Protecting your investment whilst getting the best return! Whether you’re a first time landlord or have plenty experience and properties under your belt, each letting journey can be different.
We deal with a number of landlords looking to join the investment market, landlords with a single property or handful of properties to companies with large portfolios.
Here’s a step by step guide in how we deal with your investment.
1. Valuation
Our Lettings Valuer at the time of the valuation will give you a price based on demand, recently let and available property located within a short distance to your investment. Research and data available to us will back this.
2. Preparation
When you use Stones Property to market your home we will take photos and measurements, as well as create a floor plan at a time suitable to you within office operating hours anytime during the 6 days a week we are open.
3. Documents
Before we advertise your property and once the tenant moves in you, the landlord, must ensure you have all the right certifications in place.
Since 2007 by law we are unable to advertise your property unless there is a valid EPC – Energy Performance Certificate, which is valid for 10 years. You must organise for a new EPC when changes have been made to the property, such as heating or insulation for example. This of course should have a better impact on your rating.
The minimum EPC rating to rent a property is band E. Certain changes must be made if your property falls beneath this.
If your property has gas, then a gas safety certificate will need to be done just before moving. It’s always best not leaving things to the last minute, so we recommend this is done during the time of advertising.
Electrical certificates are now mandatory as of 2020 and on all renewal of tenancies as of 2021. Typically an electrical certificate is valid between 3 or 5 years based on the engineer’s judgement.
4. Advertise
Thereafter we will be upload the property onto our high tech software. This software will feed all the information onto our website, Rightmove, Zoopla, Prime Location and other nationwide portals.
5. Enquiries
Our Lettings Negotiators will qualify all enquiries, obtain personal information and if satisfied, will book in a viewing into your property.
6. Confirmation
All viewings are accompanied by a member of staff during office hours, with confirmation requested every morning in order to limit cancellations on the day of the viewing.
7. Appointments
Our team will show your property around answering any questions the prospective tenants may have according to government guidelines.
8. Feedback
We will follow up on all viewings in the morning with viewing feedback and pass it on to the landlords once received.
9. Offers
Our estate agents will negotiate offers on your behalf. Once you accept an offer, we look to seek documentation and IDs for full referencing.
10. Service
We offer 3 different types of services for landlords:
Introduction Only
Once we find you a suitable tenant, we ask them to commit by paying a monetary deposit (equivalent to 1 weeks rent) and a list of documents ready for referencing. We complete a credit check on the tenants. Once this is complete we come to a decision based on credit score, income, employment and tenant history.
Thereafter once all the due diligence is complete, on the day of move in we will inform the local authority and all utility suppliers of meter reads and tenants details.
Rent Collection
Our most popular package includes everything within the Introduction Only package, as well as collecting the rent on your behalf and sending this over to your desired account.
We have different methods available to tenants for rent payments including credit and debit card payments.
Fully Managed
Our highest level package includes everything from Introduction Only and Rent Collection services. This includes no call out charges from our engineers, property inspections, dealing with 3rd parties including insurance companies, accountants and surveyors.
11. Collection of Documents
Our estate agents will look to obtain all certificates and related paperwork to your property. We keep these documents on file and distribute copies to your tenants. At Stones, we also have to provide by law the ‘How to Rent Guide’ for the tenants. This changes year by year and so we will ensure they read the most recent guide.
12. Move In
Once the tenants and package has been chosen, agreements signed, move in happens!
Tenants can to contact us via phone, email or business WhatsApp should they have any questions or property related issues.
For a free valuation click here or call us for more information.