Accredited Lettings Ltd is fast establishing itself as one of the leading letting agencies in the local area. Our office is situated at a strategic location to provide us with a sound base from which to serve the community. We are Midsomer Norton’s first independent specialist letting agency with a full range of services including letting & management, find a Tenant only service and advice on buy to let. We advertise our properties to let in full colour in the Bath Chronicle, Somerset Guardian, Frome Standard, the ‘Property’ Paper, in our window, on our own website and on rightmove.co.uk

Our staff have over 10 years experience within the letting and management industry and unusually have over 14 years first hand experience as a Landlord. The company believes in offering a quality service unmatched by other agents. Our services are designed to put the Landlord first and to ensure the successful management of your property.

We are Accredited with NALS – The National Approved Lettings Scheme– your guarantee that you are dealing with a firm with the highest professional standards and Integrity. You can be assured that we aim to provide a thorough and professional service.

The Scheme is supported by some of the most powerful voices in the property industry. The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) support NALS, which is also endorsed by the ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), the Housing Corporation and the British Property Federation.

For more information regarding the benefits of using a NALS accredited agent visit their website www.nalscheme.co.uk

We pride ourselves in providing a personal service to all of our Landlords and Landladies and therefore, would be delighted to offer you a free no obligation market appraisal of your property. During our meeting we will give you advice on any action you need to take before you let the property, this includes any repairs and refurbishments that are needed to put it into a fit state for letting. We will also be able to advise you on the current market value of your property and explain your rights and responsibilities and that of the Tenants too.

How do you check a tenant out?
Finding the right Tenant for a property is fundamental. We start by establishing with yourself a criteria for the sort of person you wish to occupy your property. We then match this to prospective Tenants who we will take references and credit checks on. Only after checking these references and credit checks and confirming them with you will we proceed with a tenancy.

When dealing with private Tenants we take references, usually from their employer, previous Landlord and a personal referee. We also undertake a full credit check on any prospective Tenants.

‘We will not offer you a Tenant that I would not happily house in my own rented property’ – Ty Cook, Director.

Do the Tenants Pay a Deposit?
We request a deposit on all tenancies. For private Tenants, the deposit will vary from property to property depending on its condition and/or whether the property is furnished or not.

Deposits are held to help ensure the Tenant looks after the property and as a safeguard against unpaid rent. It is refundable at the end of a tenancy only after the Tenant has vacated the property, providing the house and their account are in order and subject to the conditions within the Tenancy Agreement.

Do you Inspect the property?
Yes, prior to the tenancy commencing we will carry out a full inspection of the property and compile a comprehensive inventory of all fixtures, fittings, furnishings and take photographs. The inventory will list all items within the property and contain a brief description of their condition. A copy of the inventory will be sent to yourself and the Tenant. This provides both parties with an opportunity to confirm the accuracy of the document.

Whilst compiling the inventory we also take the meter readings. These readings are then passed on to the appropriate companies. At the same time we also inform the council of the change in tenancy. We cannot inform British Telecom of the change in tenancy. This must be done by the user of the service.

We conduct regular inspections of all tenanted properties which take place approximately every three months (managed only). These inspections serve numerous purposes and they allow us to visit the Tenant in the property and ensure they are looking after it. We also check for signs that something may be wrong with the property. If something needs attention we can then inform you as soon as is practical, helping to reduce the risk of the problem becoming worse and the cost escalating. These visits also help us get to know the Tenants better, so that when the lease is due for renewal we can be confident in the advice we give to you. You will receive a written report once an inspection has been carried out on your property.

What happens with repairs and what am I responsible for?
Every property at some point will need some work doing to it. If things go wrong and the Tenant contacts us, we will then contact you. In the majority of cases the problem can be resolved quickly. However there are two important points to remember when it comes to repairs. Firstly, if a serious fault does occur (water burst/ flood) and we cannot contact you we can authorise a repair up to a cost which will be agreed by you prior to the commencement of the tenancy. Authorisation for this is contained within the agency agreement you sign.

Secondly, once a property is tenanted you do have an obligation to ensure it is well maintained. Carrying out repairs quickly is often as important for you as it is for the Tenant. After-all repairs caught early enough can save you a lot of money. Remember Tenants do have rights. Tenants can contact the Environmental Health because repairs are not being attended to quickly and the ensuing ‘enforcement order’ could include extra repairs and a significantly higher final bill. Work not done will be carried out by them and they will add a hefty additional charge on top of the repair bill.

*”In the Landlord & Tenants Act 1985 under section 11, it is implied as a covenant in the tenancy agreement that the landlord is:

(a) to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling (including its drains, gutters and external pipes).

(b) to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling, for sanitation and for the supply of water, gas and electricity as well as those for space heating and heating water”

*(journal for residential property professionals- July 1996, issue2, volume4)


IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Gas Appliances
It is a legal requirement that every gas appliance and gas central heating system has to be inspected on an annual basis. They have to meet strict conditions and a safety report must be issued. (This report or copy of it must be kept with our files).

You can use British Gas (who charge per item inspected) or a private gas engineer (some of whom have a flat rate, regardless of the number of appliances). Remember for an inspection to be complete, the piping must also be inspected and the person conducting the inspection MUST be CORGI registered.

We can arrange for the safety inspection to be carried out for you by our local gas engineer. Once the inspection has been completed, we keep a record of the date. A safety report must be issued every twelve months.

Furnishings
If any furniture is left in a property, then you as Landlord have a duty to ensure it is maintained and (for electrical / mechanical equipment) repaired should it become faulty, provided of course this is not as a result of negligence or malicious damage by the Tenant. Any soft furnishings (Chairs & beds etc.) that are left in the property must comply with fire regulations, and a label clearly stating so should be attached. If not then the furnishings must be removed from the property. They cannot be stored at the rented address.

Mortgages
If the property you wish to rent is subject to a mortgage then consent should be sought form the mortgage lender to let the property. The lender may make a small charge to cover administration costs.

Insurance
As a Landlord you are still responsible for the building and accordingly the buildings insurance. You should make certain that the policy covers letting – many household policies do not. If the property is furnished or part- furnished you may also wish to consider contents insurance.

Tax
Income received from renting any property is subject to tax (we strongly recommend that you take advice from an accountant). Expenses incurred can be set against this liability as can the interest paid on the mortgage (if MIRAS is dropped or does not apply to the property). Up until April 1996 Landlords who moved out of the United Kingdom had to have tax deducted by their agents. Now however a Landlord can apply for an exemption certificate from the Inland Revenue (we can supply the application forms). If you are awarded exemption we can send all the rent money to yourself (a copy of the exemption certificate must be held by ourselves) without a deduction for tax.

Charges
We offer a number of comprehensive services and would be happy to discuss a package to suit your requirements. Charges obviously vary depending on the service you require however, we do offer discounts to Landlords with three or more properties to let.