When it comes to ‘move in day’ there are a lot of different variations. There are lots of different rituals and different practices that many people have for this day, it would make a lot of sense if everyone had a slightly different way of moving in their tenants.
There are specific things you’ll need to do, legally, as a landlord in order to stay compliant and some actions to make you legally compliant. Here’s some of the most important legal aspects of ‘moving in day’. This is a fairly short blog, so make sure to get ALL these steps done!
EICR
Make sure to give the new tenants a copy of the Electrical Inspection Condition Report. This is a specific legal test to make sure the building is safe for those living there. In a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) there should be a routine inspection and test at least every five years by a suitably qualified person, who should provide a certificate giving the results of the test and any changes you might need to make.
Energy Performance Certificate
This is another document that details the electrical performance of a property, including all the appliances. The certificate will contain information about the property’s typical energy costs. You will need to make sure that it’s a valid copy. To expand the explanation, an EPC test is performed by a ‘Qualified and Accredited’ energy assessor who visits your property, examines key items such as cavity wall, floor and loft insulation, your boiler, your hot water tank, your radiators, and maybe more features of your property in order to calculate a rating (from A to G)
Gas Safety Certificate
All UK landlords have a duty, by law, to ensure gas safety appliances and fittings in their rental properties are in safe working order. You will need to provide every new tenant with the document that proves this in order to be legally upstanding. This is an annual gas safety check/inspection by a “Gas Safe” registered engineer/plumber. During the check, all appliances and fittings should be properly checked, and recorded in a report (often referred to as a Gas Safety Landlord Report (GSLR) and Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)).
‘How to Rent’ Guide
You will need to provide a ‘how to rent’ guide to the tenants. This is a government issued piece of legislation, you can find the latest version of the document online. Failure to do this can result in an impediment to your ability to repossess your home (with a Section 21 notice).
Fire alarm checks
You will need to check fire alarms throughout the property. You will also need to ensure that you have, at least, one smoke alarm installed on every storey of the rental property which is used as living accommodation, and you should have a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where solid fuel appliances are contained. Remember to check each fire alarm on the day that the new tenant comes to move in, failure to do so could result in unfortunate legal consequences.
These are the legal requirements, you will need to make sure this is done/all the documents are provided when each new tenant moves into the property. Something for future consideration is the extra checks that aren’t required, but are sensible for landlords (this will be covered in an upcoming blog post on our website). If you have any questions about leasing, rental, or even housing development, have a look at the great range of books available on these topics featured on our website.
Property rental, and property sales, are great ways of investing and making a quality income. Nick Fox, and the team, have opened and grown a business based on property, so here’s proof that it works! What’s more, we can help you. There loads of great Nick Fox books available where you can learn all about property and leasing – have a look at them today.
Nick Fox started his property investment career 10 years ago and his portfolio has grown to one of the largest in the UK. Nick now mainly focuses on HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) and works to help others achieve property success too. Visit here to find out how he can help you.
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