What safety aspects should I be considering as a landlord? (part 1)

Letting property comes with many obligations from the landlord and here are some main areas Scott Bates and Coles thinks you consider:

• Interested potential tenants must be provided with a copy of the property Energy Performance Certificate at the earliest opportunity, usually within any written details which they may be provided with.
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

This regulation applies to all landlords who let property with any gas installations in place, be it in the form of a boiler, gas fire, oven, hob or portable heater etc. (LPG included)

To comply with this regulation, all gas appliances must be serviced annually and any repairs necessary to bring the appliance(s) up to standard, carried out immediately. The gas engineer must also provide a record of their inspection, a part of which is given to the tenant.

You must ensure that any contractor used is sufficiently qualified to carry out this service.

• Fire and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety)(Amendment) Regulations 1993

These regulations have been in place since early in 1993 and require that all upholstery, upholstered furnishings and soft furnishings (beds, sofas etc) must comply with the fire safety regulations that have been in place for some time now and have governed the sale of such items. They must conform with the three tests used to measure the flame retardant properties of such furnishings, namely The Cigarette Test, The Match Test and the Ignitability Test.

N.B.  You cannot loan, give, sell, or store within the property, any upholstery, upholstered furnishings or soft furnishings (beds, sofas etc) that do not comply with theses fire safety regulations.

• Fire Alarms

                Scott-Bates and Coles INSISTS that smoke detectors be fitted within all property for rent as a basic safety feature.                               

                  Scott-Bates and Coles also recommend that, as well as smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide detectors be fitted within all property for rent where appropriate. (Where there are gas or open fires, or in the location of the boiler if so recommended by the gas engineer).

Properties that come under HMO licensing will have additional fire safety requirements that must be adhered to.

• Electrical equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations state that any electrical equipment in excess of 50 volts must be both safe and satisfy requirements relating to colour coding of main leads, sleeving of pins on plugs and fusing information. The best, and arguably only way, to protect yourself from any possible prosecution as the landlord is to have all the appliances tested (PAT) annually, or between tenancies, by a qualified electrician.

For the same reasons Scott-Bates and Coles cannot recommend enough obtaining a full electrical safety certificate for your property, as this is the only way to help ensure that your tenant is as safe as they should be.

N.B.  You cannot loan, give, sell or store within the property any electrical equipment that does not satisfy the requirements of these regulations.

So what can an agent do for you that you cannot do yourself?

This is something Scott Bates and Coles commonly get asked by landlords tempted at embarking on the lettings process alone, but at what cost? Getting it wrong can be a costly and stressful mistake t make. We summarise our answer to private landlords;

Advice.
The lettings world is full to the brim with legal obligations, and changing regulations. An agent’s role is to ensure they inform you of everything that will affect you as a landlord. They can also advise you of the competition on the rental market at the time, and the best ways to present your property to obtain the best outcome.

Advertising.
Private landlords cannot gain access to market their properties on the large internet portals such as Rightmove. Without this exposure, how can you be sure of finding the ideal tenant at the best rental price?

Taking the hassle out of finding the right tenant.
Let your agent do the running around, and give them the role of making sure your prospective tenant is a reliable one by fully referencing them.

Making sure your property is tenant ready.
Advice to ensure that the property conforms to the latest safety regulations. 

Make sure the paperwork is legally approved.
All our contracts have been approved by a solicitor to ensure that all our landlords have in place legally binding tenancy agreements.  

Informing the utility companies of new tenants details....

managing maintenance, your property accounts, and checking your property throughout the tenancy. A happy tenant equals a longer tenancy. Agents are best placed to deal with tenants needs, whilst keeping in mind their landlords best interests. 

Being best placed to deal with property evictions.
Without the correct Notice documents being issued to your tenants, the eviction process, should it be necessary, can be a stressful and drawn out process. 

Not wasting time.
With a clear property changeover in place, gaps between tenancies, and deposit disputes, can be avoided.

If you looking to rent a property in Devon or Somerset or are a landlord with property that needs a tenant, get in touch with Scott Bates and Coles.