I'm about to rent out my house for the first time and was hoping for a few words of wisdom, having never done this before.
Using an agent to let it but need to know about insurance, safety certificates etc. Anyone able to help?
How many people are you for renting to or are they all in the same family?
A landlord must comply with HMO regulations now. If you have 2 or less renting then you need only comply and not register. If you have 3 (and one of these are not you) or more you will need to comply and also to register. Register is £125 per tenant though this lasts you for 5 years. if you are renting to a family then this is different.
I have just went through it in Belfast and I live in the house. Cost me about £1000 to put it into shape and my house was one of the few the guy said needed little work. So god knows for someone that needs a lot of work.
Your insurance needs to cover you not living there. Landlord insurance you will require. I can combine my home and landlord insurance as I still live there.
North or south?
Sorry - North (Belfast).
Quote from: Rois on June 18, 2013, 04:12:31 PM
I'm about to rent out my house for the first time and was hoping for a few words of wisdom, having never done this before.
Using an agent to let it but need to know about insurance, safety certificates etc. Anyone able to help?
Some tips
1 Make copies of all keys in the house/apartment beforehand
2 Photograph all rooms before you let tenants in and keep photos safe
3 Make sure there are vents in all rooms and make sure lease says they are not to be taped up or blocked
4 Double bracket things like curtin poles/ blinds etc
5 Upgrade your insurance to landlord type.
Quote from: Rois on June 18, 2013, 04:22:50 PM
Sorry - North (Belfast).
Can help with general tips and specific renting questions but not with UK legislation
NI are now in line with England/Wales (as far as I am aware) in that all deposits are to be placed in the government deposit scheme. Iv sued various English landlords for not complying with this, and the things is that most Landlords claim never to have heard of the legislation. Not to be ignored.
http://mydepositsni.co.uk/
Does this only apply to new rental agreements or is it retrospective?
Quote from: Rois on June 18, 2013, 04:12:31 PM
I'm about to rent out my house for the first time and was hoping for a few words of wisdom, having never done this before.
Using an agent to let it but need to know about insurance, safety certificates etc. Anyone able to help?
Make sure the electricity is a card meter
Quote from: el_cuervo_fc link=topic=23364.msg1243671#msg1243671
Make sure the electricity is a card meter
/quote]
Good point - brother-in-law works in Power NI billing so can get that sorted easy enough (I hope!).
Quote from: Rois on June 18, 2013, 04:55:07 PM
Quote from: el_cuervo_fc link=topic=23364.msg1243671#msg1243671
Make sure the electricity is a card meter
/quote]
Good point - brother-in-law works in Power NI billing so can get that sorted easy enough (I hope!).
They switch it over for free.
Even better! He has a meter in his own house so it must be efficient enough - plus you can stock up when the electricity price is going to go up! I will get onto that as soon as possible.
Do a credit check on any prospective tenants
Take a shite in the living room
Have been renting a house in south Belfast for about 5 years now. Have never needed an agent. If you keep the house in good nick it'll sell itself on Gumtree in no time. Never heard of any of this HMO stuff before but then I've only ever rented to couples. Landlords insurance is available for about £10 per month and when you take it out they'll send you a certificate to display in the house so that anyone you hire to carry out work is covered (I've never displayed it). Best tip I could give work be to get to know some good trustworthy tradesmen - plumber, electrician and builder - people you can trust to do work in your absence and not stick the arm in. My electrician and builder are both in the south of the city but I use a plumber from the Antrim Rd. If you want his number let me know. I use a lease from the Housing Executive website. Leases aren't actually binding in law as far as I know but they let everyone know where they stand.
Put some time into checking out your tenants, it'll be worth the effort to go some digging. Call the landlord they used prior to their present lease, credit check, reference check etc. You'll be amazed what you could find out about someone on Google and Facebook. When you get a good tenant do what you can to keep them in the house for a few years.
Quote from: el_cuervo_fc on June 18, 2013, 04:47:47 PM
Quote from: Rois on June 18, 2013, 04:12:31 PM
I'm about to rent out my house for the first time and was hoping for a few words of wisdom, having never done this before.
Using an agent to let it but need to know about insurance, safety certificates etc. Anyone able to help?
Make sure the electricity is a card meter
This is illegal if you are required to go HMO!!!
I have only had bother when I have let out property to locals (Belfast). Decent hard-working Eastern European folk are the way forward. Also, a bird in the hand and all that. i.e. If you have good tenants, keep the rent down and look after them. If you chase an extra £30 or £40 a month it means f**k all if the property is not let for a month or two. Have the place in decent order and get things fixed as soon as problems occur, and good tenants will more than likely stay.
Also, if you are going to be doing self-assessment and paying tax on any profits earned, keep all receipts for tradesmen used, repairs etc.
Quote from: FL/MAYO on June 18, 2013, 07:58:18 PM
Put some time into checking out your tenants, it'll be worth the effort to go some digging. Call the landlord they used prior to their present lease, credit check, reference check etc. You'll be amazed what you could find out about someone on Google and Facebook. When you get a good tenant do what you can to keep them in the house for a few years.
Very good advice
Worst tenant I ever had was a law lecturer from Queen's and her boyfriend. Came with good references and I dare say there'd have been no way of knowing they would be dirty, smelly useless feckers. Sometimes it's just pot luck and you have to go with your instinct. I never let the property to the first person viewing but them I've been lucky enough there's good demand where my place is.
That's great stuff, thanks.
We hope not to go down the HMO route - too much hassle! Agent will check the tenants etc - he is confident he will "do a good job" with our house. He's also a friend of a friend which is reassuring.
My sis is getting her house renovated up in North Belfast at the mo which is useful for us in two ways - we can piggyback off her tradesmen and she had been looking for a house to rent for six months while their house is being done, and when she asked about a house in our development, the last one that came on the rental market was taken within hours apparently. It's a nice relatively new four bed/3 shower/4 toilet house that has been low maintenance for last six years - but I'm sure it'll all go pear shaped as soon as we move out!
Quote from: Rois on June 18, 2013, 04:12:31 PM
I'm about to rent out my house for the first time and was hoping for a few words of wisdom, having never done this before.
Using an agent to let it but need to know about insurance, safety certificates etc. Anyone able to help?
Using an agent is a good move in my opinion, for a couple of reasons:
1 - They'll credit/reference check prospective tenants
2 - They'll provide you with a proper tenancy agreement
Well worth the price of a month's rent, or whatever they charge (don't be afraid to haggle!)
As has been said, landlord insurance is a must. You also need an energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Importantly, if you have gas in the house, you need an annual boiler service - i'd make sure and be on the ball with this one - you don't want to be in a situation where there's a gas explosion and you haven't had the boiler serviced (also I think it's actually a legal requirement).
Having said all that, if your letting agent is any good, they'll let you know exactly what you need.
Well house now all but rented out for the year subject to references. Agent hasn't had much to do as the first viewers have taken it.
Downside - we have to do the HMO stuff so it'll cost a bit more at the start, but going to do it by the book. It means no card meter for the electricity, and now I have to go and source fire extinguishers etc.
Anyone here familiar with HMO regulations? If so, can you tell me if I have to put in emergency lighting on the stairs? It would really take the look away from the house. There's light at the bottom of the stairs if that helps?
Surely any competent letting Agent/Estate Agent would be able to tell you quickly and simply what your obligations are? So why risk the advice from amateurs here?
Quote from: T Fearon on July 10, 2013, 03:00:31 PM
Surely any competent letting Agent/Estate Agent would be able to tell you quickly and simply what your obligations are? So why risk the advice from amateurs here?
Such people always perform better when asked the right question.
Comments here might well provide that question.
Thought the right question was obvious? Like, as a landlord what are my statutory obligations to my tenants?
Quote from: T Fearon on July 10, 2013, 03:00:31 PM
Surely any competent letting Agent/Estate Agent would be able to tell you quickly and simply what your obligations are? So why risk the advice from amateurs here?
Ach jeez I just wanted a bit of info on one particular thing, being lighting for a hall way. A similar comment could have been made to you when asking seating advice on concert halls.
Thanks for taking the effort to be unhelpful, it means more that way.
Fair play to you for believing a word you read on this forum!
Seating advice at gigs is unnecessary.You go to the seat you've purchased and watch if any better ones remain vacant after ten minutes,and if so you simply move and occupy one of these! ;D
"Purchased"?? Surely not, Tony.
Occasionally,occasionally!
My wife works for a lettings agent in Belfast and had said the following :
The things you'll need to do are :
Obtain a gas safety certificate if the property has any gas appliances
If the property has oil, get the boiler serviced
If you are leaving any portable appliances in the property, eg kettle,toaster, tv Etc get them tested
As previously said if letting to 3 or more unrelated people's obtain a HMO license
If the property is built before 1945 you will also need to get a certificate of fitness from the local council. This costs £50 and lasts for ten years.
Make sure all references are obtained inc previous landlord and employer references. Some landlords insist on gettig a guarantor referenced.
Before a tenant moves in, make sure either you or the agent take a detailed inventory and schedule of condition. Making sure you photograph everything. Get the tenants to sign this on move in day. Make a copy of all keys given to the new tenants and make sure this is signed too.
The tenants also need to get a copy of the tenancy agreement and a rent book but your agent should provide this.
Also recommend to do quarterly visits and if your managing it yourself bring the inventory with you and cross reference against it!
Good luck!!
Thank you for that - all of those in hand apart from the fifith on the list. It's the HMO requirements that I need to get nailed down. I've no doubt the agent will help.
I am only leaving washing machine, dishwasher, fridge and freezer.
Thankfully house built in 2007 so I have fire resistant doors, proper compliant fire windows on each floor, proper smoke alarm etc, enough WCs.
I have guarantor information to get references but will be OK as long as previous landlord and employer refs check out, which agent is in process of doing.
Is it a HMO (home of multiple occupancy)? I thought to be a HMO, each person would have a separate rental agreements?
Quote from: Denn Forever on July 11, 2013, 02:37:12 PM
Is it a HMO (home of multiple occupancy)? I thought to be a HMO, each person would have a separate rental agreements?
Agent is getting four different agreements. I asked if it was possible to get two agreements or just one to avoid HMO. Agent kind of avoided the question.
Advice you needed came directly from a Lettings Agent.I shall give my case some respite! ;D
Quote from: T Fearon on July 11, 2013, 06:39:47 PM
Advice you needed came directly from a Lettings Agent.I shall give my case some respite! ;D
Not really - still don't know about emergency lighting - as I said above, it is the HMO stuff I need to sort.
Any idea where I stand whereby my tenant wants me to cut the hedges in th back garden.
It wouldn't be a particulay onerous task but would that be my responsibility ? The request has come through the estate agent that is supposed to be managing the letting for me.
Give him a lend of a hedge trimmer and let the lazy cnut do it himself.
Unless your tenant is a hot woman.. Then I'll be over in half an hour.
Quote from: Minder on June 30, 2015, 06:25:56 PM
Any idea where I stand whereby my tenant wants me to cut the hedges in th back garden.
It wouldn't be a particulay onerous task but would that be my responsibility ? The request has come through the estate agent that is supposed to be managing the letting for me.
I would say they weren't cut too often when you were in it.
Quote from: Minder on June 30, 2015, 06:25:56 PM
Any idea where I stand whereby my tenant wants me to cut the hedges in th back garden.
It wouldn't be a particulay onerous task but would that be my responsibility ? The request has come through the estate agent that is supposed to be managing the letting for me.
What does your lease mention about garden maintenance? If there's nothing about it, then it's his problem
....but you should supply a lawnmower. Rois make sure you place deposits with a registered deposit agency. Also you need to explicitly write into the agreement under what circumstances part deposits may be withheld otherwise you won't be able to do so.
Quote from: Over the Bar on June 30, 2015, 08:21:54 PM
....but you should supply a lawnmower. Rois make sure you place deposits with a registered deposit agency. Also you need to explicitly write into the agreement under what circumstances part deposits may be withheld otherwise you won't be able to do so.
lol thanks - two years late though!
Quote from: laoislad on June 30, 2015, 06:31:34 PM
Give him a lend of a hedge trimmer and let the lazy cnut do it himself.
Unless your tenant is a hot woman.. Then I'll be over in half an hour.
I'd say you've trimmed a few hedges in your time...