Landlords Services

Landlords Guide

Everybody can be a landlord, right? Section off a spare room, put a lock on it and find an amenable tenant to pay regular fees. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But there’s a lot more to becoming a landlord than you might think. Read on to find out how to do it the right way.

Is your property ready to rent?

Preparing your property before you find a tenant is one of the vital keys in letting your accommodation fast. Make sure you follow these pointers and tenants will be banging on your door pleading with you to let them have first refusal. Well, maybe not quite, but it will make letting a damn sight easier.

First impressions are important, so make sure the front door is in tip top condition.
Air the property a few days before viewing and invest in a couple of air fresheners.
If the room seems a little dark, brighten it with extra lighting or repaint the walls and ceiling in lighter tones.
Clean any tile grouting that has gone black or mouldy.
Have the carpets and rugs professionally cleaned.
Tidy up the garden.
Make an inventory (see Household Inventory below).

You’ll also have to make certain decisions on what kind of rental you’ll be offering:

Will you accept DSS tenants?
Are pets allowed?
Will you provide furniture?
What length of tenancy are you going to agree to?
What bills and taxes are you going to include in the rental price?

How much to charge?

Even more vital in letting out your property is getting the price right. Try the following to gauge the value:

Check the local newspapers to see what others in the area are charging.
Have a gander in a letting agent’s shop window.
Use our web site www.dwood-property.com or go to www.fish4.co.uk, and do a search of properties to let, in and around your postcode.

Get ready for viewings

When the property is in ship-shape fashion and you’re proud to show it to the world, start the marketing – you won’t get better value than right here at Mouse Move™! Here are a few handy tips for successful viewings:

Make sure you get the name and phone number of everybody who inquires in case you need to re-schedule any appointments.
Prepare printed information about the property, including your contact details, which viewers can take away with them.
Make sure you plan your viewing route before the viewing rather than making it up as you go along.
Always enter each room before the viewer so you can immediately draw their attention to the best points.
Ask questions about the tenant’s job, moving in timescale and background.

Picking the right tenant

Assuming you now have a queue of potential tenants eager to move in, you’re now in the enviable position of choosing the right candidate. This should be based on the following:

References from employers, previous landlords and professional acquaintances (see Landlord’s Reference Requirements below)
Credit checks from handy websites such as www.rentchecks.co.uk or www.homelet.co.uk (you must ask permission from the tenant first).

Responsibilities

Which responsibilities are down to you the landlord and which are down to your tenant should be agreed upon in writing before any tenancy contract is signed. In general, the responsibilities are usually allocated as follows: