Landlord Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do you need from me in order to market my property?
In order to be able to act on your behalf as an agent and start marketing your property, we will need you to sign our Business Terms and Conditions.
For our records, we will require photographic ID from you, either in the form of a passport or current driving licence.
You should ensure that you are suitably covered for letting under both your buildings and contents insurance. Note that not all insurance products cover let properties. If you need to arrange cover for specialist landlords buildings insurance and contents insurance, legal protection and rent guarantee cover, please ask us for further details.
If a landlord is out of the country for more than six months as a total in any tax year, then he/she is considered an overseas landlord. Landlords are obligated to pay tax if due and must declare their income whether or not they are resident in this country. You will need to apply for approval from the Inland Revenue for us to pay the rent to you without any tax deductions. We can provide you with all the necessary forms that you will need.
We will require a set of keys along with your viewing instructions and alarm codes if applicable.
Since 1st October 2008, it is now required by law that all residential property being let must have an energy performance certificate (EPC) and this must be made available free of charge to the tenant by the landlord. We will need a current EPC before we can market your property. Note that EPC’s now need to show a minimum rating of E or above.
2. How will you find me a tenant?
Once we have your instruction for us to let your property we can arrange to take photos and details ready for marketing. We will then match your property details to all our relevant applicants registered with us and send them details of your property by email, text message or post.
We will advertise your property on baconandco.co.uk and then upload it to some of the UK’s biggest property websites including Rightmove and Onthemarket.
Your property will appear in our window and a ‘To Let’ board will be placed at the property unless otherwise stated.
3. Once Bacon Micawber Lettings has found me a suitable tenant for my property what will happen next?
You will be notified straight away and with your agreement we will go ahead and take a holding deposit from the applicant.
We will then proceed to thoroughly reference the applicant, including a full credit check using an external credit referencing company. Copies of ID and residency will also be taken and kept on file.
We will draw up the tenancy agreement as soon as we have received satisfactory references. The tenancy agreement will then be executed and where possible, signed ahead of commencement of the tenancy.
All gas appliances and flues in rented accommodation must be checked for safety every 12 months by a competent engineer (on the Gas Safety Register). If you already have a current gas safety certificate, then a copy must be given to any new tenant before their tenancy commences. If you have note yet had any checks carried out, we can arrange these for you.
On 1st June 2020, ‘The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020’ came into force. This legislation means from and including 1st June 2020, all properties will be required to have a current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in place before the start of the tenancy. Therefore, we require you as a landlord to provide us with this written report from a suitably qualified electrician confirming the safety of the electrical installations. If any portable appliances (equipment) are to be left at the property, these will also need to be PAT tested or proof of purchase (if less than a year old) provided. Failure to provide equipment or an electrical supply that is safe is a criminal offence and, if found guilty, the landlord may face imprisonment, a fine or both. We can make prior arrangements to have an electrical check or PAT testing on your property if required prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
We ask that you complete a management information sheet. This information will enable us to manage your property more efficiently and will include details on how you would like your rental payments transferred.
A full inventory and schedule of condition is recommended in order to avoid misunderstanding or dispute at the end of the tenancy. Prior to check-in, we can make an appointment for an inventory to be carried out on your behalf. All meter readings will be recorded on the inventory.
4. What happens on the day the tenants move in? (Check-in)
We will meet the tenant at the property to check through any outstanding paperwork, hand over a copy of the inventory and deliver the keys. All relevant safety alarms will be tested. The tenant will have already paid the first month’s rental in advance and security deposit into our client account, in cleared funds, prior to the move day.
We will arrange for the transfer of council tax and utility accounts to the tenant.
5. What happens to the tenant’s deposit?
The deposit will be forward within 30 days to the Government authorised custodial body known as the Deposit Protection Service (DPS). We will inform both you and your tenant in writing as soon as this has taken place.
Contact details for the scheme are as follows:
The Deposit Protection Service:
The Pavilions, Bridgewater Road, Bristol, BS99 6AA
Tel: 0844 4727 000
6. When do I start receiving rent?
Your first month’s rent will be paid to you via bank transfer minus our letting fee, commissions and any other expenses due to Bacon Micawber Lettings, once the tenant has moved in. All subsequent payments of rent thereafter will be transferred to you on a monthly basis (please see our business terms & conditions for further details).
7. How will the tenancy proceed?
Depending on the level of management you have chosen with us, will determine how your tenancy proceeds once your tenants have moved in. We offer a Fully Managed, Rent Collection and Introduction Only service. Please check your Business Terms & Conditions for full details on your chosen service.
In accordance with your chosen level of management, we will liaise with the tenant towards the end of the tenancy and renew the tenancy for a further term, if required.
Again, depending of your level of service, once notice has been given, we will arrange to check the tenant out of the property. Please contact us for full details on this procedure.
8. What legal requirements am I expected to meet as a landlord?
If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your mortgagee’s written consent to letting. They may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement of which you must inform us.
If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease, and obtain any necessary written consent before letting.
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you will be expected to keep repaired and in working order the properties exterior and structure – this includes drains, gutters and external pipes, as well as the roof, external walls and foundations. You must also ensure that the installations in the property for the supply of water, gas, electricity and sanitation are in repair and working order and where applicable instruction manuals left.
(See above). You must ensure that all gas appliances and flues at the property have been checked and certified by a competent engineer(on the Gas Safe Register).
(See above). On 1st June 2020, ‘The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020’ came into force. This legislation means from and including 1st June 2020, all properties will be required to have a current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in place before the start of the tenancy.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (amended 1989 & 1993) provide that specified items supplied in the course of letting property must meet minimum fire resistance standards. Please refer to our ‘Landlord – your essential guide’ for full details. We will check safety standards on such items during the inventory. Any furniture that does not apply will need to be removed.
It is now a legal requirement to fit a smoke alarm on each floor of all tenanted properties.
From 1st October 2022, all rental properties will require a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms where there are gas appliances. Eg. a boiler in a kitchen or cupboard in bedroom, or gas fire in a lounge. This has always been the case where there are solid fuel burning appliances such as an ‘open fire’ or ‘wood burner’. You do not need a carbon monoxide alarm in a kitchen where this is only a gas hob. See link for more details.
Information supplied will be held on our computer system in accordance with our company’s notification under the Data Protection Act 1998.
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