PWR Letting Agents Nottingham and Mansfield – Mandatory Requirements for Landlords
Mandatory information for landlords from PWR Letting Agents in Nottingham and Mansfield
PWR Letting Agents aims to offer a comprehensive letting service and as such we provide the information below to aid potential landlords in preparing to let their properties.
Consent To Let
If you have a mortgage you must obtain consent from your mortgage lender. It is essential that you notify your insurance company so they may advise you of any additional cover that may be necessary. If your interest in the property is leasehold your lease may require you to obtain consent from your landlord prior to sub letting. Additionally if the property is jointly owned it is essential that both parties agree and sign relevant documentation prior to letting out the property. It is a requirement for landlords to sign their own tenancy agreement. Therefore it is important that we are given clear instructions regarding the length of time the property will be available
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993
The above regulations were amended in 1993 and set new levels of fire resistance for domestic upholstered furniture and furnishings. It is an offence to 'supply' in the course of business any furniture that does not comply with the regulations. This includes supplying furniture as part of a residential property to be let.
The regulations apply to; sofas, beds, bed-heads, children’s' furniture, garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling, scatter cushions and pillows, stretch or loose covers for furniture or other similar items. The regulations do not apply to: curtains, carpets, bedclothes (including duvets and mattress covers)
Any furniture manufactured after March 1990 is likely to comply, but if the appropriate labels are not on the furniture, compliance is in doubt and checks should be made with the manufacturer.
The Gas Safety (installation and use) Regulations 1998
These regulations first came into effect on 31st October 1994 to ensure that gas appliances are properly installed and maintained in a safe condition to avoid the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is the responsibility of landlords to ensure that ALL gas appliances and gas installation pipe work owned by them are checked for safety at least once a year by British Gas or a member of the Gas Safe Register for registered Gas Installers. In addition accurate records of the safety inspections and any work carried out must be kept. The current safety certificate must always be available for any tenant prior to taking occupation of a property.
Faulty equipment can lead to death and a conviction of unlawful killing on a landlord. Under the regulations any appliance that does not conform can be disconnected.
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) regulations 1994
The above regulations impose an obligation on a landlord to ensure that all electrical appliances left as part of a let property are safe. Cabling, fuses and plugs should also be inspected and replaced where necessary to the correct rating for that particular appliance.
Other legislation covering electrical installations is currently in force and we strongly recommend that all appliances are regularly checked and serviced.
The Building Regulations 1991 - Smoke Alarms
The 1991 Building Regulations require that all properties built since June 1992 must be fitted with mains operated interlinked smoke detectors/alarms on each floor. Such regulations regarding older properties do not exist but we strongly recommend that smoke alarms are fitted in all let properties and are regularly checked to ensure they are in full working order.
The Building Regulations Part ‘P’ – Fixed Electrical Installations
Part P redefines building work to include electrical work on certain types of fixed electrical installation in dwellings. The new requirement in the Building Regulations, ‘Requirement P', is simply that:
P1 Design, Installation, Inspection and Testing
Reasonable provision shall be made in the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in order to protect persons from fire or injury.
P2 Provision Information
Sufficient information shall be provided so that persons wishing to operate, maintain or alter an electrical installation can do so with reasonable safety.
The limits on the application of the requirement is that Requirement P applies only to fixed electrical installations that are intended to operate at low voltage or extra-low voltage which are not controlled by the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 as amended, or the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 as amended.
The landlord and Tenant Act 1985 section 11
A Landlord must maintain and keep in repair the structure and exterior of the property including drains gutters and external pipes. To keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the property for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation including sinks, basins, baths and sanitary conveniences.
Tenancy Deposit Regulation
From 6 April 2007, when a tenant pays a tenancy deposit for an assured shorthold tenancy to a private landlord or letting agent, the deposit must be protected by a tenancy deposit scheme. PWR Property Consultants are part of The Tenancy Deposit Scheme run by The Dispute Service and are able to hold all deposits as stakeholder.
Energy Performance Certificates
For the purpose of letting a residential property, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required from 1st October 2008 by law and a residential property cannot be ‘marketed without one’. These assessments can only be produced by qualified and licensed Domestic Energy Assessors (DEA) and must be available for any prospective tenants to see prior to viewing a property. PWR have three such DEA’s who will carry out EPC’s on behalf of our clients.
More information on our services is available on our Letting Agents Nottingham and Letting Agents Mansfield pages.
To discuss your requirements and how we might help you let your property please contact our Nottingham Letting Agents office or our Mansfield office.
