Most Frequently Asked Questions From Landlords

Who picks up the ground rent and service charges for my property and what happens with any bills during a void period?

Ground rent and service charges are to be picked up by you, the landlord, these are normally paid directly to the company managing the building on behalf of the leaseholders/freeholder. Unless pre-arranged with us you are solely liable for any bills you may have for the property and council tax during any void periods.

How do I know when my EICR needs renewing?

You will need an up-to-date EICR for any tenant renewals and new tenancies from 1st July 2020 and every tenanted property from 1st April 2021. In the first instance if you haven’t got your electrical safety certificate to hand you might want to check with the solicitor you used when purchasing the property as the seller might have provided one. It is worth noting that it has never been a legal requirement to provide one as part of the sales process so in many cases there won’t be a current certificate in place. 

What is the difference between EPCs and EICRs?

An EICR tests the installation of the electrics with the property (not appliances) and checks circuits, sockets, light fittings, wiring, conducts live testing and also checks that the system reacts correctly to any issues that may occur. An EICR enables the electrician to identify any potential issues/hidden defects (that cannot be observed during a visual inspection) before they become an issue. This means that issues can be resolved before they become major and your tenants remain safe in the property.

An EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is a rating scale of how energy efficient a property is and is used across the European Union to identify any damage, deterioration and/or conditions which may turn into a risk. It also identifies any improvements which can be made to improve the energy efficiency of the property.

How does the process for a deposit release work?

Once a tenant vacates the property we will conduct a full checkout inspection, comparing the move in condition with the move out condition. If any works/cleaning is required we will advise the tenant of this and send them the full details checkout report. Once any works have been completed and invoices received they will firstly be charged through the account. When the deposit negotiations with the tenant are finalised and agreed any funds due back to the landlord are paid on to the landlord account, the balance of the deposit is transferred to the tenant.