Letting a property in Leicester
Everything a landlord needs to get right before a tenant moves in, and everything that has to stay right while they live there.
Where to start
Letting a property looks simple until the first thing goes wrong. Most of the cost and stress a landlord runs into comes from something that was missed at the start, not from bad tenants. This guide walks through the whole process in the order it actually happens.
Before you let
Six things that must be in place before a tenant moves in. None of them are optional and all of them carry penalties if missed.
Gas Safety Record
An annual check by a Gas Safe registered engineer on every gas appliance and flue. The tenant gets a copy before they move in, and within 28 days of each new check.
Electrical safety report
An EICR carried out at least every five years by a qualified electrician. A copy goes to the tenant and, on request, to the council.
Energy Performance Certificate
A property must be rated E or above to be let, unless a valid exemption is registered. The EPC lasts ten years.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
A smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance. Both tested on the day the tenancy starts.
Deposit protection
Any deposit must go into a government approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information given to the tenant. Miss this and a court can order you to pay the tenant up to three times the deposit.
Right to Rent checks
Every adult occupier must have their right to rent in England verified before the tenancy begins, with copies kept for the duration.
Preparing the property
A property that shows well lets faster and lets to better tenants. It is rarely about spending a lot, it is about the property being clean, working and neutral.
Deep clean throughout, including the oven, the windows and behind appliances.
Repair everything on the snagging list, however small. A tenant who sees three broken things assumes nobody is looking after the place.
Repaint in a neutral colour. It photographs better and it makes end of tenancy comparisons far easier.
Clear and cut back the garden, including gutters and any outside taps.
Test every appliance, tap, radiator, socket and lock yourself before the photographs are taken.
Prepare a written inventory with dated photographs. This is the single most useful document you will own if a deposit is ever disputed.
During the tenancy
Repairs
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes you responsible for the structure and exterior, and for the installations supplying water, gas, electricity, sanitation, heating and hot water. That duty cannot be passed to the tenant in the tenancy agreement.
Inspections
Two inspections a year is a sensible rhythm. Give at least 24 hours written notice, photograph what you find, and act on small problems while they are still small.
Rent reviews
Rent can only go up once a year, by serving a Section 13 notice with at least two months notice. Rent review clauses in a tenancy agreement no longer apply.
Ending a tenancy
Most deposit disputes come down to one thing: whether the property is in a worse condition than fair wear and tear allows. That is judged against your inventory, which is why the inventory matters more than anything else you prepare.
Carry out a check out inspection against the original inventory, with photographs taken from the same positions.
Fair wear and tear is not damage. Carpet that has thinned over three years is wear. A burn in that carpet is damage.
Return the deposit, or the undisputed part of it, within ten days of agreeing the deductions.
Turn the property round quickly. Every week a property sits empty costs more than the work usually does.
Where KIWAMI comes in
Let Only
We market the property, run the viewings, reference the tenant and set up the tenancy. You take it from there.
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Full management
We handle the tenant, the repairs, the inspections and the compliance dates, and report back to you.
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Property care
Cleaning, maintenance and turnarounds between tenancies, arranged through one contact.
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