Whether the property is furnished or unfurnished, it is important that the property is clean throughout before the tenants move in. We strongly recommend that the property, including carpets, is professionally cleaned and, if necessary, the garden made tidy. An inventory will be taken to help us ensure that the tenants meet their obligations.
We always advise Landlords to make sure that the property and its contents are adequately insured (unfurnished properties may still have contents such as curtains, white goods etc.). It is extremely important that you advise your insurance company that you are proposing to let your property and that you confirm to them once this has been done. Failure to do so could result in you losing insurance cover. Some insurers impose letting conditions and we would require details as this may affect the choice of tenant.
Income received from letting your property will be subject to income tax and you will need to include details of the income and allowable expenses when completing your income tax return. The Inland Revenue may ask us directly for details of any income we pay you and we are obliged to supply these details.
If you live abroad we, as your agents, will be required by the Inland Revenue to pay any tax liability that arises on rents collected by us on your behalf. We will therefore deduct income tax at the basic rate from rent payments received and these monies will be held to your credit in a specially nominated account. You may be entitled to receive rent without deductions of tax and we strongly recommend you consider this. If you live abroad we will be happy to advise you about this.
Our standard agreement provides that a tenant may not allow pets in the property. However, a tenant is entitled to ask the landlord for consent. We advise that each case is considered on an individual basis. If consent is to be given by the landlord we may request an extra deposit and may insist on a full carpet clean at the end of the let including proof that the carpets have been treated for flea infestation.
Tenants are required to keep these areas neat and tidy. Standard of gardening ability and knowledge can vary considerably. If the garden is particularly important or has special features, we usually suggest that the landlord provide a gardener, the cost being included in the rent. The extent of this can be negotiable and we will make the necessary arrangements and monitor the work as part of our management service.
