Renting Your Property

We offer landlords a comprehensive range of letting and property management services, which can be tailored to meet your requirements. Whether you require a Let Only or Full Property Management service, we have the expertise you would expect from a property consultant.

Our experience and brand attracts many professional tenants. Our efficient marketing and administration teams will ensure that your rental returns are maximised, and void periods kept to an absolute minimum.

Part of our service is to keep our landlords up to date with legislation and to ensure they remain compliant with the changing law and regulations. We are also able to advise on property refurbishment projects, portfolio management and buyHto let opportunities.

Our two main services are as follows:

Full Property Management service

From experience we find that professional and corporate tenants prefer to let properties that are fully managed, and are becoming more demanding of the service they require.

Managing a property is a specialised and time-consuming business, especially when problems arise, which is why we have teams in place to remove this burden from you. Our property managers have extensive knowledge of property related issues and are there to protect your investment.

Fully managed includes, in addition to our let only service, the following:

Rent collection and the issuing of monthly statements
Property inspections
Payment of routine outgoings
24 hour repair service
Dealing with repair and maintenance issues
Approved tenancy deposit administration
Dilapidation assessments
Tax certificates for overseas landlords
Service of default notices

Let Only service

This service is more suited to landlords who have the time available to deal with issues that arise from tenancies. Our service is to provide you with a suitable tenant in the shortest possible time and includes the following:

Initial property inspection and valuation
Marketing and presentation advice
Prime advertising coverage
Credit and status checks on suitable tenants
Arranging inventories and checkHins
Preparation of the Tenancy Agreement
Approved tenancy deposit administration
Collecting initial monies and set up of standing orders

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any additional help or information on the service we can offer you.

Legal obbligations as a Landlord

Landlord fees

Legal obligations as a Landlord.

Electrical Equipment & Systems

There are currently no statutory regulations governing electrical equipment and systems in the UK, although you are obligated to ensure the property is safe and you may be liable should something go wrong. The following Acts and Regulations detail this - The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, The Housing Act 2004 (Housing Health and Safety Rating System), The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, and the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994, both of which come under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Under Part P of Building Regulations, certain electrical work is required to be carried out by a Competent Person.

EPC

An Energy Performance Certificate is required to be ordered by the time a property is being marketed by Woodland. This provides an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient), the same system used by kitchen appliances. It will detail energy use and costs, and recommendations to reduce energy usage.
https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates

Fire

The furniture supplied within a rental property must comply with fire resistance requirements as defined within The Fire and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended).
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/1324/contents/made

Gas

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require a gas safety check to be carried out on every gas appliance/flue. This will ensure gas fittings and appliances are safe to use. A certificate will be supplied by a Gas Safe registered engineer stating a pass or a fail, and the appropriate action will be required should the check fail. The certificate is valid for 12 months and must be provided to the tenants within 28 days of the check. Woodland will not allow tenants to move in without a valid certificate.
http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/

Smoke Alarms

The Buildings Regulations Act 1991 states that all properties built after 1st June 1992 must have mains powered smoke alarms on each floor.
If the property is built prior to this date it is not a legal requirement, however, it is strongly recommended that all properties provide at least one smoke alarm.
If smoke alarms are present, it is imperative that they are maintained. A clause within the tenancy agreement will typically inform the tenants of their responsibility to keep it well maintained and the battery to be replaced when necessary.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/2768/contents/made

Tax and The Non-Resident Landlord Scheme

You may be subject to income tax during the rental period and capital gains when you sell. If you are in any doubt, or you would prefer not to complete your own Self Assessment tax return, consult an accountant.
https://www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property/paying-tax

If you reside overseas, we are required by HMRC to comply with the non-resident landlord scheme. Unless the landlord provides a NRL form to HMRC, we will be required to deduct the basic rate of income tax from the rent. Woodland can provide and assist you with the required information. Once HMRC approval is given we will able to transfer rental income without deductions.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/international/nr-landlords.htm
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/nrl1.pdf

Tenancy Deposit Protection

Legislation requires security deposits for all Assured Shorthold Tenancies to be registered with a government approved scheme. Woodland can register the deposit on behalf of the landlord. We are members of the Deposit Protection Scheme.
http://www.depositprotection.com/

Private Lettings