Thinking of letting your property?

Letting your property with Apricot

Apricot Estates specialise in the letting of property, and slowly over the years, has built up its reputation through the professional service provided by our trained staff. This has inevitably led to us securing many properties on our books, and particularly, keeping the same satisfied landlords year after year. Part of the service Apricot provides is to act as an agent on behalf of the Landlord, ensuring Landlords get the right tenants for their properties and that communication is clear between the Landlord and potential tenants.

Our extensive advertising in the local press and London wide in Hot Property Magazine ™, Loot ™ and other publications, as well as global coverage provided by our website will give your property the widest possible coverage. We accompany applicants on all appointments and our experienced vetting department will carry out thorough reference checks contacting a range of referees prior to agreeing any let. In addition via our association with HomeLet we are able to offer a range of insurance-backed Rent Guarantee schemes and Referencing checks.

Apricot offers a comprehensive service. For example, whatever furniture is required, a single item to a whole house; Apricot can arrange the supply, delivery and collection of furniture, quickly and efficiently. This includes advice and preparation of a furnishing scheme. When renting for the first time, a landlord has a number of issues to consider. When letting your property through Apricot, you can be sure we will introduce a reliable tenant who will care for your property while they occupy it.

Via our association with HomeLet Insurance Apricot Estates have access to an exclusive range of tenant referencing products to ensure that your investment is safeguarded. We can credit check applicants within minutes and can offer a Comprehensive Rent guarantee at a reasonable cost to our Landlords.

Our full management package includes full inventories and the notification of the relevant authorities of the change of tenancy. We ensure that your property is well maintained and will set a figure for your bills that will not be exceeded without your approval. A statement of account will be sent to you on a regular basis.

Apricot offers an experienced and friendly service, which allows established and newly established landlords to benefit from the many services our company provides. In order to meet that demand we constantly require rental properties of a high standard. Apricot would be delighted to extend to you the offer of a free lettings valuation, carried out at your convenience. Just call our office or fill out the PLEASE VALUE MY HOME form and we will respond promptly and efficiently to your request.

LETTING REGULATIONS

Furniture and Furnishings, Fire (Safety) Amendment Regulations 1988
Since 1993 all rented properties can only be furnished with contents that meet the required standard. The regulations require all furniture and furnishings in rented properties to meet the "cigarette test". The regulations cover a wide range of furniture and furnishings and apply to all upholstery and upholstered furniture and loose fittings, permanent or loose covers including: beds, mattresses, pillows, armchairs and scatter cushions. Exemptions Furniture made before 1950, Carpets, curtains, pillowcases, bed clothes, sleeping bags.

Although most furniture manufactured after March 1990 is likely to comply if the appropriate labels are not affixed to the furniture checks need to be made with the manufacturer.

To check that furniture meets the regulations you should look for the following labels, (a triangle with a smoking cigarette), or in the case of beds and mattresses a label marked BS 7177.

The simplest and easiest precaution is to remove all second hand upholstered furniture that does not have a permanent label, unless you can prove that it was upholstered before 1950.

You therefore need to either replace non-conforming items or let the property on an unfurnished/part-furnished basis. We will be happy to discuss what items can stay and we can arrange for replacement quotations.

For further information please contact Local Trading standards

Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
From the 9th January 1995 it became a criminal offence to supply electrical equipment, which is unsafe. Equipment is considered unsafe if it jeopardizes the safety of people, domestic animals or property.

The act does not impose any duty on the supplier to carry out safety checks. However, without such checks at both the start of the letting and at regular intervals there is no way of establishing whether any equipment is unsafe. It is likely this would only 'come to light' after injury or loss! Therefore the only way to completely protect your tenant (and yourself) is to have the electric's/appliances checked by a qualified electrical engineer. We would recommend inspections are carried out at least once a year.

If you require advice on current legislation would like to arrange an electrical inspection our staff will be pleased to help you.

The Gas (Safety) Regulations 1994 On the 31st October 1994
The Gas Safety Regulations came into effect. Under the regulations, it is the responsibility of anyone letting their property to ensure any gas appliance (including propane or calor gas) or pipework installed in the premises are maintained in a safe condition.

The Landlord must make sure all gas appliances, pipeworks and a qualified gas engineer (Corgi registered) checks for safety at least once a year. A record of each inspection must be kept and a Landlords Gas Safety Certificate must be available for the Tenant or Local Authority to inspect.

This Certificate must be available prior to the commencement of a Tenancy, We will arrange, at the Landlord's expense, for this to be carried out if required.

If you require further information about current legislation our staff will be pleased to assist.

General Product Safety The General Product Safety Regulations 1994
specify that any product supplied in the course of a commercial activity must be safe. When letting, this would include both the building and its contents. Regular checks should be carried out to check for obvious problems.

STAMP DUTY

What is stamp duty?
The Stamp Duty Act states that a document is not admissible as evidence in a Civil Court unless it has been stamped, this includes Tenancy Agreements. Over the last few years there have been a number of changes, with the Government first updating and strengthening the operation of Stamp Duty and then from the 1 st December 2003 simplifying it.

Up until the 1 st December 2003 the lettings stamp was nominal (often only £5 or 1% of the rent) but applied to most London tenancies. However, from the 1 st December 2003 stamp duty will only apply to long or very expensive leases (i.e. those where the premium/rent is more than £60,000 (for the term).

Conclusion

The stamp duty rules have been criticised for being ‘over complicated' so these latest changes are welcome because they simplify the system and reduce the bureaucracy caused by collecting the minimum duty. However, some Landlords may still be affected and as your letting agent Apricot Estates will discuss the stamping of the document with you.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Apricot Estates or contact the Inland Revenue Stamp Office helpline on 0845 603 0135. Source; SO8 (Stamp Duty on Agreements Securing Short Tenancies) 3/12/2003

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Apricot Estates or contact the Inland Revenue Stamp Office helpline on 0845 603 0135.

Source; SO8 (Stamp Duty on Agreements Securing Short Tenancies) & SO10 (Stamp Duty Interest and Penalties)