Lettings

An empty property is of no benefit to a Landlord, and appearances really do count. The moment a tenant steps into the property, they will have an idea of whether they can see themselves living there. A touch of paint to the front door and a fresh neutral colour scheme throughout offer a versatile backdrop for any prospective tenant to consider how their belongings might look in situ. Neutral flooring and carpet is an appealing feature to a prospective tenant – it is worth selecting a carpet that is easily cleaned and cost-effectively replaced, as accidents do sometimes happen. If lightbulbs have lost their glow, replace them. All these things demonstrate that this Landlord cares, and are likely to appeal to a tenant who wants to make your property a cosy home.

Give some thought to the exact date you would like to let your property. We recommend introducing your property to the market six to eight weeks beforehand and, with our marketing and advertising campaigns, we will attract the very best tenants. Consider the cost of being a Landlord. Be prepared for any unexpected maintenance costs, don’t get caught out with unexpected expense.

The Lettings market can move quickly, so be prepared to allow tenants to view your property at short notice – and it does pay to be flexible with your move date.

Be assured that we will keep you up to date with the ever-changing Lettings legislation. We are experts in our field; we can advise you on all the important things that keeps you and your tenant safe. As a Landlord, here are a few things you need to be aware of:

• Arrange an annual gas safety check – does your cosy gas fire pass the Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate?
• Fit smoke alarms on every floor and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms using coal or wood to warm them up. Make sure that these alarms are tested at the start of a new tenancy.
• Consider whether you need an Electrical Safety Certificate. We can provide you with all the information to ensure that you are legally compliant and aren’t at risk of any surprising fines.
• Does that cosy sofa have safety labels attached? If you are letting furnished, make sure your furniture complies with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010).
• If a deposit is taken, it is a Landlord’s duty to ensure this is protected.

Arrange for an inventory to be drawn up. They say the devil is in the detail, and this couldn’t be truer when letting a property. Gone are the days when a handwritten note will suffice. A comprehensive inventory is the best way to minimise the risk of a dispute at the end of tenancy. Inventories need to be drawn up whether a property is being let furnished or unfurnished. Everything within the property needs to be recorded and photographed, including fixtures and fittings such as kitchen units and work surfaces, as well as carpets and décor. Should there be any existing damage, this must also be recorded.

DOMVS Lettings is a member of the Property Ombudsmen Redress Scheme.

DOMVS is a member of (CMP) Client Money Protection Scheme.

DOMVS uses a tenancy agreement designed to protect your rights to possession and to help control the tenant’s activities, whilst ensuring that all terms are fair to both Tenant and Landlord, thus making sure you comply with the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. Our tenancy agreements are regularly updated to include the ever-changing legislation.

*additional fees may apply

Click on the link to view the DOMVS Cash Handling Policy

There are many benefits to being a landlord, but it’s not always plain sailing. Keeping on top of continually changing legislation can be laborious and often, your responsibilities as a landlord can be easily overlooked. That’s why we provide Tenancy Health Checks – a quick and easy way to ensure complete compliance – giving reassurance to both you and your tenant. The health check includes a visit from one of our experienced Lettings Team with a fully-comprehensive report to include:

• Checking the condition of the property to prevent any minor issues becoming more expensive problems to fix in the future
• Checking for any hazards that could make landlords vulnerable to unwanted claims
• Checking all Smoke Alarms are in place and in working order
• Checking CO Alarms are in place (if required)
• Reviewing all the necessary compliance certificates
• Auditing all the tenancy paperwork and ensuring it has been issued to the tenant in line with Government guidelines
• Checking that Right to Rent is valid

The team is also happy to meet with you to answer any questions and provide guidance on your responsibilities as a Landlord. Should the report suggest any remedial works to your property, we will happily provide the details of our trusted suppliers. For reassurance, and unlike most other letting agents, DOMVS does NOT take a fee from any third-party contractors in any circumstances, so you can be comfortable that any recommendations are genuine and in your best interests. We have spent years forming relationships with the best tradespeople in the business and our fully-managed Landlords benefit from this every day. If needed, there are plenty of reviews on Google, including this one from a very happy Landlord – Review.

Contact our lettings team to find out more.

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR PROSPECTIVE TENANTS

1. Once you have found a suitable property through DOMVS, a Holding Deposit equivalent to one weeks rent will be payable to reserve the property. This fee will be withheld if any tenant or Guarantor withdraws from the tenancy,  fails the right-to-rent check,  provides false or misleading information or, fail to sign the tenancy agreement or deed of guarantee within 15 calendar days or any other deadline for agreement as mutually agreed in writing.
2. The granting of a tenancy will be subject to approved references which may be collated by a third-party Referencing Company. Some cases, a guarantor may be required.  Full financial references will be required for the guarantor and a Deed of Guarantee will also need to be signed.
3. All tenants and guarantors must provide proof of (photographic) identification and proof of residency.
4. All tenants must have a Right to Rent check carried out. To enable us to carry out this check we need to see you in person and the following documents will need to be produced, your Passport together with any residency permit (if applicable). Should you not have a passport, please contact us to discuss which other documents may be suitable. The tenancy cannot commence unless this check has been carried out.
5. A Deposit will be required (usually equivalent to five weeks rent) this is to cover any damages or defaults caused by the tenant during the tenancy. The deposit will be payable prior to the commencement of the tenancy and is held for the duration of the tenancy.  The deposit will be registered with the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) www.depositprotection.com, within 30 days of the commencement of the tenancy, or receipt of the deposit whichever is earlier. For further information on Tenancy Deposit Protection please click on the website www.communities.gov.uk/tenancydeposit.  Please note that no interest will be paid on the deposit.
6. The deposit and first month’s rent must be paid to us by BACS payment or Bankers Draft.  The tenancy cannot commence until cleared funds have been received.
7. All properties are let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy basis unless otherwise agreed.
8. Rent is payable monthly in advance by Standing Order direct to DOMVS (for managed and Rent Collection properties only).   Rent must be paid direct to the Landlord for our Let Only Service. For Late payment interest will be charged at 3% above the Bank of England Base Rate from the Rent Due Date until the rent is paid. Please Note: This will not be levied until the rent is more than 14 days in arrears.
9. All property rents exclude water/sewerage charges, gas, electricity, telephone, Council Tax and television licence, unless otherwise stated.
10. We recommend that you have adequate insurance to cover accidental damage to the Landlords fixtures and fittings.
11. Redress Scheme – DOMVS Lettings is a member of The Property Ombudsman Redress Scheme.
12. Client Money Protection – DOMVS Lettings is a member of CMP (Client Money Protect) Scheme.

Charges which may be incurred throughout the tenancy:

Once you have found a suitable property through DOMVS, a Holding Deposit equivalent to one weeks rent will be payable to reserve the property. This fee will be withheld if any tenant or Guarantor withdraws from the tenancy,  fails the right-to-rent check,  provides false or misleading information or, fail to sign the tenancy agreement or deed of guarantee within 15 calendar days or any other deadline for agreement as mutually agreed in writing.

The granting of a tenancy will be subject to approved references which may be collated by a third-party Referencing Company.        some cases, a guarantor may be required.  Full financial references will be required for the guarantor and a Deed of Guarantee will also need to be signed.

All tenants and guarantors must provide proof of (photographic) identification and proof of residency.

All tenants must have a Right to Rent check carried out. To enable us to carry out this check we need to see you in person and the following documents will need to be produced, your Passport together with any residency permit (if applicable). Should you not have a passport, please contact us to discuss which other documents may be suitable. The tenancy cannot commence unless this check has been carried out.

A Deposit will be required (usually equivalent to five weeks rent) this is to cover any damages or defaults caused by the tenant during the tenancy. The deposit will be payable prior to the commencement of the tenancy and is held for the duration of the tenancy.  The deposit will be registered with the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) www.depositprotection.com, within 30 days of the commencement of the tenancy, or receipt of the deposit whichever is earlier. For further information on Tenancy Deposit Protection please click on the website www.communities.gov.uk/tenancydeposit.  Please note that no interest will be paid on the deposit.

All properties are let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy basis unless otherwise agreed.

Rent is payable monthly in advance by Standing Order direct to DOMVS (for managed and Rent Collection properties only).   Rent must be paid direct to the Landlord for our Let Only Service. For Late payment interest will be charged at 3% above the Bank of England Base Rate from the Rent Due Date until the rent is paid. Please Note: This will not be levied until the rent is more than 14 days in arrears.

All property rents exclude water/sewerage charges, gas, electricity, telephone, council tax and television licence, unless otherwise stated.

We recommend that you have adequate insurance to cover accidental damage to the landlord’s fixtures and fittings.

DOMVS Lettings is a member of The Property Ombudsman Redress Scheme.

DOMVS is a member of (CMP) Client Money Protection Scheme.

Click on the link to view the DOMVS Cash Handling Policy