Common Questions When Letting Your Property

There’s a demand for both furnished and unfurnished accommodation and normally there’s little or no difference in the rent that can be achieved. There’s similarly no difference from a legal point of view, although all soft furnishings have to comply with current safety regulations. It’s usual to leave a cooker and either blinds or curtains. Any upholstered furniture must comply with the Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 which sets the levels of fire resistance for domestic upholstered furniture.

First, you’ll need to inform you lender as this will likely affect your mortgage rate and obtain a “Consent To Let”.

You should also notify your Buildings & Contents insurers, who will advise you of the requirements to maintain your policy. You may need to change your insurer, as some insurers will not insure tenanted properties or they may reduce the level of cover provided.

If the property is leasehold, you’ll need to check with the management company or your leasehold agreement to ascertain if there are any restrictive covenants which forbid letting. If there are no restrictions, you’ll need to check if there are any restrictions outside of your leasehold.

Speak to one of MAB’s mortgage and protection advisers if you are unsure of any requirements.

When letting a property, it must meet essential physical and habitation standards. The property should be in good repair throughout, from roof to foundation, and free from damp and mould, with all utilities in proper working order. This includes adequate sanitation facilities with reliable hot and cold water, effective drainage, and suitable bathroom and toilet provisions. Adequate heating and lighting must also be provided in safe, working order.

It is also important to ensure the property is left in a good, clean condition and that the garden is neat and tidy. The condition in which you let your property, should match the condition of when it was first let – subject to reasonable wear and tear from the previous tenants.

If the tenant fails to clean the property before leaving, as your property manager we can employ a professional cleaner and charge the tenant for the costs.

There is no best time of year to list a rental property. It normally takes about 2-6 weeks to find suitable applicant and for them to move into the property. Before your property is let for the first time, you’ll want to list it the moment it is ready for a tenant.

For landlords with leaving tenants, you’ll want to list your property as soon as their notice begins.

No More ‘No-Fault’ Evictions

All tenancies will become Assured Periodic Tenancies

Stricter rent and advertisement rules

Removal of rent in advance

Changes to guarantors

PRS Database & Landlord Ombudsman

Pets welcome

Failing to comply with these changes will result in strict fines, most of which are cumulative with each offence. See our full guide to the incoming changes and All The Info You Need To Prepare.

From May, you will only be able to review your properties rent 12 months after the tenancy agreement is signed. This means it is more important than ever to get an accurate valuation of your investment home, not only will it help you get the most out of your investment, but it’ll also help you let your property quicker.

A rent review can only increase in line with average property rates in the area for similar properties. Tenants have the right to disagree with increases so it’s important you know your properties worth.

If a tenant raises an objection with the tribunal, the increase can’t be implemented until after the tribunal ruling, which could take several months. If the tribunal decide the rent increase is fair, the new rent comes into effect from the date of the ruling, not the notice date.

The government have recently expanded the list of information you are required to provide your tenant, and this expanded list will be mandatory from May 2026.

From obvious information like names and addresses to explaining sections of landlord legislation so your tenant is fully informed on their rights. If you don’t do this, you will face legal consequences.

A deposit is taken and held in respect of any breakages, damage or losses incurred during the tenancy period because of negligence on the part of the tenant.

Unless specifically instructed, a deposit of 5 weeks rent will be held by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) (https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/) for the duration of the tenancy.

In our Tenant Introduction package, we’ll forward the deposit to you. You’ll need to ensure that it is registered with one of the Government approved schemes within 14 days of receipt. The penalty for not doing so could result in a fine. We can lodge the deposit on your behalf if required.

This deposit is not liable for any taxation and will not accrue any interest. Subject to a final inspection being carried out, this deposit is refunded directly to the tenant, less any deductions.

If a tenant can no longer pay rent, you can protect yourself against loss of rent and legal costs by arranging Rent & Legal protection. The cost varies, but we offer packages with transparent fees for landlords using our property management services:

For landlords under the Fully Managed plan, you can pay an additional £300+VAT per year to receive Rent & Legal protection.

Landlords who subscribe to our Platinum package get this feature included in the annual cost, with an additional property visit.

It is advisable to retain enough funds to meet at least one mortgage payment as some companies apply a penalty for missed or late payments.

Provided we have received the rent, we do a payment run every day, except for weekends and bank holidays. The payment should appear in your account the following working day. We’ll send you a statement detailing the income and expenditure once a year, following your payment or at your request.

Your rental income is liable to tax, whether you’re a taxpayer in the UK or not.

If you’re a resident overseas, we will, as your Managing Agents, retain sufficient funds to meet tax liabilities, under the provision of the Taxes and Management Act 1970, unless you’re able to provide us with a Tax Exemption Certificate.

You’ll need to contact the Inland Revenue to obtain a NRL1 form (Non Resident Landlord). The basis of your assessment will be the gross rent received, less a deduction for allowable expenses relating to your property during the tenancy.

We’re unable to calculate your assessments with the Inland Revenue and recommend that you consult your own accountant or professional adviser as it may be possible for you to receive the rental income without the deduction of basic rate tax. Any excess held after the resolution of your tax liability will be returned - no interest will be paid on this money.

Unless specifically stated or instructed (in writing) otherwise, the rental charge is will not include gas, electricity, water, television licence, telephone and council tax.

You should be aware that the Water Act 2003 entitles the tenant to have a water meter installed, without permission, once they have occupied the property for longer than six months.

If you are leaving the property, you should inform your utility companies that you’re moving out. Tenants should be encouraged to set up their own utilities within a week of moving into your property and as contact their utilities they’re vacating as soon as possible.

When managing your property, we use a company called Help The Move, who notify the utility companies and council when a new tenant moves in or when tenants vacate. If your property is untenanted, you will be required to cover utilities during this period. We’ll retain a record of meter readings for you but will need you to advise providers that we’ll be acting on your behalf as they will not communicate with us.

While not required, it’s always advisable to provide instruction manuals. By not doing so, your tenant could cause damage to your appliance and you may not be able to hold them responsible if you haven’t supplied instructions.

You have a responsibility to maintain the appliances in good working order unless you specifically opt out of this responsibility. You can download some instructions from www.instruction-manuals.co.uk.

Since 1st February 2016 all Landlords and Letting Agents in England who allow a Tenancy have needed to make checks on ID for all adult occupiers

Where an application is made by person or persons with a time limited right to rent who are not a British Citizen, EEA or Swiss national, they must provide a valid leave to enter or remain in the UK permit.

We will obtain an original version of acceptable proof of ID for each occupier and will check them in the presence of the holder. A copy will be retained and kept for 12 months after the end of the tenancy.

For our managed landlord, if the tenant’s Right to Rent is time limited, the expiry date is noted by our team who will contact them prior to that date where we will run the checks again.
If we carry out these checks and the tenant(s) no longer has the right to rent, we’ll make a report to the Home Office.

Landlords are now required to carry out appropriate risk assessments otherwise they may risk prosecution. The risk assessment may be carried out by a competent person or the Landlord, if they are deemed competent.

Risk assessments should be reviewed regularly and whenever there is any change, such as vulnerable tenants, written records should be kept of whenever a risk assessment was carried out.

If you would like further verification about the new requirements, please use this link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020 and apply to all tenancies created on or after that date in England from 1 July 2020.

Regulations require landlords to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected at least every 5 years and tested by a person who is qualified and competent. Landlords will also have to provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants as well as to the local authority if requested.

From October 2015 it became mandatory for all properties to have a smoke alarm on each level of the building and a carbon monoxide detector in each room where there is a gas appliance.

If we manage your property, we will test the smoke alarms at the beginning of any new tenancy, but the tenant will be responsible for testing and replacing batteries during the tenancy.

If there are no smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors in the property in preparation for the tenancy start date, either you or our property management team will arrange for them to be installed before a tenancy starts at the cost of the landlord.

It became law in October 1994 to ensure that all gas appliances (boilers, cookers, fires and water heaters etc.) must be checked annually by Gas Safe registered (domestic) engineers.

 It’s the Landlord’s ultimate responsibility to adhere to this regulation and to provide a Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate. This must be available to us before the let can proceed and must then be done on a yearly basis. We’ll be happy to organise this on your behalf, upon receipt of your signed Terms of Engagement.