LET me tell you about our process!
I am sure other agents can relate when I say that we often hear things like “what is it that you actually do” and “why is this document needed” and “I didn’t have to provide that last time”.
We wanted to talk you through our lettings process from start to finish. We pride ourselves in following the letter of the law and ensuring that our landlords and tenants are covered with each of the 151 laws in place to be able to let/move into a property. The industry is extremely fast paced and there are new rules, laws, regulations and legislation introduced almost monthly.
Advertising a property
If this is for a new landlord, we will need terms of business signed and a property owners form complete to ensure that we know everything we need to about the property. We can then sort the photographs (we have an in house professional) and ensure that the landlord is aware of getting an EICR (electricity installation, condition report) which is now a legal requirement from July 2020. At this stage we also check the EPC (this has to be an E or above) and the gas safety certificate if applicable (we will already have this is this property is fully managed). We then erect a board if we are able and add the property to each of the 4 portals that we use as well as update the landlord of the new listing. The brochure will also appear in our office window to give maximum exposure. Belvoir cover the costs of the portals and also the boards.
The initial enquiry
This can be via phone/tenants popping by the office (before COVID19 times!) or most commonly by email. We can receive anything from 20-150 enquiries a day. These are all responded to the same day. As Im sure you can imagine this can be extremely time consuming, tenants often ask questions about a property which we may need to call to the landlord confirm. Tenants may also ask to remove or add furniture, ask about parking in the area, change their move in dates (this happens often as tenants circumstances may change). There are unfortunately times that applications are declined due to affordability or where tenants are looking for a short term let (less than 6 months). We will always use our professional knowledge and experience to ensure we are selecting the right tenant for a property.
Arranging a viewing is not as simple as it used to be, we have to ensure the current tenants (if any) are happy with viewings to take place and also ensure that they are COVID free by asking them to fill out a risk assessment form. Once the appointment is booked we must ensure that the current tenants have a minimum of 24 hours’ notice, we also inform the viewers of the correct protocol and PPE needed if they wish to view a property.
Tenant lets a property
The first thing we do here is to advise the landlord of the details of the tenant(s) and to check that they are happy to proceed. By law we must get the tenant to agree to a draft copy of the tenancy agreement in writing. Once we have this the tenants must pay a holding deposit equivalent to one weeks rent to reserve the property. We then check the tenancy term, put forward any requirements to the landlord, and ask for their ID and 2 x proofs of address within the last three months. We then send a receipt letter to acknowledge the holding deposit, email our maintenance team to add them to our FixFlo maintenance reporting system, add the contact details to the Belvoir mailer website in order for them to receive bulk emails and add to our main system.
Referencing
Once the above step is complete, the tenants are then put through referencing with Let Alliance. Let Alliance are an outside company who are very thorough with their referencing, they will reference the tenants by conducting a credit check, ID check, employment and income reference and previous Landlord reference, If applicable, we will forward the tenants ID so they can check this with the Home Office. At this stage, we also book an inventory, take the property off of all property portals and out of the window, offer the tenant an internet connection option with Virgin Media, change the board to “let agreed” and cancel any other viewings booked in. If references suggest a guarantor is needed, we will then ask the tenant for this and the whole referencing process is carried out on the guarantor also. After the tenant fee ban in 2019, Belvoir cover the cost of all referencing for all tenants/guarantors.
Tenancy agreement
Once referencing has been agreed, we can send over the final draft of the tenancy agreement via DocuSign for all to sign. We then make up our “move in pack” which includes sorting (and cleaning) keys, making the tenant a standing order form, ensuring they have copies of the current EPC, EICR and gas safety certificate if applicable as well as making sure all tenant information is available including welcome pack, details of insurance, legionella information, condensation and mould information, TDS and deposit information, right to rent information, and a GDPR form. We also send across the payment instructions for the first month’s rent and deposit to the tenants. Once they have paid we then register the deposit with the TDS and ensure the tenants are given a copy of the TDS certificate, if the properry is managed. If the property is Let Only or Rent Collect, we will send across information on registering a deposit with the TDS to the Landlord.
Moving in
In order for a tenant to move into the property, we must ensure they sign for all legal documents, as well as seeing their ID in person for our Right to Rent checks. The tenants will come to our office, and make payment if they haven’t already done so. We will then run through and hand out all necessary paperwork, as well as providing as much information about the local area as possible. They will also be provided with information on reporting any maintenance issues throughout their tenancy, how to hand in their notice, and to abide by the tenancy agreement. Once the tenant has collected their keys, we will then ensure an inspection date is added to our system (2 per year usually, however COVID has prevented us being able to do this), send the contact details of tenants and meter readings to individual utility companies and the council.
Management of property
Where Belvoir fully manage the property, our fabulous maintenance team deal with all queries, questions and breakages throughout the tenancy. This includes anything from a broken door handle to a roof repair and everything in between. This also includes arranging and booking the annual gas safety checks and organising up to date EPC’s and EICR’s where needed. This also includes 2 x inspections per year, and always ensuring that the landlord is updated throughout.
Notice to quit
When a tenant hands in their notice to us (1 months’ notice from a rental period date), the first thing we do it to advise the landlord of the move out date and also the date that we will be re advertising the property (5 weeks before the available date), as well as checking the new rental amount and if there have been any changes at the property as this may require new details added/removed, as well as new photographs. We then send the tenants a check out proforma detailing everything that needs to done by them to end their tenancy including details of utilities, council, and cleaner recommendations.
Check out process
The checkout process is one of, if not the most important step in our process and by far the most time consuming. The property is checked with a fine tooth comb and compared to the original professional inventory from the start of the tenancy, of course any inventory amendments made by the tenant when they moved in are taken on board, as well as fair wear and tear. Any discrepancies are dealt with and backed up with photographs. Contrary to popular belief, Belvoir do not make any money whatsoever from the work done by our contractors, any jobs that need doing/fixing/cleaning etc are done so to the highest standard and for a minimum cost to the exiting tenants. We always want our tenants to leave on a “good note” and come back to us in the future should they need our help. On the rare occasion that there is a deposit dispute, this is dealt with through the TDS dispute system.
TDS Disputes
Unfortunately, we aren’t always able to come to a resolution with the tenants regarding deductions from their deposit. If this is ever the case, we would then need to raise a dispute with the TDS, or the tenant will. In this instance, all information regarding the tenancy; including the tenancy agreement, inventory, invoices, receipts, photos, emails from throughout the tenancy and the checkout report/photos are to be collated and sent across to the TDS, the tenant will do the same. The TDS adjudicators will then make their final decision on how much the Landlord and Tenant are entitled to from the registered deposit. This is why it is vital to have all the paperwork signed at the beginning of the tenancy and to ensure there is a good quality and informative inventory. This process generally takes 6-8 hours minimum to complete
Serving tenants notice
This has been somewhat difficult over the past year as due to COVID19. The government announced that for notice to be given from a landlord to a tenant is now 6 months. All notices are drawn up in the office and notice is served by hand and always with a witness. This is covered in our fully managed service.
Other jobs covered by the private lettings team include rental increases, passing on information from landlords to tenants, reporting maintenance issues, asking for updated items for example furniture, chasing outstanding rental, managing the changeover of tenants, filing inventory amendments and keeping on top of legislation, courses and qualifications. Alongside this an extremely busy inbox which we prioritise with the most urgent queries and pride ourselves in replying the same day to the majority of emails received.
Whether you are a landlord or tenant, please keep this in mind the next time you are looking to let out/rent a property and be assured that we will always do the best we can for you in the best possible time.
