Preparing Your Property for Letting

Furnished or unfurnished?
There is a demand for both types of properties and the more flexile you can be, the more of the market you will attract. The most important factor is to ensure that the property is clean, in a good state of repair and that it shows well to prospective tenants. Neutral colours and modern furniture and fittings will appeal to the majority of the market.

Deposits and Inventory
Since 6th April 2007, all tenants' deposits must be registered. As members of The Dispute Service, and where landlords utilise the adjudication services of The Dispute Service to justify their requests to withold part or all of a tenant deposit, the outcomes of cases is usually reliant upon the validity and integrity of the inventory, chek-in and check-out reports. We therefore strongly recommend that you use one of the recommended inventory companies to prepare this for you.

Cleaning
We recommend that your property is professionally cleaned for the same reason as stated above. If it is not professionally cleaned prior to the tenant moving in, it is then difficult to ask the tenant to do at the end of the tenancy.

Safety Checks

We can arrange any or all of the following checks on your behalf:

~ Gas Safety Certificate

The law requires every gas appliance in your property to be certified as safe on an annual basis by a Gas Safe Engineer.

~Portable Appliance Test (PAT)
As a compliant agent we require all properties to have a PAT.

~Smoke Detectors
Must be installed on each floor in all rental properties

~Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs)
Give information on how to make your home more energy efficient and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. All homes bought, sold or rented reuire an EPC once every ten years.

~Furnishings
It is a requirement that all upholstered furniture in rented properties pass the 'cigarette test'. Generally most furniture purchased from reputable suppliers after March 1990 should comply with the regulations.