copy of an EPC to
anyone taking up a new tenancy of a property. The landlord is responsible for
ensuring this is done. EPCs will be valid for 10 years.
Although not compulsory until 1st October, many landlords will commission an
EPC before that date as there is likely to be a surge in demand for new EPCs in
August and September. The cost will be around £80.00 per inspection.
The EPC is produced after an inspection is carried out by an accredited
Domestic Energy Assessor.
For further information please see www.communities.gsi.gov.uk/epbd

Preparing the property for letting

We have found from experience that a good relationship with tenants is the key to a smooth-running tenancy. As Property Managers the relationship part is our job, but it is important that the tenants should feel comfortable in their home, and that they feel that they are receiving value for money. Our policy of offering a service of quality and care therefore extends to our tenant applicants too, and we are pleased to recommend properties to rent which conform to certain minimum standards. Quality properties attract quality tenants.

General condition

Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating and hot water systems must be safe, sound and in good working order. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Appliances

Similarly, appliances such as washing machine, fridge freezer, cooker, dishwasher etc. should be in usable condition. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Decorations

Interior decorations should be in good condition, and preferably plain, light and neutral.

Furnishings

It is our recommendation that you leave only minimum furnishings (if any). These should be of reasonable quality. It is preferable that items to be left are in the property during viewings. If you are letting unfurnished, it is usual for the property to contain carpets, curtains, and a cooker.

Personal items, ornaments etc

Personal possessions, ornaments, pictures, books etc. should be removed from the premises, especially those of real or sentimental value. Some items may be boxed, sealed and stored in the loft at the owner's risk. All cupboards and shelf space should be left clear for the tenant's 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 maintenance visits by our regular gardener.

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.

Mail forwarding

We recommend that you make use of the Post Office redirection service. Application forms are available at their counters, and the cost is minimal. It is not the tenant's responsibility to forward mail.

Information for the tenant

It is helpful if you leave information for the tenant on operating the central heating and hot water system, washing machine and alarm system, and the day refuse is collected etc. (local take away menus are also usually welcomed!)

Keys

You should provide one set of keys for each tenant. Where we are Managing we will arrange to have duplicates cut as required.

 

HMO's (Houses in Multitiple Occupation)

We do not manage H.M.O. properties.

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Please use this form to send us details of your property, and we will contact you to discuss your particular requirements without obligation. Alternatively, e-mail us at enquiries@harcourtestates.co.uk
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Registered in England number 4236696. Copyright Harcourt Estates Ltd 2008