An outline of the steps that you can take to avoid problems during the renting of your property.

Health and safety

Before you take on a Tenant, certain regulations need to be observed and there are steps you can take to help ensure trouble-free tenancies. You will need the following and we can arrange for the appropriate checks to be carried out on your behalf:

• Energy Performance Certificate (renewed every 10 years)
• Landlords Gas Safety Certificate (renewed annually)
• EICR (renewed every 5 years)
• Portable Appliance Test Certificate (for good practice should be renewed annually)
• Mains Wired Smoke Alarm System
• Legionella Testing (currently every 2 years)
• Fire Safety Checks (renewed annually for HMO Properties)

All soft furnishings must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and be labelled accordingly. We will record a detailed inventory of contents and description of the property prior to your Tenants moving in.

The property should be wind and wateright and the structure and exterior are in a reasonable condition.  Any fixtures or fittings provided by the Landlord (like carpets, light fittings, and white goods) are in a reasonable state of repair and in good working order.  A carbon monoxide detector should be supplied in any room with a carbon fueled appliance such as a gas boiler, gas heater but not a cooker or there is a flue from such an appliance.

Utilities

Littlejohns will notify your energy suppliers and the council tax department when new Tenants move in and out of the property and provide them with meter readings.

Insurance

You must have buildings and contents insurance to cover all eventualities, including, for example, accidental damage and loss of rent. You must inform your insurer of your intention to let and we ask that you provide us with copies of your policies for our records. Should your property be damaged, we can deal with insurance claims on your behalf and keeping you informed throughout the claims process.

We can arrange for you a comprehensive Landlord Insurance Policy via Towergate Insurance at competitive rates, this includes accidental and malicious damage by the Tenant, loss of rent due to an insured peril, £5m property owners liabilty insurance as standard and £5000 free contents cover.

All rents are collected from your Tenants via Standing Order and will be paid into your desired Bank Account (less Management Fee and any Expenditure) 7 working days upon receipt of payment. Littlejohns have the facility to allow Landlords access to their own Landlord login portal which enables Landlords to login and download any statements, invoices and view expenditure for that month and for previous months as well. This gives Landlords an overview of their Tenants rental account. You can access the logon here with your details: Welcome! – Littlejohns (smeprofessional.co.uk) and upon request Littlejohns are still able to send statements by post.  An Annual Statement can also be provided by contacting the Accounts Department on 0131 622 7570 or by e.mailing accounts@littlejohns.ltd.uk