Renting out and landlords responsibility ?

Question

o.k. , what have i got to do / provide to rent out an upstairs flat ex council . help .

Answer 1

You join us landlords by putting a For Rent sign in the window.  Check the credit and jobs of prospective tenants.  Collect the rent. Give them the keys.  Fix anything that breaks.  Then do it all again in 1 year.

Answer 2

The question is a little vague but I hope this helps. Flats can be made available furnished or unfurnished, so how this is presented is your choice, but I would recommend keeping an open mind and being flexible as people will ask for and require varying levels of furnishing, of course all white goods should be included regardless.

From a legal point of view you will need to arrange for a gas safety inspection if there is gas and need a certificate from a Corgi registered engineer. A copy of this must go to the tenant. I would also recommend an electrical inspection, either a PEI (periodic electrical inspection) or a PAT (portable appliance test). These check the wiring, the PEI checks the wiring of the property, while the PAT covers appliances. PEI is more thorough. It is not a legal requirement but will cover you should the tenant get electrocuted as the contractors have signed that the flat is safe. New legislation has come in about Energy efficiency but this will not become legal until October and you should not encounter this if you act completely privately.

You should of course contact your mortgage provider if you have one and get consents to let, you could end up in all manner of difficulties if you have a mortgage that does not allow renting of the flat.

Other than that you maintain responsibility for the fabric of the building and have to have done all that you can to be sure its sound i.e repairing cracks etc. For the move in you should create an inventory of all your belongings in the property that will stay like furniture and record the state of the apartment at the start of the tenancy. All deposits must now be protected by a deposit scheme there are free ones for independent landlord's but you will need to pay over those funds with a set period of time.

If you need more advice look to websites primelocation that have a handy section for new landlord's.

Answer 3

Good agents are full of invaluable advice, so use them. Book an appointment for them to come and give you a rental  valuation, they will also give you all the advice and infomation you will need. The valuation is free, and you can just get back to them after a couple of weeks and say you have changed your mind. If you can not meet them in the flat then go to the office and ask for info.

Answer 4

Not clear on what the question is. You are renting out an apartment (flat) whatever, and you need to know what your responsibilities are? The fee paid is considered earned income for starters, make sure you have an account specifically for emergencies ie; plumbing, electrical etc. As long as the place is habitable and you are maintaining it with no hidden fees to the renter, you should be fine. Check with your local laws in regards to licensing and fees.

Dang Birdie, that was pretty deep! (grin)