Landlords Information

Special Offer!*

For a limited period, we are offering Landlords the following package if you place your property (or properties) with us as sole agents on a Full Management basis:

• Only 10% commission charges per month
• No VAT on any fees charged by this agency
• No let, no fee
• Free Rental Guarantee and Legal Expenses Insurance for 6 months 

How can we charge such low fees? Prime Property Management Ltd intentionally does not have high street premises, and we try to avoid placing costly and wasteful large ads in the press. This strategy means that our overheads are much less than many of our competitors, and these savings can be passed on to you the Landlord.

If you currently own or intend to purchase residential property for rental within a 20-mile radius of Cambridge, you should consider engaging our property management service. You'll find that we offer a professional and cost-effective service with a personal touch. As we are specialists, we know how to manage property for optimum returns, whilst ensuring smooth running tenancies and compliance with the various landlord/tenant laws.

Maximise the return on your investment - contact us now.

If you own or intend purchasing residential property for rental in any other area, please go to our UK Network page.

*Terms of offer: Offer only open to Landlords not already registered with Prime Property Management Ltd., although the offer can be extended to Landlords already registered who place further properties with us. The offer will apply once only to any given property placed with us on a sole agency basis. Other charges – eg inventory - will still apply. Prime Property Management Ltd reserves the right to at anytime withdraw this offer without notice. If you have queries in respect to this offer please email us.

Our Services:

Our services include a Full Management Service and a Tenant Find Service and these are further explained below. However, we maintain a flexible attitude and are generally able to adapt our service to meet our client's individual circumstances and needs, for example by providing a part only service, or alternatively by taking on additional tasks and duties.

Full Management Service

This service means that we handle virtually the whole of the letting process on a continuous basis, and is fully inclusive of the following:

1. Visiting you at your property, and providing a rental valuation and any other advice which you may require about letting your property, including a free Information Pack for Landlords.

2. Advising you on compliance with the various safety regulations.

3. Locating suitable tenants. Your property will be marketed, accompanied by digital photographs where applicable, in the following ways:
      •   on this website - which has a high page ranking on Google
      •   on other specialist property websites
      •   in the local press where applicable
      •   with personnel departments of local companies and other organisations
      •   by drawing from our constantly updated database of waiting tenants.

4. Accompanying tenant applicants to view the property.

5. Obtaining and evaluating references and credit checks. We use a professional referencing agency which verifies complete data on all prospective tenants. This includes searches of electoral register, county court judgements, repossessions register, credit history and last 3 years' addresses as well as bank information and employer reports - a 25 point check in all!

6. Preparing a suitable tenancy agreement and arranging signature by the tenant.

7. Collecting and holding as stakeholders a deposit (bond) from the tenant.

8. Advising on and assisting in the transfer of gas, electricity, water and council tax accounts into the tenant's name.

9. Receiving rental payments monthly in advance, and paying you promptly, together with a detailed statement from our computerised management systems.

10. If required paying regular outgoings for you from rental payments.

11. Inspecting the property periodically, and reporting any problems to you.

12. Arranging any necessary repairs or maintenance up to an amount as stated on the agreement between you and this agency, and liaising with you in the case of larger works.

13. Keeping in touch with the tenant on a routine basis.

14. Checking tenants out as required (subject to an inventory having been prepared by us and paid by the Landlord), re-letting and continuing the process with the minimum of vacant periods to ensure that you receive the optimum return from your property.

15. NB Preparing an inventory/schedule of condition and checking the tenant in to the property is an optional service charged separately (contact us for details).  Checking out of the tenant is free if the inventory option is chosen.

Our Fees for the Full Management Service:

• Ongoing management commission is only 10% of monthly rental payments.

• No let, no fee!

• Renewal of an existing agreement is £75.

• Preparing an inventory/schedule of condition and checking the tenant in to the property is an optional extra charge.

Remember - we do not charge VAT on any of our agency fees.

Tenant Find Service

This service means that we handle the initial letting process but then hand over the month to month management of the property to the Landlord. The service is inclusive of the following:

1. Visiting you at your property, and providing a rental valuation and any other advice which you may require about letting your property, including a free Information Pack for Landlords.

2. Advising you on compliance with the various safety regulations.

3. Locating suitable tenants. Your property will be marketed, accompanied by digital photographs where applicable, in the following ways:
      •   on this website - which has a high page ranking on Google
      •   on other specialist property websites
      •   in the local press where applicable
      •   with personnel departments of local companies and other organisations
      •   by drawing from our constantly updated database of waiting tenants.

4. Accompanying tenant applicants to view the property.

5. Obtaining and evaluating references and credit checks. We use a professional referencing agency which verifies complete data on all prospective tenants. This includes searches of electoral register, county court judgements, repossessions register, credit history and last 3 years' addresses as well as bank information and employer reports - a 25 point check in all!

6. Preparing a suitable tenancy agreement and arranging signature by the tenant.

7. Collecting and passing to you the deposit (bond) from the tenant.

Our Fees for the Tenant Find Service:

• 50% of one month’s rent.

• No let, no fee!

• Preparing an inventory/schedule of condition and checking the tenant in to the property is an optional extra charge.

Remember - we do not charge VAT on any of our agency fees.

< top

Guide for Landlords

Before a property can be let, there are several matters which the owner will need to deal with to ensure that the tenancy runs smoothly, and also that he/she complies with the law. For brief details of a subject click on a blue link below, or scroll down the page. If you require further advice or assistance with any matter, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Proof of Ownership
We require sight of proof of ownership of the property to be let – eg correspondence from your mortgage company, the title deeds, documentation relating to the ground rent (if leasehold) etc. Where the property is jointly owned, we will require the written consent of both owners to rent out the property. If one joint owner is absent, a written agreement regarding the apportioning of rental income will also be required.

Mortgage
If your property is mortgaged, you should obtain your mortgage company’s written consent to the letting. They may require additional clauses in the tenancy agreement of which you must inform us.

Leaseholds
If you are a leaseholder, you should check the terms of your lease and obtain the necessary written consent before letting.

Sub-letting
If you are a tenant yourself, you will require your landlord's consent.

Insurance

You should ensure that the property is suitably covered for letting under both your buildings and contents insurance policies.  Failure to inform your insurers may invalidate your policies.  Insurance products available include Rent Guarantee Insurance, Legal Protection Insurance, Home Emergency Assistance, and Landlords Contents and Buildings Insurance.  We are Introducer Appointed Representatives of MARAS Group who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for insurance activities. See www.maras.co.uk

Bills and regular outgoings
We recommend that you arrange for regular outgoings e.g. mortgage, service charges, maintenance contracts etc. to be paid by standing order or direct debit. However, where we are Managing the property, by prior written agreement we may make payment of certain bills on your behalf, provided such bills are received in your name at our office, and that sufficient funds are held to your credit.

Council tax
Council tax is the responsibility of the occupier. You should inform your local collection office that you are leaving the property. During vacant periods the charge reverts to the owner. When unoccupied but furnished, the charge is 50% of the normal rate. When unoccupied and 'substantially' unfurnished, there is no charge for the first six months, and thereafter a charge of 50% of the normal rate.

The inventory
It is most important that an inventory of contents and schedule of condition be prepared, in order to avoid misunderstanding or dispute at the end of a tenancy. Without such safeguards, it will be impossible for the landlord to prove any loss, damage, or significant deterioration of the property or contents. In order to provide a complete service to the landlord, we will if requested prepare an inventory and schedule of condition including digital photographs, and check the tenant in to (and out of) the property for an extra fee (contact us for details).

Income tax
When the landlord is resident in the UK, it is entirely his responsibility to inform the Inland Revenue of rental income received, and to pay any tax due. However, where the landlord is resident outside the UK during a tenancy, under new rules effective from 6 April 1996, unless an exemption certificate is held, we as landlord's agents are obliged to retain and forward to the Inland Revenue on a quarterly basis, an amount equal to the basic rate of income tax from rental received, less certain expenses. An application form for exemption from such deductions is available from this Agency, and further information may be obtained from the Inland Revenue.

Important safety regulations

The following safety requirements are the responsibility of the owner (the landlord), and where we are to Manage the property, they are also ours as agents. Therefore to protect all interests we have a duty to ensure full compliance with the appropriate regulations, at the owner's expense.

Gas Appliances & Equipment
Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 (amended 1996) and some other regulations, all gas appliances in tenanted premises must be checked for safety at intervals of not more than 12 months, by a CORGI registered gas engineer, and a safety certificate issued. Records must be kept of the dates of inspections, of defects identified, and of any remedial action taken.

Electrical Appliances & Equipment
Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, the Plugs & Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and some other regulations, electrical installations and equipment in tenanted premises must be safe. Although (unlike gas) no safety certificate is legally required, and therefore it may be adequate to perform a visual check of electrical equipment, fittings and leads, it is recommended that a qualified electrician be engaged for this purpose. In January 2005, new regulations were introduced - "Part P" - making it a legal requirement for landlords to be able to prove that all fixed electrical installations and alteration work has been carried out and certified by a competent electrician. (A fixed installation comprises the wiring and appliances that are fixed to the building fabric such as sockets, switches, consumer units and ceiling fittings.) This is in addition to existing legislation, and also the common law duty of care, which require that electrical appliances in tenanted property are safe.

Furniture & Furnishings
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (amended 1989, 1993 & 1996) provide that specified items supplied in the course of letting property must meet minimum fire resistant standards. The regulations apply to all upholstered furniture, and beds, headboards and mattresses, sofa-beds, futons and other convertibles, nursery furniture, garden furniture suitable for use in a dwelling, scatter cushions, pillows, and non-original covers for furniture. They do not apply to antique furniture or furniture made before 1950, bed clothes including duvets, loose covers for mattresses, pillowcases, curtains, carpets or sleeping bags. Therefore all relevant items as above must be checked for compliance, and non-compliant items removed from the premises. In practice, most (but not all) items which comply must have a suitable permanent label attached. Items purchased since 1 March 1990 from a reputable supplier are also likely to comply.

Smoke Alarms
All properties built since June 1992 must have been fitted with mains powered smoke detector alarms from new.  Although there is no legislation requiring smoke alarms to be fitted in other ordinary tenanted properties, it is generally considered that the common law 'duty of care' means that Landlords and their Agents could be liable should a fire cause injury or damage in a tenanted property where smoke alarms are not fitted.  We therefore strongly recommend that the Landlord fit at least one alarm on each floor of the property (for example, in the hall and landing areas).

General Product Safety
The General Product Safety Regulations 1994 specify that any product supplied in the course of a commercial activity must be safe. In the case of letting, this would include both the structure of the building and its contents. Recommended action is to check for obvious danger signs - leaning walls, broken glass, sharp edges etc., and also to leave operating manuals or other written instructions about high risk items, such as hot surfaces, electric lawnmowers, etc. for the tenant.

Preparing the property for letting

We have found from experience that a good relationship with tenants is the key to a smooth-running tenancy. As Property Managers the relationship part is our job, but it is important that the tenants should feel comfortable in their temporary home, and that they are receiving value for their money. This is the landlord’s job. Our policy of offering a service of quality and care therefore extends to our tenant applicants too, and we are pleased to recommend properties to rent which conform to certain minimum standards. Quality properties attract quality tenants.

General condition
Electrical, gas, plumbing, waste, central heating and hot water systems must be safe, sound and in good working order. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Appliances
Similarly, appliances such as washing machine, fridge freezer, cooker, dishwasher etc. should be in usable condition. Repairs and maintenance are at the landlord's expense unless misuse can be established.

Decorations
Interior decorations should be in good condition, and preferably plain, light and neutral.

Furnishings
It is recommended that you leave only minimum furnishings, and these should be of reasonable quality. It is preferable that items to be left are in the property during viewings. If you are letting unfurnished, we recommend that the property contains carpets, curtains and a cooker.

Personal items, ornaments etc
Personal possessions, ornaments, pictures, books etc. should be removed from the premises, especially those of real or sentimental value. Some items may be boxed, sealed and stored in the loft at the owner's risk. All cupboards and shelf space should be left clear for the tenant's own use.

Gardens
Gardens should be left neat, tidy and rubbish-free, with any lawns cut. Tenants are required to maintain the gardens to a reasonable standard, provided they are left the necessary tools. However, few tenants are experienced gardeners, and if you value your garden, or if it is particularly large, you may wish us to arrange maintenance visits by our regular gardener.

Cleaning
At the commencement of a tenancy the property must be in a thoroughly clean condition, and at the end of each tenancy it is the tenant's responsibility to leave the property in similar condition. Where they fail to do so, cleaning should be arranged at their expense.

Mail forwarding
We recommend that you make use of the Post Office redirection service. Application forms are available at their counters, and the cost is minimal. It is not the tenant's responsibility to forward mail.

Information for the tenant
It is helpful if you leave information for the tenant on operating the central heating and hot water system, washing machine and alarm system, and the day on which refuse is collected etc.

Keys
You should provide one set of keys for each tenant and, if we are managing the property, a set of keys for ourselves.

< top