westpine · 2013. 5. 1. · free practical advice on the letting process & ... having...
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WestpineProperty Lettings & Management
‘Your Dedicated Lettings Specialist’
Landlord Information Brochure
WelcomeWelcome from all the team at Westpine
Property Lettings & Management.
Thank you for requesting our Landlord
Information Brochure - we hope that it
contains all the information you require on
the rental process and relevant legislation,
our services and how to maximise the
potential of your rental property. If you have
any further questions, please feel free to
contact our office on 01204 694121.
1
87 Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PA
T: 01204 694 121E: [email protected]: www.westpinelettings.com
WestpineProperty Lettings & Management
Why Westpine?Westpine is a new energetic lettings and property management agency based in the heart of Horwich, Bolton.
We operate within a 20 mile radius of our newly refurbished high street office. With strong values of honesty
and integrity, Westpine offers a wide range of transparent and flexible landlord services. We are one of the few
agents in the area specialising solely in lettings and property management, meaning our focus is not diluted by
sales. This allows us to deliver a dedicated service to our clients throughout all aspects of the rental process.
Westpine can offer you competitive prices on all our service levels, with no hidden fees. Whether you are a new
or experienced landlord, Westpine will guide you through the whole lettings process and keep you updated with
changing legislation and regulations which may affect you and your property.
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Our service is extremely efficient; making use of
the latest technologies to market your property and
attract the right tenants for you. We are happy to
tailor all our packages to suit your needs and can
offer discounts for landlords with multiple rental
properties. As a small independent agency we
offer a highly individual and friendly service. The
Westpine team set themselves extremely high
standards within the industry when it comes to
the expertise, professionalism and level of service
provided to both our landlords and tenants. With this
in mind, we operate under and are members of both
the Property Ombudsman and ARLA (Association
of Residential Letting Agents), evidencing our
confidence in offering a fair and reliable service.
Our office is open 6 days a week and out of
hours appointments are available on request to
accommodate all of our clients’ needs.
What we offer
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FREE no obligation rental valuation
FREE detailed Landlord Information Brochure
FREE practical advice on the letting process &
the presentation of your property
Attractive property particulars produced
Extensive marketing & advertising for your property
Professional ‘to let’ board if required
Arrange & conduct accompanied viewings
Arrange gas & electrical safety certificates
where required*
Arrange Energy Performance Certificate where required*
Guidance on legal regulations & legislation affecting
your property
Full tenancy negotiations undertaken
Professional & comprehensive tenant referencing
(including guarantor referencing if required)
Drafting of the tenancy agreement
Preparation of a detailed inventory & statement of
condition, including photographs
Move in & handover with tenant(s)
Collection of first months rent & deposit
Reading of meters & registration of utility accounts
for tenant(s)
Register deposit within Westpine’s DPS Account
Efficient collection and forwarding of monthly
rental payments
Monthly statement emailed or posted
Quick action against tenant(s) for rent arrears
Tenant move out inspection & deposit release negotiation
Westpine Rent Guarantee warranty available*
Negotiation and arrangement of tenancy renewals
All maintenance issues quoted, authorised and
completed by qualified contractors
Regular property inspections & full written reports forwarded
Acting as the first point of contact for tenants for all issues
*Fees may apply
LET ONLY
W E S T P I N E PA C K A G E S
SERVICES INCLUDE: FULLMANAGEMENT
RENTCOLLECTION
Advertise only packageWe can also offer an ‘Advertise Only’ package for a small upfront fee of £149, intended for landlords
who prefer a more hands on approach. Our Advertise Only service includes:
4 FREE rental valuation for your property if required
4 A detailed property brochure produced
4 Advertise your property on: Rightmove www.westpinelettings.com Our attractive window and office displays Our LCD TV in the window of our high street office Periodically in the local newspaper Our Facebook & Twitter sites
4 A professional ‘to let’ board erected outside your property
4 All details of interested parties passed directly to you via email, text or telephone
4 Full applicant referencing for your tenants
For further details on this package, please contact our office on 01204 694121.
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Our services explained
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PROFESSIONAL ADVICEWhether you are a new or experienced landlord,
Westpine will guide you through the whole lettings
process and keep you updated with changing legislation
which may affect you. All staff have professional
qualifications in Letting & Property Management,
allowing you to rest assured that your property is in the
hands of a capable team.
ADVERTISING & MARKETINGWe utilise the latest technologies to market your
property and attract the right tenants for you. Having
instructed us to market your rental property, Westpine
will produce an attractive property brochure. This will be
displayed in our office, on our website, online property
portals & circulated to potential tenants on our mailing
list. Your property will also be featured on an LCD TV
positioned in our high street office window and may
also be advertised in the local newspaper periodically.
An eye catching ‘to let’ board can be erected outside
your property.
SECURING SUITABLE TENANTS AND REFERENCINGUpon receiving interest in your property, Westpine
will arrange accompanied viewings with any suitable
parties. We offer flexible out of hours appointments,
including evening and weekend viewings, to ensure
that your property is seen by interested applicants as
early as possible. Once a tenant for your property has
been found, full comprehensive referencing will be
undertaken by a professional referencing company.
References will include a full credit check, affordability
check, employer and previous landlord references.
A full report will then be sent to Westpine for us to
evaluate. This ensures that Westpine only provide
quality tenants with viable references.
DEPOSITSA holding deposit, normally £100, is taken from the
potential tenant on application for the property. As part
of our Terms of Application, if the tenant decides to
withdraw from the property, or doesn’t go ahead with
the tenancy, this holding deposit is forwarded onto
you. If the tenancy proceeds, the remainder of the full
deposit (normally one month’s rent equivalent) will be
paid by the tenant on their move in date. Under our
Rent Collection or Full Management service, Westpine
will register the deposit with the DPS. For our Let Only
service, you must set up an account with the DPS and
register the deposit yourself to ensure you are abiding
by deposit regulations.
INVENTORY & SCHEDULE OF CONDITIONAs standard for all our service levels, Westpine will
complete a full inspection of your property to compile
an accurate property inventory. The written report
is also backed up with photographic evidence. An
inventory and schedule of condition is of importance
for any tenancy, as it is heavily relied upon when the
tenant vacates the property to judge the return of the
deposit to the tenant.
TRANSFER OF UTILITIESWe manage all aspects of transferring the utilities over
to the new tenants. Meter readings are taken on the
day of tenant move in and the accounts set up for the
tenants with all the appropriate utility companies and
the local council.
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RENTAL PAYMENTSFor our Rent Collection & Full Management service
levels, Westpine are responsible for collecting the
monthly rental payment from your tenants. These
monies are transferred into your nominated bank
account within 4 days of cleared funds in our client
bank account. You will receive a monthly statement
for your records. If you decide to opt for our Let Only
service level, you will be responsible for collecting the
rent from your tenant following the first month.
WESTPINE RENTAL GUARANTEEFor all our Rent Collection or Full Management
landlords, Westpine is able to offer an add-on of our
Rental Guarantee Warranty for a small additional
charge. Our warranty allows us to guarantee that you
will receive the rent on your property whilst a tenant is
in occupation, even if the tenant defaults on their rental
payments.
INSPECTIONSAs part of our Full Management service, regular
property inspections are carried out during tenant
occupancy. As standard a minimum of 3 inspections
are completed per annum, although the regularity will
be increased if required. The inspection report will be
sent to you to make you aware of our findings and any
action we may have taken if necessary.
MAINTENANCE & REPAIRSUnder our Full Management service, all maintenance
& repair issues are dealt with directly by Westpine.
If a maintenance issue occurs, we will arrange for a
quote to be obtained via one of our approved local
contractors and will liaise with your tenant to arrange
a mutually convenient time for a contractor to visit. We
will communicate fully with you and discuss how you
would like us to proceed. All invoices for authorised
works completed will be deducted from the next
available rent for your property, unless an alternative
payment method is preferred. Your tenant will benefit
from Westpine’s out of hours contact number for any
emergencies.
TENANCY RENEWALSFor landlords who opt for our Rent Collection or Full
Management service, Westpine will orchestrate and
arrange all tenancy renewals. Westpine will contact
your current tenant(s) within the final month of their fixed
term tenancy to discuss their intentions going forward.
Westpine will negotiate a tenancy renewal FREE OF
CHARGE, which includes drafting up a new agreement
and arranging an appointment for the tenants to sign.
We can also offer this service to Let Only landlords for
a small fee.
Preparing your propertyfor the rental market
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Ensuring your property is well presented and prepared
for the rental market is key to maximising your property’s
potential and achieving a speedy let with high quality
tenants. First impressions count for everything when
potential tenants are viewing your property, so it is
important that it is looking its very best from the start.
We tend to find that tenants treat the property with more
respect if they receive it in a good decorative and clean
condition. With this in mind, Westpine have put together
a range of recommendations for how best to present
your rental property.
CLEAN AND TIDY CONDITIONEnsuring your property is maintained in a clean and tidy
condition ready for a new tenant is essential. Reduce
personal clutter from the property as much as possible
to allow viewers to imagine themselves living there. Pay
attention to the cleanliness of kitchen appliances,
bathrooms and carpets - consider having these
professionally cleaned if you do not have the time
to clean these yourself. Ensure that the garden, if
applicable, is presented in a tidy condition which will be
low-maintenance for any incoming tenants.
PLEASANT SMELLAllow the property to be circulated with plenty of fresh
air to ensure it smells fresh. Consider using plug in air
fresheners in subtle fragrances to give a welcoming feel.
DECORATING A coat of fresh paint should not be underestimated
when attracting a high calibre tenant. We recommend
using neutral welcoming colours wherever possible so
as to not limit the number of interested viewers with
daring colours.
Preparing your propertyfor the rental market
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LONG TERM OPTIONSEnsuring your property is set up for the future is
extremely wise and may save you money in the long
term. Consider the following options to help attract
suitable tenants for your property.
INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY The use of low energy lighting, loft insulation and
double glazed windows will improve the properties
energy efficiency rating. With utility costs continually
rising, the running costs of the property is becoming an
increasingly important factor taken into consideration
by tenants when deciding which property to rent.
Your property’s efficiency is highlighted on the Energy
Performance Certificate provided to all viewers.
RE-FLOORINGUpgrading your property with a new floor can give a
‘new home’ impression to tenants. Consider the use
of a high quality laminate downstairs and a neutral
coloured carpet upstairs. If re-flooring is not suitable
for you or your property, it is recommended that you
have the carpets professionally cleaned prior to the
commencement of a tenancy. If you opt to do so, each
tenant must leave the carpets in the same condition
(less any fair wear and tear) upon their departure ready
for remarketing the property.
HEATING AND HOT WATER SYSTEMSWith boiler breakdowns a major worry to tenants,
the installation of a new boiler/hot water system can
increase your chances of obtaining a reputable tenant
for your property. A new system may also save you
money on repair costs in the long run.
Your legal obligations
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BUILDING & CONTENTS INSURANCEAs owner of the property, you will be responsible for
ensuring buildings insurance is in place prior to the
commencement of a tenancy. If you are considering
renting the property part/fully furnished, you should
arrange for adequate contents insurance. Most
contents policies also include an element of public
liability cover. The policy must be renewed when
required and insurance companies must be notified
that the property is to be let.
GAS SAFETY CERTIFICATEUnder the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations
1998 it is a legal requirement that the landlord ensures
that all gas appliances and pipework are checked for
safety by a Gas Safe registered engineer each year.
A copy of a valid Landlord Gas Safety certificate
must be provided to Westpine and the tenant prior to
commencement of the tenancy and renewed every
twelve months. Records of the checks must be kept.
ELECTRICAL CHECKSUnder the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations
1994 it is the landlord’s responsibility to ensure that
all electrics in the property are safe and will not cause
harm. Regular electrical checks are not mandatory but
we strongly recommend that you consider having an
electrical safety check and portable appliance testing
(P.A.T) completed periodically to show evidence of
your due diligence towards electrical safety.
FURNITURE & FURNISHINGSIt is an offence to let a property with any furniture or
soft furnishing that do not comply with the Furniture &
Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, amended
in 1993. Westpine require that all necessary furniture
and furnishings have a fire safety label attached.
ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATESince October 2008, landlords have a legal obligation
to provide prospective tenants with a valid Energy
Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC provides
you and the tenants with information on the energy
usage and CO2 emissions of your property, as well
as recommendations for improvement. An accredited
domestic energy assessor or home inspector must
complete the EPC and issue the report. Certificates are
valid for ten years and are mandatory prior to marketing
your property to let.
TAXRental income is assessable to income tax and you
should notify the Inland Revenue that you intend to let
the property and complete a tax return when required.
For landlords who reside overseas for more than 6
months in a year, you must obtain a code from the
Inland Revenue to allow Westpine to pay your rental
income direct to you without deducting UK tax. Without
this code, Westpine have a statutory obligation to
deduct basic rate tax from the net rent income.
SMOKE DETECTORSSince June 1992 the Building Regulations 1991 require
that all properties built have mains operated smoke
detectors installed on each floor. Properties built prior
to June 1992 are not covered by the regulations but
Westpine strongly recommend that smoke detectors
are fitted in rental properties and checked regularly to
ensure they are in full working order.
MORTGAGE & LEASEHOLDIf you have a mortgage on the rental property, you must
obtain consent from your lender prior to letting. If you
hold the property on a long leasehold basis, you should
seek consent from the head-landlord prior to subletting.
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WestpineProperty Lettings & Management
‘Your Dedicated Lettings Specialist’
87 Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PA T: 01204 694 121
E: [email protected]: www.westpinelettings.com