Landlords legal essentials
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Required before any let is agreed.
Rates the energy efficiency and its environmental impact
Valid for 10 years
Gascoines charge for arranging: £78 inc VAT
From 1st April 2020 ALL rental properties must have a minimum EPC grade of A-E rating.
Gas Safety Certificate
Legal requirement before any let is agreed
Valid for 12 months
Undertaken by a certifi ed Gas Safe registered engineer
Gascoines charge £60 for boiler inspection and £10 for each additional appliance
Electrical Safety
Currently, as long as you are satisfied with the electrics in your rental property, it is not a legal requirement to provide an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) however this is going to change for new lets and re-let properties from 1st June 2020. It will be a legal requirement to provide your tenants with this information and it must be to a satisfactory level. If works are required to bring the electrics up to current standards, then this must be authorised and completed within 28 days. These reports last for 5 years. From 1st April 2021, this rule will apply to all tenancies, existing and new.
Recommendation is to have any appliances PAT (Portable Appliance Test) every year to ensure fit for purpose
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Legal requirement to have a smoke alarm fi tted to every landing. Carbon Monoxide alarms need to be fi tted in any room with a solid fuel heating appliance. Where there is a boiler sited near the sleeping area of a property, we would recommend an alarm is fitted.
Gascoines charge £20 inc VAT to supply and fi t a smoke alarm and £30 inc VAT for a carbon monoxide alarm
Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations
Upholstered furniture and soft furnishings must meet current Fire Safety Regulations and carry a suitable permanent label Any items made prior to 1950 are exempt
Insurance
It is a legal requirement that all Landlords have full buildings insurance
Contents insurance is not a legal requirement but is recommended for any furnished properties. It is the tenants’ responsibility to insure their contents
Mortgaged/Leasehold properties
If the property is mortgaged, unless it is a Buy to Let mortgage, you will need written permission known as a consent to let from your mortgage provider before you can rent out your property.
If your property is leasehold, you may need written consent before you can sublet
The Landlord must make the letting agent aware of any covenants in the Head Lease as the tenants will need to adhere to them
House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO)
A HMO is where there are three or more tenants forming two or more households who share facilities such as a kitchen. A licence may be required; further advice is available from the local council.
Deposit Protection Scheme
Any deposit paid by the tenant must be registered with a government backed deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receipt. Gascoines can arrange for the legal transfer of your deposit to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) for £40 inc VAT. If you wish to register your own deposit, we will require proof of registration. For fully managed properties, Gascoines will liaise with the TDS regarding the return of the deposit and any disputes that may arise.
Fittings for window blinds
Where blinds are operated by pull cords, it is a legal requirement that all blinds with either cords or chains are secured to the wall using a cord tidy or cleat and are out of the reach of children. Blinds with plastic chain breaker cords will break apart when under pressure, and do not need securing.
Please ask if you are unsure if this affects your property.
