If you are a landlord privately renting your property, you need to make sure that the property you are letting is safe and meets the appropriate standards.
Below are our top tips that will help you and your tenants rest easy at night!
1. Cover the Basics
As a landlord you should aim to meet the industry standard:
Purchase landlord insurance
Provide a property that is safe and in a good state of repair
Let your identity be known as the landlord and provide mutually agreed time for 'checks' on the property
Have readily available fire, energy, electric and gas certificates (review annually)
2. Ask yourself the honest questions
It is always helpful to put yourself in a tenant's shoes; after all, safety is a key factor for long-term tenants.
Are the smoke alarms fully working and (if it's a house) is there one on each floor?
If required, is there a carbon monoxide alarm fitted?
Are all safety certificates readily available if requested?
In the event of an emergency, is it clear where you can turn off the gas and/or electric?
Are all the electrics in safe working order?
Is the hot water and boiler reliable?
3. Know your location
Tenants are likely to want to research the area as well as viewing your property. Make sure you have up to date information to talk about if they do ask questions. Think about the following:
Police crime statistics
Your opinion and the opinions of others already living in the area
Safe routes to/from the train station
Child friendly environment i.e. not on a busy main road
4. Ensure your tenants are aware
The contract agreement that you provide to your tenants should outline how the tenants are obligated to up-keep the property to ensure their safety does not come at risk.
For example you may want them to:
Open windows where necessary to ensure good ventilation (preventing mould)
Avoid creating fire hazards i.e. blocking fire escape routes
Adhere to non-smoking rules in shared areas of the property
Not to tamper with the gas, water or electrical installations
5. Be aware of potential damp and mould
If mould is left unchecked, it could pose serious health risks to those living in the property, as well as damage to the property itself.
We recommend as a landlord that you check if:
Water is leaking from a faulty roof
There are cracks in the walls
There is poor insulation
There are plumbing issues
There is rising damp
There is poor ventilation in the house
To prevent such damage you could apply mould resistant paint; install extractor fans or ensure tenants are keeping the rooms well ventilated.
6. Check on your property regularly
To secure safety standards, we recommend that you at least check the property's safety standards at least once per year and file an audit when it was conducted.
For those landlords that are time poor, this type of service can always be outsourced and of course Normette Homes would be happy to help!
7. Keep up to date with Tenant's rights
Tenant's rights are ever-evolving due to the increase of rental properties within the UK, so to ensure you are not caught out:
Utilise up-to-date contracts that reflect the latest safety regulations
Review Normette Homes' blogs for the latest information
Join a landlord's association e.g. RLA or NLA
Want to stay up-to-date?
Investors, Landlords and Tenants alike can keep up-to-date with the latest industry changes and news by our website or following us on Linkedin.
Contact us
Normette Homes specialise in property investment and tenant sourcing.
Email: info@normettehomes.co.uk
website: www.normettehomes.co.uk
