Why Andrew Hunt Residential Lettings?

Andrew Hunt lettings has all the benefits of shairng an office with Andrew Hunt Estate Agents whcih means that we can capitalise on property values, as We are also an Independent Company Specialising in Property Management in Crawley

Our staff is professionally trained to provide you with expert advice at every step of letting. Our aim is to guide you through this complex and sometimes legalistic process.

Regularly dealing with landlords has helped us to identify your key concerns when thinking of letting your property, and we have developed our service to meet these needs.

Backed by our Professional Indemnity you can be confident that your property is being professionally managed. (With a programme of checks, legal support, insurance’s and specialised letting advise) and that the letting complies with all recent legislation.

Our commitment to you as our client is to offer a professional service, and above all, peace of mind.

Your first steps to a successful letting

Before contacting us there are several things you should do;

If you have mortgage on your property, you will need to inform the mortgage lender and obtain their permission to let. If your property is Leasehold you may need permission from the freeholder if there are any covenants on your particular property.

You will also need to inform your Insurers, with some Insurance companies, cover may be deemed invalid if you let your property without informing them. Your insurers may increase your premium, you do not have to stay with the insurers you chose when you bought your property I have enclosed details of a company we use and specialise in rented properties. Lets XL.

We do offer specialised cover for Tenanted Properties as normal Insurance may become expensive. Our selected Companies specialise in Let properties and are therefore competitively priced.

Our First Steps

We will meet you at the property, enabling us to give you a professional and realistic rent evaluation, taking into consideration where the property is, how many bedrooms, the condition and the market demand for your type of property.

We will advise you whether the property should be let furnished or unfurnished and of any minor improvements that could be made to achieve the best possible rent. We have found that property offered in a good condition will not only achieve a better rent but will be better looked after by the tenant. If you redecorate prior to letting,

Remember ease of maintenance thereafter. We will advise you on how to protect your rent and your property with specialist insurance’s. We will explain your responsibilities as a landlord and current legislation.

If you are thinking of purchasing a property to let, we can advise and arrange surveys, valuations, mortgages and insurance’s.

Finding the Right Tenant

Professional marketing is one of our keys to success in letting. We pride ourselves on finding the right tenant for your property.

We are on the Internet which we find a great asset for letting properties to re-locating employees etc.

We regularly advertise in the local newspapers and in the Yellow pages. We print a daily property list, which is circulated to all prospective tenants.

We then match tenants with properties. The tenants are taken to view selected properties by our negotiator. However, if you or an existing tenant occupies the property, viewing will be strictly by appointment. We do not allow tenants to view the property unaccompanied.

Tenant and Guarantor Referencing

We employ the services of a professional credit-referencing agency to screen all prospective tenants and where required guarantors. The agency takes up all necessary references, including a credit search, which is linked to national credit records. This is also standard which is acceptable for your Rent Indemnity Insurance and enables us to put the most suitable tenant into your property. The particular company we use is ‘second to none’. Remember it is easy to find tenants but finding the right tenants is our job, we have been doing it for nearly 15 years.

Tenants who cannot meet these requirements in their own right automatically have to have a guarantor who is referenced in the same way and who becomes party to the contract.

Preparing Your Property

Properties can be prepared either furnished or unfurnished. The choice is yours depending on your personal circumstances. Whichever option you choose, your legal rights are the same.

Whatever furniture there is in the property, all soft furnishings, loose fittings, permanent or loose covers must comply with the Fire and Furnishings (FIRE (Safety)

Regulations 1988. It is an offence to supply furniture to tenants, which does not meet the Fire Resistance Requirements. We will advise you which items are not appropriate to the letting and should be removed.

Unfurnished properties will require fitted carpets, curtains. It is recommended that there is a cooker in the kitchen.

The Gas Safety Regulations 1994 compel landlords to ensure that all gas appliances are maintained in good order and checked for safety every 12 months. We will arrange for the appropriate checks to be done by CORGI registered plumber before your tenants move in. * we will maintain this check while we manage the property.

It is also required that one smoke detector per storey is fitted to rented properties.

Preparing the Tenancy

Once we have found suitable tenants and arranged with you a date for the tenancy to begin, ** we can prepare an Inventory and Schedule of Condition. This is important as it provides accurate records as to the condition of the property at the commencement of any tenancy and is essential when tenants vacate your property to ascertain any damages or repairs, which have to be paid out of the tenants deposit.

There are a number of different types of tenancy agreements. We will ensure we understand your needs are and will recommend which agreement to use, making sure that your rights are protected and that you get your property back when you want it.

We will prepare the necessary legal documents for your tenants and serve them at the appropriate times. When the agreements are signed we will collect the first month’s rent and security deposit.

During the Tenancy

*Rents are collected during the month and the accounts are made up 5 working days after the date when we receive the rent from your tenants. (Most other Managing agents pay the landlord one month after they receive the rent1!). We can arrange for cheque to be sent direct to any bank account you choose.

All of our Rented Properties are managed through a special computerised package written exclusively for us who enables us to pay our landlords promptly!

*We carry out routine Inspections on properties to ascertain any maintenance, which may be required.

Rents are usually increased at an Inflation rate annually and depending on demand.

Protecting your interest

We take every precaution to ensure that your interests are fully protected. As part of our *full management service (Level 3) we can provide a comprehensive rental indemnity and legal protection scheme. Under this scheme, if the tenant fails to pay his rent, you will still receive your rental income until vacant possession of the property is gained. If legal action is necessary, our insurance will also cover your legal costs.

As we have said previously, we offer specialist insurance for buildings and contents, which is designed for tenanted properties. If required we can also provide cover for accidental damage by the tenant. Ask for a brochure on these services. (Enclosed)

Taxation

Any money derived from letting your property is treated as unearned income, and ubject to tax. It must be declared in your Self Assessment Return. Therefore, we recommend that you keep our monthly statements and copies of invoices for any payments made in connection with your property. There are certain Tax Exemption Circumstances and we Recommend Steven Tyas Accountants in East Park Crawley, (01293 542474) who we have used for several years and can supply a competitive Tax assessment on your behalf. If you prefer to go to a smaller accountancy practice Rosie Poule in Horsham can be recommended her number is 01403 733832.

End of Tenancy

When the tenant has vacated your property we will follow your instructions to find a new tenant for you. However, if you are thinking of selling your property, we will introduce you to our Sales Department for a free valuation of your property.

* The above information is based on 'full property management only' full terms and conditions of each level of management on application.