Tips and advice

In order to attract a quality tenant it is essential that your property is as presentable and in as good a state of repair as possible. We like to consider that all of our rental properties meet a minimum standard to maximise both rental income and quality of tenant.

General condition

Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating, hot water systems and appliances must be safe, sound and in good working order. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established. Instructions for all systems and appliances must be provided.

Decorations and furnishings

Interior decorations should be in good condition, and preferably plain, light and neutral. It is recommended that you leave only minimum furnishings, and these should be of reasonable quality. It is preferable that the items to be left are in the property during viewings. If you are letting unfurnished, we recommend that the property contains as an absolute minimum floor and window coverings and a cooker.

Cleaning

At the commencement of a tenancy the property must be in a thoroughly clean condition, and at the end of each tenancy it is the tenant's responsibility to leave the property in similar condition. Where they fail to do so, cleaning should be arranged at their expense.

Personal items, ornaments etc

Personal possessions, ornaments, pictures, books etc. should be removed from the premises, especially those of real or sentimental value. All cupboards and shelf space should be left clear for the tenant's own use.

Gardens

Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish-free, with any lawns cut. Tenants are required to maintain the gardens to a reasonable standard, provided they are left the necessary tools. However, few tenants are experienced gardeners, and if you value your garden, or if it is particularly large, you may wish us to arrange regular visits by a gardener.

Mail Forwarding

We recommend that you make use of the Post Office redirection service. Application forms are available at their counters or online (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/product1?catId=400040&mediaId=600008) and the cost is minimal. It is not realistic to expect tenants to provide a mail forwarding service.

Keys

You should provide one full set of keys for each adult tenant and a sole tenant is entitled to a spare set. Where we are managing we will arrange to have duplicates cut as required.