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Letting your Property
Management Service
General and Safety Information
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended)
Smoke Detection Act 1991
Energy Performance Certificates

Letting your Property

Before letting your Property in Greater Manchester we recommend that you:

• Obtain your mortgage lender's agreement to the tenancy.

 

• Inform your insurance company that your property is to be let. 

 

• Ensure that you comply with the Gas, Electrical Equipment, Furniture and Furnishings Safety legislation and EPC’s (see below).

 

• Clear the property of personal effects and professionally clean the property ready for occupancy.

 

• Ensure the garden is in seasonal order.

 

• Leave instruction manuals for all appliances and the heating system.

 

• Decide what contents will be left in your property during the tenancy remove any items that are not to be included. You may wish to discuss this with us first.

 

• Inform us if you are going to live or work abroad.

 

• Supply at least three full sets of keys including the garage and any other outbuildings and ensure that each set is clearly identifiable. 

 

We can help you with any of the above and arrange for a wide range of property maintenance services to be performed on your behalf [at cost].

Upon receiving your instruction to let the property we will market your property comprehensively.

 

Management Service

 

QuaLETy Ltd – acting on behalf of the Landlord – provide all the services required to let and manage your property in Greater Manchester. 

QuaLETy Ltd will introduce prospective Tenants, perform Tenant referencing, create an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, collect the Security Deposit and initial rent, demand and collect rent on an on-going basis and provide a full range of property management and maintenance services on behalf of the Landlord.

 

Services provided

 

• Visit the property and take full details including location, furnished/unfurnished, date property is available, rent required [and whether any bills are included etc.]. We will also take up to 4 digital images.

 

• Discuss the amount of rent you can expect to receive on a monthly basis and your responsibilities as Landlord.

 

• Advise whether to let your property furnished or unfurnished and what furniture should be left within the property.

 

• Add your property details – together with digital images – to the QuaLETy Ltd web site – which includes an advanced mapping capability so that prospective Tenants can easily locate your property within Greater Manchester.

 

• Pro-actively market your property to prospective Tenants who contact QuaLETy Ltd or who register on the QuaLETy Ltd web site.

 

Use state-of-the-art Internet technologies [such as email, SMS and Internet advertising] to get potential Tenants interested in viewing your property.

 

• Co-ordinate all property viewings between the Landlord and the prospective Tenant.

 

• Contact the prospective Tenant, after they have viewed your property, to gain their feedback / thoughts. Advise you on Tenant feedback / comments.

 

• Notify you when a prospective Tenant decides they wish to rent your property in Greater Manchester.

 

• Apply for references [financial, employment, character, previous addresses] on your behalf.

 

• Arrange for the preparation and signature of the appropriate Tenancy agreement.

 

• Take a Security Deposit [equal to one and one half months rent] to secure against damages. All deposits are processed in accordance with the Tenancy Deposit scheme. Note: Although we try and establish, by talking with the prospective Tenant, whether they have the financial means to pay the rent - we cannot in any way warrant or guarantee the credit worthiness or the future conduct of any prospective Tenant.

 

• Meet the Tenant, execute the Tenancy Agreements, receive a completed Standing Order Mandate, receive the Security Deposit and collect the first months rent.

 

• Take a full video inventory, all utility meter readings and notify utility companies / Council Tax office of the new Tenant details.

 

• Provide you with an itemised statement of account as soon as possible after the commencement of the Tenancy and forward the rent [less QuaLETy Ltd fees].

 

• Send the completed Standing Order mandate to the Tenants bank.

 

• Demand the rent [in accordance with the AST] and hold it within our client account.

 

• Notify you if rent is not paid on time.

 

• Prepare and send you monthly rent statements defining all income and expenditure.

 

• Take day-to-day management responsibility for your property.

 

• Property visits are included as part of the management charge usually on  quarterly basis.  We write to you if we believe the condition of your property to be unsatisfactory. Note: Any visit will only identify visible or obvious problems with the property. These visits will not include checking the inventory and/or schedule of condition.

 

• At the end of the Tenancy check the inventory / schedule of condition to assess whether the property is, in our opinion, in a reasonable state, subject to fair wear and tear. If necessary, we will make any appropriate deductions from the deposit to cover the Tenant’s share of costs for repairs or replacements.

 

• Return the Security Deposit to the Tenant at the end of the Tenancy [after he/she vacates the property] provided that he/she has, complied with the terms of the Tenancy, the condition of the property is satisfactory and that the terms of the inventory /schedule of condition are also satisfactory. Any discrepancy will be noted and dealt with in accordance with the Tenancy Deposit scheme. 
Note: If you [or a representative] wish to inspect the property after the Tenant has vacated and before we return the Security Deposit to the Tenant then you must do so within five working days from the date the Tenant leaves the property.

 

General and Safety Information

As a Landlord you are required by law to ensure that your property is safe for any prospective Tenant prior to occupation. The regulations detailed below outline your responsibilities as a Landlord and should be complied with. If you require any assistance or advice in respect of the following information, please contact QuaLETy Ltd.

 

Should you require assistance in ensuring that the relevant gas/electrical safety inspections are carried out, please contact QuaLETy Ltd – who are able to arrange these safety checks on your behalf.

 

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

 

Any person letting their property must ensure that all gas appliances or installation pipework in that property is maintained in a safe condition to prevent risk of injury. All such appliances and pipework must be checked annually by an approved Gas Safe registered contractor and a report obtained – “The Gas Safety Record”, this record must be kept for two years. The Tenant must be given a copy of the record within 28 days of the inspection being carried out. However, with a new tenancy, the Tenant must be given a copy of the Gas Safety Record at the time they take occupation. If found guilty of non-compliance, the Landlord will then have a criminal record and face a fine, imprisonment or both. Should a Tenant die, then the charge would be manslaughter. It is important that you check the record when receiving it from the Gas Safe contractor to ensure that all gas appliances are listed on the record and that they have been passed as safe.

 

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994

 

All appropriate electrical equipment supplied in a property must comply. There is no mandatory requirement to undergo testing but the duty of care remains. Any person supplying electrical equipment must ensure that it is safe, will not cause danger and satisfies the requirements of the regulations. These require electrical equipment to be safe and constructed with good engineering practice. Although there is no mandatory requirement to have appliances checked, or any stipulations as to how often the supply or appliances might need to be checked, you should have all electrics (wiring, plugs, sockets etc.) and electrical appliances checked before the commencement of a tenancy and regularly thereafter.

 

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended)

 

This covers soft furnishings such as: mattresses, padded headboards, bed bases, sofas, armchairs, chairs, cushions, etc. Exemptions: furniture or furnishings manufactured before 1950 and after 1989. How will you know whether the furniture complies? There should be labels attached. What if there are no labels? You must provide proof of the date of purchase. You cannot get round the regulation by selling, giving or leaving the furniture for the tenants. This is still considered supplying. Non-compliance can mean that you will be found guilty of a criminal offence and face a fine, imprisonment, or both.

 

Smoke Detection Act 1991

 

This act make it mandatory to fit mains powered smoke alarms in new residential buildings – one on each floor. Whilst it is not a requirement in older properties, it is good practice to install smoke alarms in all instances.

 

Energy Performance Certificates

These became a mandatory requirement for all properties rented out from 1st October 2008. A property must not be advertised for rent without one. The certificate must be shown to all prospective tenants.