Lettings

We are one of the largest Lettings & Management services in the local area offering the highest levels of expertise & customer service to our Landlords & Tenants alike.

If you let your property through us, we will market it from our three prominent locations in Wellingborough, Irthlingborough & Rushden.

We will ensure that, as the landlord, you are protected from any issues raised by the various Housing, Landlord & Tenant Acts, as well as the many safety regulations.

We are members of The Association of Residential Letting Agents, and hold full NFOPP / Propertymark qualifications meaning we are able to offer our clients comprehensive advice on all aspects of lettings compliance and the very latest regulation changes, and as such are regulated by their strict code of conduct.

We are also members of The Property Ombudsman, and hold full Client Money Protection with ARLA Propertymark, and deposit protection with The Deposit Protection Service.

Compliance is at the forefront of our business, and as such offers all our Landlord clients the peace of mind that their properties and tenancies are being managed by fully qualified property professionals.

We appreciate that Landlords are different and we try to accommodate any particular requests. We never forget that the property is owned by you, so if there are any items you would like us to add in or remove from our services then please contact us with your requirements.

The redress scheme we are members of is The Property Ombudsman and we hold Client Money Protection via ARLA Propertymark - Scheme reference C0131081

Lettings

For more experienced Landlords we offer our Let Only Service; we find the best and most suitable Tenant for you and your property. We only recommend this to Landlords who fully understand the regulations and legislation in depth and hold a valid deposit protection membership with an accredited scheme.

Our Premium Full Management Service allows you to sit back, relax and let Richard James take care of the day to day management of your tenancy. We have one level of Management Service and believe this to be the best available service that everyone can benefit from, delivered by fully qualified & licensed Letting Agents.

  • High quality photographs taken & your property marketed on Rightmove, Richard James website & in our three office window displays
  • Advice on any relevant legal requirements
  • Accompanied viewings
  • Tenant referencing through our vigorous suitability process
  • Photographic inventory & schedule of condition
  • Drawing up of tenancy agreement & serving required Prescribed Information in relation to the deposit
  • Collection of first months rent & deposit
  • Notifying Utility companies & local Council of new tenants details
  • Collection of rent from tenant during term of tenancy & monthly payment to Landlords
  • Ensuring full Lettings Compliance & Regulations are met during the course of the tenancy
  • Property inspections carried out every three months & detailed reports sent to Landlords
  • Arranging contractors to carry out necessary repairs, maintenance & compliance work as required
  • Renewal of Tenancy Agreements
  • Check out inspection at the end of the tenancy
  • Liaison with all parties regarding any deductions from the deposit

Safety Regulations & Landlord Responsibilities

Gas & Electrical Safety Energy Performance Certificates Legionella Risk Assessment Landlord Insurance Services

The law requires that all appliances are safe & strongly recommends that everything should be independently tested.

Duty of care demands that all electrical appliances are tested on a regular basis, particularly at the point at which the property becomes available to let.

The Electrical Equipment (safety) Regulations 1994 and The Plugs and Sockets Etc. (safety) Regulations 1994 state that supplying unsafe appliances is an offence. In the event of an accident involving electricity the Landlord must be able to demonstrate that the supply and appliances are safe. This can only be done if they have been independently tested.

The Gas Safety (installation & use) Regulations 1998 state that all let & managed properties must be tested annually for safety. Only Gas Safe registered businesses with Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) qualified engineers are authorised to carry out work on gas appliances and piping.

We recommend only fully qualified contractors to carryout electrical and gas safety checks, and we are happy to handle this on your behalf.

We recommend battery operated smoke alarms are installed, once installed responsibility for replacement batteries passes to the tenant.

Failure to comply with regulations can result in large fines, and in extreme cases, imprisonment.

Since October 2008 all private residential property available for let is required to hold an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC is a legal requirement for new lets, and it valid for 10 years. All tenants must be provided with a copy of the EPC at the start of the tenancy.

Legionella is a potentially fatal illness which can be caught be inhaling bacteria generated by hot & cold water heating systems, including storage tanks which are not functioning properly or have been stagnant for some time.

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 1999 have recently changed and the control of Legionella bacteria in Water Systems Approved Code of Practice (ACOP L8) now applies to domestic living. It is recommended that all Landlords of residential properties have a Legionella Risk Assessment every two years to comply with the law, and again, this is something we are happy to handle on your behalf.

We are happy to obtain a suitable quotation for all Landlords Insurance Services, including Residential Landlords Buildings Insurance & full Rent Guarantee Insurance. Please contact us if this is something you would like more information on.