Thinking of renting your property here’s some helpful hints for Owners and Landlords.

1. Apply for mortgage lenders consent
2. Notify your insurance companies
3. Obtain gas and electrical appliance safety certificates. (Oil & Solid Fuel C.H. Systems must also be checked & serviced annually - record to be kept)
4. Decide what furniture and /or fittings you intend to leave in the property. It is not advisable to leave bedding, televisions, videos and personal items
5. Ensure furnishings to be left in the property comply with fire regulations
6. Carry out any necessary repairs and remove anything potentially dangerous
7. Make sure the property is in a clean and tidy condition, particularly the kitchen, bathroom, carpets and curtains - as YOU would hope to find it if moving in yourself! A Tenant can tell if the property is well cared for and is more likely to look after it during the tenancy if it is clean at the start
8. Overseas landlords apply for tax exemption certificates

When you've found a tenant

1. Remove all personal items from the property
2. Remove all unwanted and non compliant furniture
3. Ensure that the property is clean and the garden is tidy
4. Arrange re-direction of your mail via the Post Office
5. Landlord to inform all utility companies of the change of occupancy along with British Telecom or other supplier that you will not be requiring further use of the telephone line from the commencement of the tenancy. Whilst Reeds Rains try to ensure that utility companies are furnished with the correct readings, Reeds Rains can not be held responsible for the utility companies failure to recognise the information provided
6. Let your agent have three separate sets of access keys / 2 sets on a Let Only
7. Ensure that the central heating boiler pilot light is lit
8. Take out any protection you feel necessary such as rent indemnity or legal protection, buildings, contents insurance cover

N.B. INSTRUCTION MANUALS or LEAFLETS, in ENGLISH, must be left at your property for all APPLIANCES, THE CENTRAL HEATING BOILER AND SYSTEMS before the Schedule of Condition & Inventory can be undertaken. By LAW, copies of these must be given to each Tenant at the commencement of the Tenancy. ALTERNATIVELY, CLEAR HAND WRITTEN OR TYPED INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE REQUIRED. (Failure to provide these will result in unnecessary delays)