If you are a landlord or have responsibility for managing a rental property, you need to ensure that you are aware of your obligations under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), or you could find yourself facing a hefty fine.
What is the HHSRS?
The government’s guidance on the HHSRS states that the landlord must look after:
• The exterior of the dwelling and structural elements, and
• The inside facilities that are part of the dwelling.
These requirements have been put in place to ensure residential premises are safe and secure for residents and anyone who may be visiting the property. As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to ensure there is no risk or, if unavoidable, an acceptable level of risk from the hazards identified by HHSRS.
What types of hazards are assessed?
The HHSRS is a very comprehensive rating assessment that considers twenty-nine hazards found in the home. These hazards relate to:
• Dampness and excess cold/heat
• Pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and asbestos
• Lack of space, security, lighting, noise
• Hygiene, sanitation, water supply
• Accident risks, such as electric shocks, falls, cuts, burns, collisions
• Explosions and structural collapse.
How do the inspection’s work?
Local authorities will conduct the assessment by completing a matrix containing the twenty-nine hazards and are given extensive powers to act if the standard of a property is unacceptable. Each hazard will be given a rating (bands A-J), with bands A-C considered the most serious category 1 hazard and band D-J a less serious category 2.
The overall assessment will be made on the likelihood of an occurrence of an incident and the range of likely harmful outcomes.
What happens when the inspection finds a problem?
Local authorities have a wide range of sanctions to use against the landlord to remedy any hazards they find:
• Hazard Awareness Notice
• Improvement Notice
• Prohibition Order
• Emergency Order
• Demolition Orders and Clearance Areas
If you fail to comply with this notice requiring action, you could be fined up to £5,000.
What happens when the inspection finds a problem?
Landlords know that ensuring their property is maintained to a good standard is about ensuring their tenants’ safety and comfort and looking after their investment. HHSRS assessments are just another reason to ensure your property remains fully maintained, both inside and out.
Regularly inspecting properties can be time-consuming, and many landlords may not have the knowledge to conduct a comprehensive assessment that would pick up all the potential risks present. Regular inspections, such as those offered by No Letting Go’s property management services and regular check-ins, will keep you on top of property maintenance and can avoid large repair costs by picking up problems early on. Regular property inspections are an investment in your investment.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your property management partner, streamline your cost, reduce workload, ensure compliance with regulations and keep accurate property inventories, then contact us today.
Are you keeping your tenants safe and your property protected? Are you sure that it has fully functioning smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors installed? Here’s a reminder of your responsibilities to your tenants as their landlord.
What are your responsibilities?
Regulations for private sector landlords were introduced in October 2015 detailing a legal responsibility to protect tenants from the risks of fire and CO poisoning. The expectation of landlords is very clear, and there is no grace period to let you meet legal requirements. You need to ensure that your rental property has fitted:
• At least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of the property which is used as living accommodation;
• A carbon monoxide alarm installed in any room used as living accommodation where solid fuel is burned. A solid fuel-burning appliance could be a coal fire or wood-burning stove.
In addition to the alarms being fitted, you should also:
• Follow the legal requirement to check that alarms are in working order on the first day of each new tenancy. After this, the tenants are responsible for regularly testing alarms. Guidance suggests that this should be done monthly.
• Consider where you fit the alarms. Smoke alarms should be on a ceiling in spaces where the air circulates. CO alarms should be at head height and only a few meters from the fuel-burning appliance. However, the manufacturer’s instructions should be followed.
• Ensure alarms are audible throughout the property.
• Consider fitting a CO monitor near gas appliances as these can also emit carbon monoxide (although this is not required by law).
• Consider how you will prove you have checked the alarms at the required times.
Landlords who fail to comply with the regulations can expect a fine of up to £5000.
Regular property inventories can ensure compliance
As highlighted in our smoke and CO verification information, if your property is outside England, or you have a different type of rental property, there are different requirements you need to be aware of.
To ensure your ongoing compliance with all regulations affecting a landlord can be difficult and time-consuming, but something that good landlords and property agents are keen to do. At No Letting Go, we support our landlords and property agents with smoke and CO alarm verification and compliance with other legislation through inventory checks.
Pre-tenancy checks, regular inventory check-ins and end-of-tenancy inventories ensure that throughout a tenancy and at the start of every new one, you are providing tenants with a safe property that is in good order. We can schedule regular inventories that tenants will sign off to provide an audit trail for your compliance with regulations should this become necessary. We will also provide feedback and guidance where a property may be falling short of legal requirements.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how the local inventory specialists at No Letting Go could become your property management partner, streamline your costs, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories, then contact us today.
Despite the challenges of lockdown, landlords and property agents still have responsibilities to tenants to maintain their properties. At No Letting Go, we have tailored our service to ensure that we can still deliver regular property checks safely and effectively even when we cannot physically visit a property.
Keeping priorities in check
The landlords and property agents we support are familiar with the start-to-finish support our inventory management service offers. From a pre-tenancy inventory check, through interim checks and ending with an end-of-tenancy check, we have created a rigorous audit regime so that those responsible for managing properties can:
• Fulfil their legal obligations
• Keep tenants safe
• Maintain properties in a good condition
• Maintain high levels of property management service
• Meet contractual requirements
• Continue providing value for money as property agents
To ensure that none of these responsibilities slip, we have expanded how we conduct regular property visits that will ensure you keep meeting your obligations as a landlord and property agent, even during these difficult times.
Virtual property visits supported by the latest technology
Property visits have always been key to ensuring that all is in order with the property and a good relationship is maintained with tenants. While lockdown is a requirement, No Letting Go has looked for ways to reduce contact and minimise the risk to those around us, establishing a process for virtual property visits when tenants are not comfortable with a face-to-face visit.
Thanks to the investment we’ve made in our propriety inventory software called Kaptur and our Digisign function, we already have the tools in place to enable virtual property visits. Through a 15-minute phone call to tenants, we can complete an inventory questionnaire covering key aspects of a property inspection.
The information provided during the call will be recorded on our Kaptur software and sent to the tenants. They will be able to upload photos of the property, raise any maintenance issues they may have, review the report, digitally sign it, and then return the report electronically.
Quick and efficient, these checks ensure landlord priorities can be met while tenants still feel supported in their home with minimal disruption.
Don’t let lockdown stop you from meeting your rental property commitments
Everyone has to spend more time in our homes at the moment; as a landlord, it is important that you remain on top of your commitments to tenant safety and protect your property investment.
If you are a property agent managing several properties, you cannot afford a backlog of property visits to build up and risk not meeting your contractual obligations to your clients. Maintaining regular checks is key to protecting your property and ensuring your tenants’ safety, maintaining a good reputation as a landlord, and protecting your long-term income.
If you would like to discuss how the local inventory specialists at No Letting Go could become your property management partner, streamline your costs, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories, then contact us today.
At No Letting Go, we are very proud of the market-leading property management franchise business we’ve built together with our franchisees. As we continue to grow, we thrive on working with dynamic and driven individuals looking for the opportunity to run their own business, and we’re looking for new business partners.
What we do at No Letting Go
We provide reports on the conditions of residential rental properties for landlords, agents and tenants. There are several vital reports services in our portfolio, but most common are check-in and check-out reports for tenant changes.
What sets us apart from the competition is our bespoke tablet-based technology which offers full flexibility, allowing reports to be completed online while on-site. Accurate and efficient, it allows our franchisees to provide an excellent service to their clients.
Why landlords need inventories
Continued demand in the rental sector grows the need for clear and in-depth reports because they have an important role to play for landlords and their agents in ensuring a smooth tenancy:
• Meeting legislation requirements and ensuring safety standards are adhered to
• Building good relationships with tenants by providing objective reports
• Providing a key administrative service, freeing time for landlords to focus on growing their portfolio and other tasks
• Protecting an investment by confirming the good condition of a property
• Employing experienced experts to complete reports
• Providing an end-to-end service
The breadth of value an inventory service can add to a rental enterprise makes it an integral tool for any landlord or agent and offers them reassurance over the ongoing safety and upkeep of their investment properties.
Why become a franchise owner?
If you have ever thought of running your own business, being a franchise owner offers a great opportunity while providing a higher level of business support.
We continue to invest in our bespoke technologies, developing our offering to landlords and tenants so that franchisees don’t have to. You can reassure clients that they are meeting their legal and health and safety obligations with the latest software.
We also provide a national network that allows us to support national and large accounts so we can build a broad portfolio of clients.
As a franchisee, in addition to being part of a strong and growing franchise group with a strong reputation, you will be supported in making your franchise a success:
• Training at our Training Academy that covers not only how to produce reports but also how to launch your business, with ongoing learning and development support
• Business development support to grow your own business
• A national support network through our franchises
• The latest technology that provides a competitive advantage and enables you to work efficiently
Running your own business can be highly rewarding. The opportunity to do this with the support of a leading national brand opens a world of potential. If you would like to learn more about our exciting franchise opportunities or would like to contact us, you’ll find details here.
A property inventory process is crucial if a landlord wants to protect themselves against picking up the bill for property repairs caused by a tenant.
However, to be useful during a dispute, especially if the matter goes to court, it’s important that the inventory has been thoroughly completed as part of a well-managed process so that it covers every aspect of a property and is correctly preserved.
Why is an inventory system necessary?
One of the most common causes of disputes between landlord or letting agent and a tenant is over the return of a deposit at the end of a tenancy, especially if some needs to be retained to cover repair or replacement costs.
For all assured, shorthold tenancies in England and Wales which began after 6 April 2007, landlords must place deposits in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDP) where it is legally protected.
A landlord, or their letting agent, must return the deposit in full if the tenant meets the terms of the tenancy agreement, doesn’t damage the property and pays their rent and bills. However, if you end up in a dispute with your tenant over the state of the property when they leave, the deposit remains protected in the TDP scheme until the issue is sorted out.
In this scenario, a well-managed inventory system provides the crucial evidence needed to settle any dispute and allow you to cover the cost for any damage.
What should an adequately managed inventory cover?
A property inventory is a comprehensive written and photographic report detailing the state of your property, including outside spaces, at the beginning of a tenancy.
It provides information on the furniture, fixtures, fittings and general wear and tear, details keys, appliance manuals and meter readings. Anything damaged or missing should be recorded in front of the new tenant.
A report also includes a safety section to record the evidence that a landlord or letting agent complies with safety regulations, such as smoke/CO detectors and the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations, 1988.
An inventory must be scheduled for the check-in and check-out procedures of a tenant, to record the property’s condition as the tenant departs. This clearly shows any changes that occurred during the tenancy. Additional checks can also be scheduled during the tenancy.
It is important that all inventories are fully documented and witnessed. Having a professionally prepared inventory can help establish the landlord’s credibility if the case goes before a tribunal or judge.
How does inventory management benefit the landlord?
The details recorded in a property inventory provide the evidence needed to prove whether the damage was done during a tenancy and if it was the responsibility of the tenant. This makes a subsequent claim by the landlord or their letting agent against a protected deposit or zero-deposit replacement insurance much simpler and more likely to be upheld.
A detailed inventory also helps reassure your tenant that they won’t be blamed for any damage they weren’t responsible for. This gets the relationship between landlord, or letting agent, and tenant off to a good start and a happy tenant is much easier to deal with than an unhappy one.
No Letting Go
At No Letting Go we offer an independent and unbiased professional inventory management service, providing a written and photographic report on the condition of the property and its contents.
If you would like to find out more about how our local support or national network could support you as your property management partner to streamline your cost, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories, then contact us today.
The Coronavirus pandemic has hit every sector of the economy, but it hasn’t been a disaster for the rental market that some were fearing – in fact, it’s remained relatively stable. So, what does 2021 have in store after such an unpredictable year?
Predictions for 2021 rental market
In 2021 the overall demand for rental properties is expected to be strong, which is good news for landlords and letting agents, but there are challenges ahead that could affect the market:
- Ongoing global pandemic: Landlords and letting agents will need to continue managing tenants experiencing reduced incomes and government temporary measures to prevent some evictions, at least in the short term. This will lead to some challenging times ahead and a need to adapt to any new measures put in place.
- Brexit: Rules allowing Europeans to work, travel and rent in the UK will change, leading to a reduced number of European tenants and business lets. Uncertainty around Brexit will also cause financial unease and changes in legislation that may affect the numbers of people willing to invest in property.
- The economy: Economic uncertainty will mean many renters could choose to delay purchasing a property, keeping the demand for rentals high. However, those on low incomes, typically renters, may see salaries continuing to be depressed, making rent rises difficult.
- Changes in taxation: Capital gains tax is under review, and there’s concern that general increases in taxation may make investing in property less appealing, reducing the supply of rental properties. This is better news for current landlords.
To what extent these factors affect supply and demand for rental properties has created mixed views in the sector. According to the site Letting Agent Today, Hamptons and Belvoir are predicting either minimal rent rises or static levels in 2021, while Savills suggest rental prices will increase as the sector continues to see demand strengthen.
Moving forward to 2021
Uncertainty is the most straightforward prediction to make for 2021. Yet, demand for rental properties is likely to remain high, and even if the environment is challenging, the sector is now better equipped to manage it.
In our 2019 predictions, we stated that ongoing digital transformation in the property sector would continue to be necessary, and it was. Technology has enabled our industry to navigate restrictions and continue business when the lockdown was lifted. In fact, digital tools such as No Letting Go’s DigiSign system has facilitated social distancing requirements for property check in’s and check outs, and reduced the admin burden of agents chasing for signed reports.
It’s these types of innovations and opportunities for increased efficiencies that will ensure our sector remains agile and able to react to whatever changes 2021 has in store.
No Letting Go
Whether you are a landlord or a letting agent, if you would like to discuss how our local support or national network could become your property management partner, streamline your cost, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories, then contact No Letting Go today.
For property services to continue to operate in the “new normal”, we’ve all had to adjust our working practices to comply with Covid-19 rules. Yet in one key aspect of inventory management, we already had systems in place that enabled effective social distancing – our fully comprehensive property inventory software
What you need from property inventory software
At No Letting Go, we have a specifically designed property inventory software called Kaptur. With compliance at its core, it captures, stores, reports and manages property information.
In a previous post, The benefits of using a property inventory reporting system, we discussed in detail how these systems facilitate great property management from check-in to check-out, making them a great time-saving tool for letting agents. But in these times, when social distancing is paramount, the efficiency and operation of these systems take on new importance. Not only do they improve the property inventory management process, but they also enable letting agents continue supporting the letting of properties while observing social distancing.
How property inventory software enables social distancing
Our property management software was created to facilitate the smooth operation of property inspections and cause minimal disruption to tenants, landlords and letting agents by taking away the requirement to be physically present for inspections. This also supports social distancing:
- Inventories are electronic, so no documentation is passed by hand between individuals
- Inventories are reviewed online
- We use Digisign so all parties can sign reports online
- Allows parties to review reports online
- Parties are able to amend reports online
- Queries can be managed online
- Photos added to reports make it easier to illustrate issues to tenants and landlords
Ensuring tenants and landlords have confidence in the system
Property inventories provide key evidence should a dispute arise about the state of a property. As a letting agent, it’s important for you that all parties can trust this process and feel comfortable that outcomes are objective, even when tenants and landlords haven’t been present at any inspections.
Landlords and tenants also feel that a third party conducting a property inspection is a good way to ensure an independent perspective. Providing a tool that generates detailed reports and lets all sides engage demonstrates how you, as the letting agent, are committed to meeting compliance obligations, which builds confidence.
There are many reasons why property inspections are so important, even in these challenging times. If it’s proving difficult to provide property inventory management for your landlords and their tenants while observing social distancing, then it’s time to reconsider your current approach and look for a system that ensures the safety of your client landlords and their tenants.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your property management partner, streamline your cost, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories then contact us today.
Research by Statista, a statistics portal for market data, found more than half of landlords who responded were in disputes with their tenants, the main reasons being arrears, cleanliness, pets, subletting and breakages. Using regular property inventories letting agents can help their landlord clients to avoid such problems.
When should you use a property inventory?
A property inventory provides a detailed report on the contents and condition of a property, listing furniture, fixtures and fittings and alongside the condition and cleanliness.
A property inspection must take place for each new tenancy to detail the condition of the property at the start; at regular intervals throughout the tenancy to record any changes and damages from the check-in inventory; and finally, at the end of the tenancy to assess the property as the tenant departs.
These regular inspections provide a full report of the property’s condition for the complete duration of the tenancy.
Why are property inspections of benefit?
Completing a property inventory might seem like a time-consuming task for a busy letting agent looking after a number of properties. However, a comprehensive inventory process can stop a landlord-tenant dispute from escalating into a legal dispute, which would be far more costly in time and money. A proper inventory system offers other benefits:
- Essential evidence about the state of the property
- Crucial evidence if you need to take the cost of a repair or replacement from a tenant’s deposit
- Claiming on insurance is much easier with inventory evidence
- A speedy inspection process to reduce the period between tenancies and maximising a property’s income potential
- Using a standard inventory process ensures that nothing is missed during a property inspection
What does an adequate property inventory look like?
To ensure that a property’s inventory and schedule of condition will be useful to avoid a dispute, it must include:
- Full contents of the property, fixtures, fittings and state of decoration
- Details of the condition for each item
- Photographic, date-stamped evidence
- A declaration page for relevant parties to indicate their agreement to the contents of the report
It must also be completed in an objective and unbiased way and enable easy comparison between reports to identify any changes in contents or condition. Ideally, a property visit should be completed every three to six months
Disputes between landlords and tenants are time-consuming, potentially costly and can affect the reputation of a landlord and their letting agent. Using an independent inventory service can help boost the credibility of an inventory for tenants because they will see it as being independent.
Discussing the tried and tested landlord inventory service we use at No Letting Go can help letting agents understand how our inventories are structured to facilitate comprehensive property inspections and designed to capture the right information to prevent disputes.
No Letting Go
If you would like to discuss how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your property management partner, streamline your cost, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories the please contact us today.
Without a doubt, regular property inspections are one of the most important things you can do to protect your property investment. However, for many property owners, it’s still one of those admin chores that’s difficult to find time for. So why are property inspections such a vital element of property management?
The benefits of regular property inspections
Recent feedback from one of our customers Faye Walker, Property Manager at Fry & Kent in Hampshire, who regularly uses our property inspection service, is a reminder of why property inspections should be a regular, planned activity:
“Property inspections by No Letting Go give me real peace of mind. Their experience and use of inventory software designed specifically for the job means nothing gets past them. That way, I am reassured that my tenants are safe and happy and my property, which I’ve invested a lot of money into, is being kept in good order.”
Some landlords are worried about checking up on their tenants, but far from being intrusive, regular inspections show your tenant that you care about their welfare and can head off problems before they become expensive disputes.
This peace of mind comes from knowing that a comprehensive property inspection covers many aspects of being a landlord, including:
• Reviewing the condition of the property and its contents, to spot any repair and maintenance issues before they become costly problems
• Ensuring compliance with the tenancy agreement
• Making sure no illegal activities are taking place at the property
• Building a good relationship with tenants
• Demonstrating that as a landlord you are fulfilling your responsibilities
• Creating documentation that can provide evidence if a dispute arises
Making property inspections easy
Property inspections are time-consuming. Defining what needs to be checked, recording the findings of an inspection and organising inspection visits all take time. A great way to relieve the burden of regular property inspections is to use a property inspection service.
At No Letting Go, we utilise our bespoke inventory software to ensure all property inspections are thoroughly conducted logically, with written and photographic evidence included in the report. Together with an inspection at the end of a tenancy and the beginning of a new tenancy, regular property inspections provide a full audit trail of the properties condition.
The benefits of using a property inventory reporting system mean that inspections can be completed promptly and they also provide consistency over what is being monitored, so nothing is missed, either during the inspection or because of lost records. Online reports are easily recalled and compared when necessary to review changes.
Our thorough and rigorous inspection services are all about protecting the landlord’s investments and ensuring tenants have a good tenancy experience, working hard to ensure all our customers feel as reassured as Faye says:
“Having been in the Lettings Business for many years, No Letting Go is by far one of the best Inventory companies I have used. They are always professional, reliable and the quality of work is second to none with reports always received on time.”
No Letting Go
If you would like to find out more about how our local support or national network at No Letting Go could become your property management partner, streamline your cost, reduce workload and keep accurate property inventories, then contact us today.
The latest government rules combined with the Prime minister’s recent address to the nation is clear – tougher measures are required to control the spread of the virus.
Everyone has a slightly different attitude to risk, and with each new set of guidance comes a shift in public attitudes. The public wants protection from the government to reduce the risks of contracting an avoidable illness, but they also want protection against avoidable economic hardship (according to the Health Foundation and Ipsos recent public survey).
So, we all have a role to play – government, public and businesses large and small (and the press, but that’s a whole other topic!). Let’s hope that common sense prevails and the wearing of PPE, washing hands, sanitising and minimising contact with others will prevent us facing further draconian measures.
So how is this affecting the lettings industry? Well actually, very little has changed to the protocols already in place with agents and suppliers such as inventory providers, aimed at minimising the spread of the virus. A more significant change to letting agents is the requirement to wear masks while working in high street offices. Office workers are being told to work from home where possible, so effective systems and the ability to outsource tasks to reliable, responsible experts will be paramount in the weeks and months ahead.
In terms of how we continue to adapt as an industry, the focus has to be on creating as much confidence as possible for landlords and tenants, by ensuring safety measures are in place and being adhered to, and technology solutions are being utilised where possible, to minimise contact for staff and clients. Now is the time to remind, re-enforce and monitor those protocols with staff and clients to ensure safety is paramount and safeguard the continuity of our industry.
Minimising face to face contact is a priority and it is possible to conduct inventories, check-ins and check outs without the need for the tenant to be present. It is also vital that the tenant is reassured that in addition to his safety, this will not be detrimental to his tenancy and/or deposit – utilising an independent provider will offer additional comfort in this regard.
We achieve no contact reporting by using our DigiSign service. The system electronically delivers the inventory to the tenant enabling him to add comments back into the report if he wishes, with the facility to include photos and record an electronic signature – all within a specified time frame. Our inventory expert will then assess these comments before sending a final copy onto the agent and tenant. If the tenant forgets to sign, an automated message will be issued informing him the report has been deemed acceptable, removing the requirement for further chasing.
If you are conducting these in-house utilising software such as Kaptur, you can still achieve the same with emailing inventories, requesting tenant input and then using DocuSign software to capture the signature. Our system just removes the chasing element on behalf of the agent.
There are situations where the tenant and possibly another supplier is at the property whether planned or not, and this is where our COVID processes are utilised. Most agents are vigilant in asking health questions, to ensure tenants do not have symptoms, which is then reaffirmed by our inventory experts at the property. Keys and surfaces touched are sanitised, PPE is used and social distancing is requested by our expert. The same protocols are in place if we are collecting or returning keys to the agent office.
Whether you are outsourcing your inventories, check-ins and check-outs, or conducting them in house below is a quick checklist to remain COVID compliant to protect staff, tenants and our industry:-
- Minimise tenant contact where feasible with the use of technology
- Document your COVID procedures for visiting properties with and without tenants present and re-issue to all staff and suppliers and of course to landlords and tenants
- Check your risk assessment is up to date and re-issue to staff
- Do you have enough PPE and is everyone aware of when to use masks, sanitize keys, surfaces and hands and how to dispose safely
- Revisit processes regularly as the current situation is fluid and fines apply for breaking COVID rules
The other aspect to consider is assisting the Test and Trace service by keeping records of staff members for 21 days. Whilst this is not mandatory for our industry, more specifically relating to designated venues in certain sectors, its wise to consider this. If a member of your staff contracts the virus, most business owners will be eager to ensure anyone they have come into contact within the last 21 days are notified.
Inventory reporting keeps tenancies, the deposits and all parties safe from unfair claims and it keeps the housing market moving with check in’s and checkouts. Tenants and landlords may have differing attitudes towards risk, but the focus must remain on minimising interaction with others by communicating clear guidelines.