At Howie, Kent & Co, we understand your concerns surrounding your rental property, specifically
- whether you are going to be receiving rent each month, and
- that the property is being well maintained by the tenant.
As your letting agent, these two concerns are our priority.
Why let your property with Howie, Kent & Co?
- Howie, Kent & Co are a member firm of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), providing our landlords and tenants the reassurance that we will look after their property and their needs whilst adhering to the strict codes of conduct administered by the RICS.
- We are a team of property professionals, with our directors Duncan and Sarah both individually being members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). We pride ourselves in delivering expert advice whilst maintaining a personal approach.
- We do not have a high street lettings office, enabling us to maintain our competitive fees. We do however have an office where clients, landlords or tenants can call into, situated just outside Shrewsbury.
- We provide peace of mind to landlords by delivering a stress-free lettings service, ensuring that we find the right tenant for your property.
- We have recommendations from previous landlords, demonstrating the successful letting of their properties as well as praising our quality of service.
- We are members of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, ensuring protection of all tenancy deposits in a safe guarded way.
- As members of the RICS, we are also members of their Clients’ Money Protection Scheme, protecting the security of all clients’ money held on your behalf.
- We are members of the Property Redress Scheme, ensuring our clients have access to a redress scheme if ever needed.
Property Compliance
In advance of letting your property, you may need to obtain consent, or inform, your insurer and mortgage company of your intention to let your property. In addition, if your property is a leasehold you may need to obtain consent from the freeholder.
Legislative requirements to let a property include the following:
- Gas Safety (Installations & Use) Regulations 1998 (As Amended) – This requires an annual service of a gas boiler and all gas appliances in a property with a Gas Safety Certificate provided to the tenant.
- Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 – This requires all electrical wiring, sockets, consumer units (fuse boxes) and other fixed electrical parts to be inspected and tested every 5 years, with an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) being provided to the tenant.
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 – This requires a working smoke alarm to be fitted on each floor of the property and a carbon monoxide alarm to be equipped in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers)
- Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards 2018 – This provides a requirement for all let property to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E or above. There are certain exclusions for example for listed buildings. A tenant must be provided with a copy of an EPC prior to the start of a tenancy.
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations1988 (amended 1989 and 1993) – This requires that for any property that is let out on a furnished basis, all soft furnishings (excluding carpets and curtains) must comply with these regulations and be labelled to prove this.
- Portable Appliance Testing – It is recommended that landlords regularly carry out portable appliance testing (PAT) on any electrical appliance.
Residential Property Management
Our fees for managing residential let property are charged on a monthly basis at 12% of the rent inclusive of VAT.
Our service includes the following:
Inspection of property and market appraisal- Advertising of property on our website, OnTheMarket, Facebook and local press
- Erect to let board (if required)
- Receiving tenant enquiries and carrying out accompanied viewings of property
- Referencing prospective tenants and carrying out credit checks
- Confirming prospective tenants’ right to rent in the UK and ID checks
- Preparing tenancy agreement
- Receiving and registering tenancy deposit with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme
- Receiving the first month’s rent and rental payments for the duration of the tenancy
- Preparing inventory of the property
- Conducting check-in
- Notify all utility providers of new tenant details and meter readings
- Dealing with issues arising during the tenancy, organising repairs and maintenance and paying bills on the landlord’s behalf
- Carrying out six-monthly inspections of the property. On annual basis, one inspection will be carried out in person and one inspection virtually.
- Carry out check-out at end of tenancy
- Return deposit to tenant following liaison between landlord and tenant if any issues arise
Additional charges for services not included:
- Additional property inspections – £60 inclusive of VAT
- Landlord withdrawal fee (before tenancy starts) – £300 inc. VAT
- Landlord withdrawal fee (during tenancy) – £120 inc. VAT
- Additional property visits – £60 inc. VAT
- Rent review fees – £120 inc. VAT
- Renewal fees – £240 inc. VAT
- Right-to-Rent follow-up check – £60 inc. VAT
- Arrangement fees for works over £1,000 – 5% of net cost inc. VAT
- Tenancy dispute fee – £120 inc. VAT
- Fees for the service of Legal Notices (Section 8 or Section 21) – £60 inc. VAT
Tenants
Viewings
Viewings of properties may be carried out by a representative of Howie, Kent & Co or by the landlord themselves. Once you have viewed a property, if you are interested to proceed, you will need to confirm to Howie, Kent & Co that you wish to do so.Proceeding with a property
If you wish to proceed with a property, we will receive application forms and if you meet the application criteria, we will request a holding deposit equivalent to one week’s rent. Upon receipt of this, we will submit your details for credit referencing. Referencing usually takes 2-3 days to be returned. If referencing is successful, the remainder of the first month’s rent and the tenancy deposit are payable in advance of the start date of the tenancy. If your application is unsuccessful due to information differing on your application form to the information received from credit referencing, your holding deposit would be withheld. If your application is unsuccessful due to a decision of the landlord’s other than information differing from your application form to referencing, your holding deposit would be returned to you.
References
Howie, Kent & Co will conduct all referencing on behalf of the landlord. This includes employment references, previous landlord references, bank references and credit checks. In addition, your right to rent in the UK and identity will also be checked in accordance with government guidelines.Rent
The first month’s rent is due in advance of the commencement of the tenancy, payable by BACS. Further monthly rental payments must be made by standing order.Deposit
Your deposit is due in advance of the commencement of the tenancy, payable by BACS. The deposit will be registered with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. This deposit is held to cover any damage to the property at the end of the tenancy. The equivalent of 5 weeks rent will be charged as a deposit.Terms and conditions
Acceptance or refusal of a tenant’s application is at the sole discretion of the landlord.
Permitted payments
Before the tenancy starts (payable to Howie Kent & Co ‘the Agent’)
- Holding Deposit: 1 week’s rent
- Deposit: 5 weeks’ rent
During the tenancy
- Payment capped at £50 including VAT if you want to make a change the tenancy agreement, including novation and variation of assigning of contract.
- Payment of interest for the late payment of rent capped at a rate of 3% above the Bank of England Base Rate after 14 days of rent being overdue.
- Payment for the reasonably incurred costs for the loss of keys/security devices, at cost price.
- Payment of any unpaid rent or other reasonable costs associated with your early termination of the tenancy
Other permitted payments
- Payment of rent to either the landlord/Agent
- Payment of utilities to either the utility provider, or the landlord if the utilities are supplied by the landlord.
- Payment of communication services to the service providers
- Payment of Council Tax to the local Authority.
Tenant protection
Howie Kent & Co is part of a Client Money Protection Scheme (membership number A6478), which is a client money protection scheme, and also a member of Property Redress Scheme (membership number PRS012298), which is a redress scheme.
To view our CMP certificate please click here.
To view our PRS certificate please click here.