Renting and Managing your Property
Tenancy Management
Kerr and Co's Property Management Service has been running alongside our Lettings Department for over 20 years to ensure all our clients are supported throughout the rental process -
especially as it can be daunting for many of our new landlords.
A Tenancy agreement is a binding contract between the occupier and the landlord/ manager of the property. A successful partnership results from good and clear communication between both parties. Once you let your property your obligations as a landlord are ongoing, and there is an emphasis to maintain a good relationship and regular contact with the tenants to ensure they are happy and they to fulfil their obligations throughout the tenancy .
If you are managing the property yourself, you need to be there and on hand and accessible to help your tenants with any questions and offer speedy resolutions when issues arise. Our property management department a dedicated property managers who are experts in the day to day management of a wide range of properties from individual flats to family houses to large dedicated block management.
A Dedicated Support
Tenants are very happy when they first move into their new home and proud of where they live. Great property management is about enhancing this feeling, with good communication from check-in to check-out.
Our aim is to help your tenant keep their property in the best possible condition. Whilst they are in charge of the everyday upkeep of their home, we are here to stay on top of maintenance with your tenants as they report any issues and fixing them before they could become major issues.
Helping Landlord with the Upkeep of Your Property and Getting the Best Tenants
Before your property is even on the market Kerr and Co can help and support the landlord by giving advice and support . The property needs to be fully prepared, checked before the new tenants move in. It is essential that everything is in working order with access to all manuals and useful information, as well as being professionally cleaned.
Property Management Service
Just like your own home, your investment will need regular servicing, updating and maintenance. Making a success of your investment needs a plan, a list of routine jobs and good habits. This is best approached with a preventative maintenance plan.
This proactive management approach has several advantages, such as:
We have an in-house team of maintenance and trades men who are on hand to keep your property in tip top condition. We can instruct them on medium sized jobs ranging from loose door handles and hinges to jet-washing patios, repairing leaks and breakages. We can also help prolong the life of the boiler by organising a service at the same time as the annual gas safety certificate is carried out. These preventative measures reduce the likelihood of costly repairs and put the tenants mind at ease.
The rewards are reliable, long-term tenants, a well maintained property a steady rental income and your asset continuing to gain value.
Safety & legal compliance
The work we do in finding the tenant, setting up the tenancy agreement, helping arrange appropriate certificates and check-in formalities, covers you for many of the risks at the start of the tenancy. There are now over 150 pieces of legislation for a Landlord to keep on top of, the key ones being:
Electrical safety
All rented properties now require an Electrical Installation Condition Report to be carried out every five years. You will also need to provide a copy to your tenant within 30 days of the certificate being issued.
Annual gas safety check
Any property containing a gas supply needs to have an annual Landlord’s gas safety inspection. You will also need to provide a copy to your tenant within 28 days of the certificate being issued, otherwise you won’t be able to serve a Section 21 notice to end the tenancy.
Smoke alarms & carbon monoxide detectors
Your property needs to be fitted with a smoke alarm on each floor and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a gas appliance. Both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms will need to be tested and working on the day of move-in and whenever you visit the property.
Property inspections
Regular visits to the property during the tenancy will help you make sure the property is being looked after, there are no maintenance issues the tenant has missed and the smoke alarms are in working order.
Risk of Legionnaires' disease
Legionella can develop when water becomes stagnant. If your property is empty for a while, we recommend carrying out a Legionella risk assessment.
Property licensing
We recommend staying in regular contact with the Local Authority to understand any changes to licensing schemes that affect your property.
Houses of multiple occupancy & licensed properties
If you rent to three or more unrelated tenants it’s likely that your property will be considered a ‘House in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO) and there are more legal requirements for this type of let. In some instances, regardless of how many tenants you have, you may also require a licence from your local authority in order to rent your property out. Licensing schemes are constantly changing, so we are here to help you keep on top of new schemes or amendments to existing ones.
There are separate rules when you manage a property with a licence or a HMO:
You may need additional certificates such as a fire risk assessment
There is a requirement for more frequent formal inspections when the property is licensed
Fire safety is very important and you, not the tenant, have to check the smoke alarms are working during the tenancy
The licence may require you to send a receipt to your tenant as soon as you receive a rental payment
The licence and certificates will need to be displayed prominently in the property
It is quite usual for the local authority to inspect your property and check its condition. They particularly look for issues with damp, mould and condensation, fire safety, waste management, security and check that the right number of people are living in the property. If they have any concerns they can issue an improvement notice which has to be acted on immediately.
Not having a licence when one is required or not following the conditions of a licence is a criminal offence and can lead to substantial fines. Managing a HMO or a property with a licence can be very time consuming and requires prompt action.
Help, advice & ongoing support
Our role is to make sure rent is paid and that the tenancy is renewed in plenty of time. We ask that you leave this to us, however if your tenant is considering leaving early or wants to change the Tenancy Agreement in any way we are here to advise.
Our agreements are finely tuned to look after your best interests and we are keen to manage these processes for you.
A successful tenancy means you don't have any issues with your property and your tenants have enjoyment living in your property for the maximum amount of time.
By following the advice given, your property will remain in good condition and will rent quickly without a void period, should you need to find new tenants.
For more information contact propertymanagment@kerrandco.com or call us on 0208 743 1166
Kerr and Co's Property Management Service has been running alongside our Lettings Department for over 20 years to ensure all our clients are supported throughout the rental process -
especially as it can be daunting for many of our new landlords.
A Tenancy agreement is a binding contract between the occupier and the landlord/ manager of the property. A successful partnership results from good and clear communication between both parties. Once you let your property your obligations as a landlord are ongoing, and there is an emphasis to maintain a good relationship and regular contact with the tenants to ensure they are happy and they to fulfil their obligations throughout the tenancy .
If you are managing the property yourself, you need to be there and on hand and accessible to help your tenants with any questions and offer speedy resolutions when issues arise. Our property management department a dedicated property managers who are experts in the day to day management of a wide range of properties from individual flats to family houses to large dedicated block management.
A Dedicated Support
Tenants are very happy when they first move into their new home and proud of where they live. Great property management is about enhancing this feeling, with good communication from check-in to check-out.
Our aim is to help your tenant keep their property in the best possible condition. Whilst they are in charge of the everyday upkeep of their home, we are here to stay on top of maintenance with your tenants as they report any issues and fixing them before they could become major issues.
Helping Landlord with the Upkeep of Your Property and Getting the Best Tenants
Before your property is even on the market Kerr and Co can help and support the landlord by giving advice and support . The property needs to be fully prepared, checked before the new tenants move in. It is essential that everything is in working order with access to all manuals and useful information, as well as being professionally cleaned.
Property Management Service
Just like your own home, your investment will need regular servicing, updating and maintenance. Making a success of your investment needs a plan, a list of routine jobs and good habits. This is best approached with a preventative maintenance plan.
This proactive management approach has several advantages, such as:
- Maintaining a better relationship with the tenants
- Helping tenants look after the property
- Keeping costs down in the long run and keeping on top of repairs and maintained
- Making sure that the property remains attractive to tenants
- A preventative maintenance plan differs with each property depending on its age and condition - a house or a converted flat with a garden will be different to a brand-new flat in a purpose built block.
We have an in-house team of maintenance and trades men who are on hand to keep your property in tip top condition. We can instruct them on medium sized jobs ranging from loose door handles and hinges to jet-washing patios, repairing leaks and breakages. We can also help prolong the life of the boiler by organising a service at the same time as the annual gas safety certificate is carried out. These preventative measures reduce the likelihood of costly repairs and put the tenants mind at ease.
The rewards are reliable, long-term tenants, a well maintained property a steady rental income and your asset continuing to gain value.
Safety & legal compliance
The work we do in finding the tenant, setting up the tenancy agreement, helping arrange appropriate certificates and check-in formalities, covers you for many of the risks at the start of the tenancy. There are now over 150 pieces of legislation for a Landlord to keep on top of, the key ones being:
Electrical safety
All rented properties now require an Electrical Installation Condition Report to be carried out every five years. You will also need to provide a copy to your tenant within 30 days of the certificate being issued.
Annual gas safety check
Any property containing a gas supply needs to have an annual Landlord’s gas safety inspection. You will also need to provide a copy to your tenant within 28 days of the certificate being issued, otherwise you won’t be able to serve a Section 21 notice to end the tenancy.
Smoke alarms & carbon monoxide detectors
Your property needs to be fitted with a smoke alarm on each floor and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a gas appliance. Both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms will need to be tested and working on the day of move-in and whenever you visit the property.
Property inspections
Regular visits to the property during the tenancy will help you make sure the property is being looked after, there are no maintenance issues the tenant has missed and the smoke alarms are in working order.
Risk of Legionnaires' disease
Legionella can develop when water becomes stagnant. If your property is empty for a while, we recommend carrying out a Legionella risk assessment.
Property licensing
We recommend staying in regular contact with the Local Authority to understand any changes to licensing schemes that affect your property.
Houses of multiple occupancy & licensed properties
If you rent to three or more unrelated tenants it’s likely that your property will be considered a ‘House in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO) and there are more legal requirements for this type of let. In some instances, regardless of how many tenants you have, you may also require a licence from your local authority in order to rent your property out. Licensing schemes are constantly changing, so we are here to help you keep on top of new schemes or amendments to existing ones.
There are separate rules when you manage a property with a licence or a HMO:
You may need additional certificates such as a fire risk assessment
There is a requirement for more frequent formal inspections when the property is licensed
Fire safety is very important and you, not the tenant, have to check the smoke alarms are working during the tenancy
The licence may require you to send a receipt to your tenant as soon as you receive a rental payment
The licence and certificates will need to be displayed prominently in the property
It is quite usual for the local authority to inspect your property and check its condition. They particularly look for issues with damp, mould and condensation, fire safety, waste management, security and check that the right number of people are living in the property. If they have any concerns they can issue an improvement notice which has to be acted on immediately.
Not having a licence when one is required or not following the conditions of a licence is a criminal offence and can lead to substantial fines. Managing a HMO or a property with a licence can be very time consuming and requires prompt action.
Help, advice & ongoing support
Our role is to make sure rent is paid and that the tenancy is renewed in plenty of time. We ask that you leave this to us, however if your tenant is considering leaving early or wants to change the Tenancy Agreement in any way we are here to advise.
Our agreements are finely tuned to look after your best interests and we are keen to manage these processes for you.
A successful tenancy means you don't have any issues with your property and your tenants have enjoyment living in your property for the maximum amount of time.
By following the advice given, your property will remain in good condition and will rent quickly without a void period, should you need to find new tenants.
For more information contact propertymanagment@kerrandco.com or call us on 0208 743 1166