Do you want to rent out your property?

There are various considerations to factor in when making a decision to rent out your property once you have been provided with an up to date, rental appraisal.

Lettings is heavily legislated, and the first step is to obtain an EPC (Energy performance certificate) – this has to be an E rating or above to be able to market the property initially. Without this in place or if the rating is below an E, a property cannot be marketed for rental purposes. There can be exemptions in certain situations but without an exemption certificate, an EPC to the relevant standard is required.

Once you have the EPC, marketing has taken place and a suitable tenant is found, there are various safety certificates that are required prior to a tenancy commencing:

Gas safety certificate – If applicable and if any gas in the property. This is an annual certificate which is to check that all gas appliances & connections are safe.

EICR – Electrical inspection condition report – a 5-year certificate and which came in to force as of 1st July 2020 for all new tenancies and applicable to all tenancies, whether new or existing as of 1st April 2021. A safety report to ensure that the electrics within your property are safe and to current standards.

PAT test (portable appliance test) – This is required on any freestanding portable electrical appliances and white goods and again on an annual basis. It is a landlord’s responsibility to ensure that any electrical appliances are safe for tenant use.

Smoke alarms & CO Alarms – Installation of alarms will be required to adhere to Code of Practice B5839 Part 6. This includes smoke alarms being fitted in all hallways, stairway and circulation areas that form escape routes from the property. They should be located every 7.5 metres of hallway, and within at least 3 metres of all bedrooms. CO alarms should be present by a boiler and any open fireplaces (whether they are in use or not). Generally, these alarms are sealed units with either a 7 or 10 year expiry date. All expiry dates are required to be provided to a tenant on move in and they will need to be checked to ensure they are fully operational.

Legionella – It is a landlords responsibility to make sure that water sources are checked prior to tenancy and a risk assessment undertaken to ensure that the water system is safe. A simple assessment is required to ensure that boiler temperature is correct, that taps are flushed through regularly to ensure that there is no buildup of harmful bacteria and that any water tanks are sealed and unable to be contaminated. More information on this can be found on hse.gov.uk/legionnaires

Selective Licence/HMO Licence – Licences on certain properties are required and if applicable, to rent a property. We are able to offer help as to the likelihood of these in relation to your rental property, however they will always need to be applied for directly (and any information or final decisions) made via your local Council. It is your responsibility as a Landlord to ensure that if they are required, that they are in place. A copy of the licence/s will be requested prior to a tenancy going ahead.

Fines and prosecution are in place for non-compliance of all required certification and without them, you may be unable to serve notice on your tenant.

Rush Witt & Wilson are here for all your lettings needs and to guide you through the process.
Contact a member of our team today on 01424 430011 / 446916 or alternatively via email – [email protected]

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