Having rental properties is an investment. Whether you have one property or a portfolio, being a landlord comes with rules and responsibilities.
As a landlord, you are responsible for quite a number of things designed to keep your property and your tenants safe.
Keep your rental properties safe and free of health hazards.
This includes;
- ensuring that the property is structurally safe,
- investigating causes of damp and mould,
- ensuring there is running water and functional hygiene facilities (toilet/sink/bath or shower).
- Hot water and heating
- Notifying your tenants and local authority about any asbestos in the property and ensuring that it is surveyed and removed if necessary.
Gas and Electrical Safety
You must make sure that any gas and electrical equipment you provide in your property is installed safely and maintained properly. This includes;
- Ensuring that all gas equipment is safely installed and maintained by a Gas Safe Engineer.
- Have a Gas Safe Registered Engineer perform annual gas safety checks on supplied appliances and flue
- Provide your tenant with a copy of the gas safety check record before they move into your property and within 28 days of the annual check thereafter.
- Checking that your electrical system is safe which includes sockets, light fittings and any electrical appliance you supply within the tenancy.
Fire Safety
Ensure that your property is fire safe for your tenants. This includes:
- Fitting and testing smoke alarms on each storey of the property
- Fitting and testing carbon monoxide alarms
- Ensuring any room with a solid fuel burning appliance (such as a coal fire or wood burning stove) is also fitted with a functional smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm.
Energy Performance Certificate
Your home must have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). These certificates are valid for 10 years and give potential tenants information about how much their energy costs might potentially be while renting your property from you.
Deposit Protection Scheme
You are required to place your tenants deposit into a government approved deposit protection scheme. These schemes ensure that your tenant gets their deposit back as long as they
- Meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
- Do not cause damage to your property
- Pay the rent and the bills.
Repairs
You have a legal right to enter your property to inspect them and carry out repairs as longs as you give your tenants at least 24 hours’ notice (unless in the case of emergencies). As a landlord, you are normally responsible for repairs to:
- The structure of your property
- Basins, sinks, baths and other sanitary fittings
- Heating systems and hot water systems
- Anything that you damage in the course of attempting repairs
If you need help in locating tenants for your rental property or would like to know more about our fully managed service, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Call us on 0191 716 6828
Email us at info@house2homeresidential.co.uk