Becoming a
Landlord for the first time can be a very daunting
process and before taking the plunge and purchasing a
building, it is best to research the subject
fully. Rented buildings and the rights of
tenants are governed and regulated by various Act of
Parliament ( Housing Act 1988 in England &
Wales and amended in 1996 and the Housing
(Scotland) Act 1988 in Scotland.
Most Tenancies are known as Assured short hold
agreements ( Short Assured Tenancies in Scotland) .
Under these acts the Landlord will be able to recover
the property at the end of the fixed term providing of
course that he has served the correct papers to the
tenant. It is against the law to evict a tenant unless
you have a court order. However at the end of the
rental period, if the tenant fails to vacate the
property and you have served the correct notices, a possession
order can normally be obtained within two months (Landlords
with property in Scotland may take slightly longer.)
Before you let a property , you will
need to check with any lender that you are able to let
the property under the terms of any loan you have with
them. If the property is a leasehold Flt, you should
check with the Freeholder first. If you are
responsible for the building, you will also need to effect.
Landlord Insurance at least covering the
building. A variety of covers are available on the
market. Depending on your needs, you may choose to
effect Landlord Building Insurance on it's own or
perhaps include Contents.
You should also pay attention to the
laws relating to let property insurance and these
include the following;
Gas
Safety (installation and use) Regulations 1994
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use Regulations) 1998 place a duty
of care on all Landlords to make sure that all gas fittings, appliances
and flues etc that form and or are supplied with the landlords
building are maintained in a safe condition.
A copy of the gas safety certificate should be left with the
Tenant at the property along with instruction books for all appliances.
Instruction booklets should be provided for each gas appliance supplied.
Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations
1993
Any
furniture and furnishings provided by you as Landlord for use by
the tenant must meet the fire resistance
requirements of the above regulations.
The current regulations cover all upholstery and upholstered furniture
property. Typical items that need to comply would include settees,
armchairs, and sofa beds. The regulations do not apply to duvets,
loose mattress covers and carpets. Please refer to the act for the
full list.
Any item of furniture sold since 1990 will have regulatory display labels,
which should not be removed, leave them so as the tenant can see
that the item
comply with the regulations.
The
Electrical Equipment (safety) Regulations 1994.
There
is no statutory obligation placed on Landlords to have professional checks
carried out on the electrical system or appliances at the rented
property.
However, under
the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 & The Plugs
and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 there is an obligation
to ensure that all electrical equipment is safe. for your tenants
usage.
As
a Landlord ( any before you purchase Landlord
Insurance or allow the tenant to move in) You should ensure that any electrical equipment supplied as part of
a let accommodation does comply with the above regulations and
is safe for usage
