Landlords

On your invitation, we will visit your property at a mutually convenient date and time to provide you with a current rental valuation together with an indication of its letting potential. It is always useful for us to know what the minimum rental amount is to permit us the flexibility to do business with the best potential tenant rather than just the wealthiest. Advice as to level and quality of furnishings, decor & fittings would be available, all free of charge and without obligation. If you decide to appoint Intercity Accommodation we will market the property as soon as our management agreement has been signed and keys are received. We will then undertake viewings (always accompanied) with prospective tenants, seek employers’ references, proof of earnings and undertake a legal tenancy agreement on your behalf. A detailed inventory of the condition of the property and its contents will be drawn prior to the tenant’s occupation of the premises.

Each time that a new tenant is located a charge, the equivalent of one week’s rent will be made. If an existing tenant simply wishes to accept a further tenancy a charge of £100 is made to reflect administration time and costs. Our commission rate starts at 11% & VAT. No advance payment is required from you, as these charges will be deducted from the rental income. The Agency will undertake any advertising of your property that we feel may be necessary and there is no charge for this. However in the unlikely event that you wish specific additional marketing, we can discuss with you and advise you on the likely effectiveness and costs at that time.

The minimum period of letting is six months, which means that you cannot gain possession of your property before six months have expired. Longer tenancies are possible and we can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this if you so wish. Remember that you can usually only obtain possession of your property at the end of a tenancy agreement. Possession before the end of a tenancy is possible only if the tenant has breached one or more of the tenancy terms. It is always helpful if an indication can be provided of the anticipated maximum duration of let. Many prospective tenants may be deterred if the maximum let is only six months. The Housing Act made it lawful to enter into a tenancy of less than 6 months. If you require such a short letting then we can discuss this with you.

The practice of some companies is to charge commission in advance for the entire duration of the tenancy regardless of whether rent is actually received or not. Our charging structure means that unless a tenant pays the rent due, we cannot collect our commission. Clearly it would not be in our interests to accept a tenant where we have any doubts whatsoever as to their future conduct. At times of low demand there may be pressures to secure a letting for a property that may have been vacant for some time. However we would rather offer you the option of employing another agent than risk securing an unsuitable tenant. The legal requirement to undertake the Right to Rent check together with financial, employment and previous Landlord references are all an included part of our service.

If the tenancy has expired and no less than 2 months notice has been served then possession is guaranteed. If possession is required during the term of a tenancy then you must be able to prove (to a court if necessary) that your tenant has actually done something which is in breach of the tenancy. There are 17 grounds that may be relied upon of which 9 are discretionary and the remainder are mandatory. An example of a discretionary ground is one where the tenant has not taken good care of the premises. The courts decision as to whether possession is awarded or not depends entirely upon the circumstances of the case. An example of a mandatory ground is one where the tenant has accrued two months rent arrears. Such decisions would be made by the County Court.

If you have borrowings secured against the property then yes. The lender may impose certain conditions and they may also wish the Agency to serve your tenant certain notices. You must also inform your insurance company that your property is going to be tenanted.

Unless you agree otherwise, the tenant is responsible for the payment of gas, electricity, water rates, council tax (or equivalent) telephone account and personal belongings insurance. The Agency would always take meter readings for the gas and electricity supply immediately before and after each letting with details being advised to the appropriate authorities direct.

The tenant’s obligation is to pay rent within 7 days of the 1st day of each month. You can expect to receive your net rent as soon as your tenant’s payment has cleared the banking system. This will usually be before the middle of the month. It will be paid directly into your bank account and a statement will be posted to you. If your tenant is due to vacate the property, then rent will paid by the middle of the month following vacation in anticipation of repair expenses that may be incurred during the last month. Rent may also be carried forward if a repair invoice is anticipated during the course of the letting. Interest will not be paid on money which is retained providing that the retention is not unreasonable.

You would be expected to repair/replace any item supplied by you within the property if it deteriorates or breaks down. This duty does not extend to the tenants belongings. Additionally, Landlords are not obligated to repair/replace items which have failed due to tenant negligence or in cases where a superior alternative exists; although many Landlords exercise discretion in such circumstances. You would not normally be expected to improve the property beyond its original condition although you may wish to do so to ensure a long and successful letting. We will ask you whether you want to arrange for repairs yourself or whether you wish our office to arrange them on your behalf or indeed a combination of both. The Agency can use your appointed, qualified tradesman providing that s/he is able to respond with reasonable speed to instructions. This is vital to retain the confidence of tenants. The Agency will always appoint our own contractors to deal with emergency repairs in your absence and out of office hours. A charge based on 10% & VAT of the invoice cost will be levied in respect of administrating repairs on your behalf. 

Careful selection of tenants are regular property inspections mean that damages are rare. The tenant's deposit will be protected by a Government approved scheme who will be the final artitrators (supported by evidence from our office) of any unreasonable wear and tear. A detailed inventory of contents will be drawn prior to each and every new letting.

Letting a property is similar to selling a house in that the price, quality and particularly location are all factors. The times of peak demand are generally July/August/September and properties that are competitively priced and in the most popular areas will be let earlier than those that are not. Forecasting the letting market has its uncertainties but as a guide we would say that the average property becoming available at a time of average demand would take approximately 4-6 weeks to let.

Whilst the property is vacant the property will be visited as many times as there are prospective tenants wishing to view. There is no restriction to your access rights at this stage. Once the property is let, inspections must be undertaken strictly by prior appointment with the tenant via your Agent - except for emergencies. The Agency obtains monthly inspection rights for all properties but where appropriate, inspections may be more or less frequent.

Empty properties are always at risk. We do not manage vacant properties although the property may be visited during the course of viewings with prospective tenants. Your insurers will normally wish to be notified by you of any period exceeding 30 days that the property may be unoccupied. Additionally you may wish to fit a timer switch to internal/external lighting. During winter months you may be advised to drain the water supply system or to operate background central heating.

You must declare to the Inland Revenue all your rental income. There are many allowable expenses that you can claim before tax is finally charged including your agent’s charges, buildings insurance and repair costs. In many cases these expenses can reduce the annual tax bill to a negligible level.